Aftermarket ATF cooler; how much is too much?

[kuskoal]

I know most of you read this and say "never enough!" And I agree with you! But I was cruising Summit Racing's website and was looking at their trans coolers and noticed that some coolers have -12AN(3/4") fittings on them. That's a lot of of flow!

My question is, if you were to swap the e4od's cooler ports to the 4r100's to gain the bypass, then adapt the 3/8" line to the 3/4" line to use the cooler, would it be a waste?

Obviously flow is a priority, and pressure would stay constant with the check ball in the return line.

For comparison, the 5r110's trans cooler is 1/2" for the 6.0 and v10. Not too far off from using a "current" oil cooler from one of those super duties.

Just some random questions I have sitting around all day

 

[79jasper]

Actually you can go too big.
It's best to keep it above and below certain Temps.
You can get a thermostat for it.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

 

[kuskoal]

Oops! Forgot that detail. The 5r110 has a thermostat in it so I guess it would be a great idea

 

[laserjock]

I was going to say the same thing. Having extra cooling capacity on demand would be nice but the trans likes to run in a certain range just like the engine. The auto in my gasser runs between 150 and 180 if it's not working hard.

 

[PwrSmoke]

You might be doing this backwards. Why add a cooler if you don't know that you really need one?

Step one: Install trans temp gauge.
Step Two: Monitor temps for a period of time.
Step Three: Add appropriate "Just Right" cooler.

I have temp gauges on both my trucks. The IDI temp gauge has been there since I got the truck in 1987. Way back then, I added a bigger cooler than it needs and since that time the trans temp hardly ever goes past 150, even towing. In, what, 27 years of driving the truck, I can probably count the number of times I've seen 225 on my fingers. Maybe I'm just getting too old to remember! But it's a C6 vs your 5R110, so this might be apples vs pears. C6s are cool runners, generally speaking, even though they don't have a lockup converter. Don't know about the 4R110.

A minimum operating temp of around 150 is good and a max of around 225. A short spurt higher is acceptable in certain circumstances... i.e. if you size it right for the 90-95 percent so you can keep that minimum temp up and the trans can deal with short, infrequent periods of 240-250 (you can slow down, downshift, whatever to bring temps down).

Low temps, "too low," are really only a worry if you living in a cold climate or where there is a "real" winter. Running oil too cool doesn't allow moisture to be baked out but that's seldom an issue and generally people keep the radiator cooler in the circuit and that goes a long way towards warming the oil on a cold day. In reality, the oil-to-water cooler in the radiator does most of the work anyway. Oil to air coolers are only as efficient and the temperature differential and airflow allow.

 

[jayro88]

I installed a cooler from a 6.0 in my '88 e250 with a c6. I installed it because I use it to trailer my car and we are planning on a travel trailer. Since I live in northern Indiana and have times where the high for the day is below 0*F I installed a oil thermostat that is designed to open at 180*.

As far as up-sizing the line, I wouldn't think it would be an issue. In theory the fluid would move at a slightly slower velocity in the larger lines giving you a little more cooling, though I am not sure if the difference in flow velocity would really affect anything in the real world.

The real question is "How hard do you plan on working the truck?" If you are going to be towing heavy I would get the biggest/most efficient cooler you can fit and add a thermostat so you don't over cool.