4WD
$50 site donor 2025
If that’s one of those 180° back and forths - I’d not go over a 4 tube either when the LPD offer less back pressure …
Are trans coolers necessary?
- Thread starter brandon9715
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 6r80 atf f150 transmission
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
That’s really a testament for just how good the LPD’s are - all I ever bought back in my 1500/2500 days …
(rigged up with Fram XG16’s)
I had a 2016 f150 and it had the dummy gauge but it also showed the exact trans fluid temperature if you flipped through the driver info screen.
Your test would require you to measure temp with and without the radiator tank cooler, since your not comparing to exit / entry but if the tank cooler warms it any in sum - ie the absolute temp might still be lower.
I have never tested. That is what I was told - by someone that should know. The rad cooler is obviously there primarily for cooling, and the only warming is likely running down the interstate at like -20F or something.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
Typically in more modern cars.
Hmmmm, I thought the “cooling” system warmed the transmission fluid when the fluid is cold.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
They produce more back pressure than other style coolers …
I’d credit part of reaching nearly 500k in my Sienna to the fact it has a transmission cooler as part of the towing package.
Modern transmissions run hot, every car honestly should have a cooler, let alone a truck
Probably be ok in Kansas. Would not make the pull on 15 coming out of Vegas.
My 2020 Tundra did not come with a transmission cooler even though every previous year did - they removed it as an option. I routinely pull transmission temps of +225F simply driving at 75mph on flat highway. With the transmission cooler this would be more like 200F. This is with no load in the truck other than me and one or two passengers. My truck is rated for approximately 10,000 pounds. I'm not sure I'd do any significant towing with my truck. With no significant towing, I'm doing 50k mile transmission fluid changes. Find a way to monitor the transmission temp and decide from there.
Last edited:
Your 6R80 transmission has an internal thermostat that starts to open at 170F and is fully open at 190F. You have a cooler loop through the radiator, but no external air to oil cooler. Max tow trucks (my 2016) have an external cooler and transmission temperature shown in the info screen, yours isn't enabled due to you lacking the max tow package. You can use an OBD reader to get the actual temperature (my scangauge II will show it). The radiator thickness is also less without the tow package.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Coolers that do several 180° turns do - hydraulics 101.
just saying a 4 pass would not be terrible - going any bigger they are not the best at anything …
Makes sense. The biggest rationale behind going with a tube and fin design in a MUCH older non-CVT transmission (at least to me) is that if any built up large gunk from the pan dislodges and goes into the line, it won't clog up the pathway. Didn't want to risk that happening in a plate and fin design.
Id argue the plate and fin design is superior since there are multiple fluid paths. You only got one with the tube and fin. Besides id always install a Magnefine filter pre cooler.
I didn't want to install a filter in-line, as my car is already designed with a spin-on filter feature. Plate and fin definitely offers better cooling due to larger surface area, but if one narrow pathway gets clogged with debris then you reduce the overall efficiency of the cooler. So that design is better installed on a newer vehicle. My goal is slightly longer life of my tranny, not the absolute best in class cooling of fluid.
OEMs have been putting plate and fin coolers on their cars with towing packages for quite some time. I wouldn't worry about them.
Similar threads
