Auxillary Transmission Fluid Cooler Question

[Chuck1986]

I'm running a tube and fin transmission fluid cooler on my 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT and after nearly 10,000 miles, the fluid still looks like it's fresh outta the bottle. The cooler I'm using has 6 plates and it was the biggest one they had at Advance Auto Parts, heck it said it was made for motor home transmissions! My question is, how much cooler do you think the fluid is now? I hope it's not too cool, but then again, this is a tube and fin design, so it's not as efficient as the stacked plate kind obviously. Just wondering, I know it's not good to overcool the transmission.

 

[Earl Filter]

I doubt very seriously that you'll overcool the trans in any weather in Tempe, Az.

 

[alreadygone]

Too cold may be harmful, but is there an actual documented case of premature failure because of chronic cold?

Bob

 

[Earl Filter]

Do you have it running in the radiator cooler before or after the auxillary cooler, or JUST through the aux cooler?

 

[JustinH]

you want to run the aux cooler in-line with the factory heat exchanger.

This way on a "cold" day the radiator warms the fluid up to operating temp.

You won't have a problem in tempe running it inline, or not running it inline, but i'd run it inline anyways.

 

[Chuck1986]

Oh yes, forgot to mention...I'm running the cooler after the radiator. If you look at the front of the car, you see the cooler covering part of the radiator.

 

[Earl Filter]

Leave it as is, and enjoy without worry.

 

[another Todd]

Cooler is better than hotter, also cooler is more dense, which may improve torque converter performance.

 

[JakeR22]

Quote:

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you want to run the aux cooler in-line with the factory heat exchanger.

This way on a "cold" day the radiator warms the fluid up to operating temp.

You won't have a problem in tempe running it inline, or not running it inline, but i'd run it inline anyways.

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What's the point of putting it before the radiator? It's just going to warm up the transmission fluid to the same temp as the radiator coolant.

 

[johnd]

Quote:

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What's the point of putting it before the radiator? It's just going to warm up the transmission fluid to the same temp as the radiator coolant.

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I have seen instances where the transmission generated enough heat to actually push the cooling system over the edge in towing applications. You are still removing a set amount of heat either way. Granted, the transmission fluid is close to the operating temp. of the radiator but if that temp is cooler, so is the fluid. I did mine both ways and measured it with a temp. gauge. The end result was that in the summer, the coolant got so hot either way that the trans was running way too hot. I opted to put the cooler after the radiator because of that. It's not like I live in Minnesota anyway. If I did, I'd put in a thermal bypass.