Aux Trans Cooler with Fan OPTIONS

[Foggy]

I am considering mounting a stacked plate trans cooler with fan to replace my oem aux trans cooler.

Anyone have any pics or suggestions

I have my SC Heat Exchanger mounted in front, so was thinking something under bumper/fascia area

thanks

 

[thompsoj22]

I chose the DERALE 13960 stacked plate design with a 500 cfm fan that draws 4.8 amps. I havent started the install yet but will be using the area behind the front facia under the bumper. the lower "fake" air inlet will be modified to allow air to enter. Big plans but havent acted upon them, plenty of room with the only challenge being the plumbing and my "perfectionist" attitude. We took the TT on a camping trip last week and on a 11 mile 6 degree grade the trans hit 238f. Way to hot! The outside temp was 103, welcome to my desert world. I did notice that it attempted to hold at 204f for allmost 5 miles but as the coolant temp rose to the middle between normal to hot the trans temp ran away. Had the hill been longer i would have had to pull over. I have commented before in regard to trans temp affecting coolant temp and vice versa. Ill try to get on this trans cooler install as im sure that removing the cooler from in front of the ac condenser/radiator and going from the factory 10 plate to the DERALE 25 plate will have me where i want to be. $236 shipped was the cost. I will do pic's on install with my daughters tutorial on how simple it is to take the pic, import the pic, attach the pic, yikes!

 

[thompsoj22]

Just a little update on my cooling fan motor's which are twin 500 cfm with one 5 blade passenger side and one 7 blade driver side. Installed both new 700 watt motors and the electrical system did not like the current draw at idle when both fans cycle from low to high simultaneously. so i am now running the one 700 watt motor on the driver side only and installed a new 7 blade fan blade assy to go with it and all went well on a recent 400 mile loop with a sick 1.5 hour traffic jam using ac and our daughter watching the dvd, No electrical glitches, I do run a 2.25 overdrive pulley on the alt in the summer and have had great results. I replaced the fan blade assy because of the "massive" amount of air that these motors move. 700 watt motors/fan's are super loud but i noticed a reduced trans temp in the stop and go traffic. Im still working on the 220 amp alt's that are stock on the silverado/suburban 2500, They are plug and play and i have one from a ebay salvage yard. It works but looks tired, ordered a $139 DBELECTRICAL 220amp brand new shipped to my door but the diodes failed the test right outa the box. "MADE IN CHINA CRAP" but me being the cheap to a fault knuckle head that i am asked them to send me another to see if maybe this was just bad luck. The denso part number for these alts is 22942466/9860 if you buy a reman from oreilleys it would set you back $567. The reason im adding this info is our vehicles electrical systems are allready burdened and adding the remote trans cooler with fan just adds to it.

 

[swathdiver]

Installed both new 700 watt motors and the electrical system did not like the current draw at idle when both fans cycle from low to high simultaneously.

What happened?

 

[thompsoj22]

What happened?

It blanked out the stereo screen. After finishing a bunch of work on the vehicle including the fan motors i took it on a test drive. Everything was fine at highway speeds, Ac was on, stereo was on, Headlights were on as it was night and as i slowed down to an idle to make a u turn the lights dimmed and the stereo changed stations and the screen/display went blank. My guess is the fan motors went from low to high at idle and drew enough current to fubar the electronics? I really cant explain how a current draw would do that but i now run the one 700/7 blade and one 500/5 blade and it hasnt happened again. I also had not installed my 2.25 overdrive alt pulley that i use for the summer yet so that may have been a contributor. Twin 700's draw enormouse current momentairly when they first start and from low to high speed. i did post in the stereo section on a fix for the screen on the bose systems that you simply input a code and it corrects the screen issue.

 

[swathdiver]

It blanked out the stereo screen. After finishing a bunch of work on the vehicle including the fan motors i took it on a test drive. Everything was fine at highway speeds, Ac was on, stereo was on, Headlights were on as it was night and as i slowed down to an idle to make a u turn the lights dimmed and the stereo changed stations and the screen/display went blank. My guess is the fan motors went from low to high at idle and drew enough current to fubar the electronics? I really cant explain how a current draw would do that but i now run the one 700/7 blade and one 500/5 blade and it hasnt happened again. I also had not installed my 2.25 overdrive alt pulley that i use for the summer yet so that may have been a contributor. Twin 700's draw enormouse current momentairly when they first start and from low to high speed. i did post in the stereo section on a fix for the screen on the bose systems that you simply input a code and it corrects the screen issue.

That makes sense, is the battery tired? Could the type or part number of the relay make a difference? I know enough about electrical systems to start fires!

 

[Tim907356]

Well we are on parallel paths my friend! I have another thread on the same subject so I won't bore with the details found there: "Transmission Stumble". I am installing a Tru-Cool 30k auxiliary cooler inline with factory unit, behind the lower fascia. It will be passive though; no fans. Here are some pics below. The one question I have for the audience is,
Which factory line is 'send', and which is 'return'?

 

[donjetman]

flows from the tranny, to the radiator, to the factory cooler, back to the tranny.

 

[thompsoj22]

Now this is beyond coincidence? I just did the cut out today of the lower fascia identical to yours! the derale 13960 is mounted/wired but im waiting til tomorrow for two AN6 90's to finish the plumbing. I took photos of the install and will post soon. The install is solid but alot of work, in hindsight the trukool 40k would have been so much easier but we live in the desert and im concerned with excessive heat in front of the evaporator. The fan on the cooler isnt super strong, this thing better work as advertised!

Just finished the plumbing, No leaks and functioning. Im not sure if ill keep the radiator in the circuit as it is currently installed. The thermostat on the DERALE is set at 180f and i have yet to hit that temp with normal driving, It averages 145 to 165f and im second guessing that i should plumb for stand alone and truly reduce the temps? We will head to mammoth next week again to the bike park so the 8 mile 6% grade at 100f+ will be the tell all. The engine coolant has a dramatic/fast reaction on the trans fluid and i would like to see the temps without the engine coolant influence.
View attachment 252175

 

[gooffeyguy]

When doing that lower grill cutout, can you still mount a license plate?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[thompsoj22]

When doing that lower grill cutout, can you still mount a license plate?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Yup, I left the plastic bosses intact. I will extend the plate out maybe an inch to allow more airflow. The aux fan is designed to not need ram air at all so you can mount anywhere there is space and unrestricted air. I may mount the license plate using the two lower mount holes and have the full ram air effect at speed and possibly stay below the 180 f fan on/off thermostat switch. In this position the plate is level with the lower air dam/trim piece.

 

[thompsoj22]

Well we are on parallel paths my friend! I have another thread on the same subject so I won't bore with the details found there: "Transmission Stumble". I am installing a Tru-Cool 30k auxiliary cooler inline with factory unit, behind the lower fascia. It will be passive though; no fans. Here are some pics below. The one question I have for the audience is,
Which factory line is 'send', and which is 'return'?

View attachment 251973 View attachment 251974 View attachment 251975

Top line out of the radiator is return to trans.

 

[Tim907356]

Yeah, this is uncanny timing. And good to see much of the same thinking on cooler/cooling mods. I had intended a TC 40k cooler, but the 30k barely fit between the chassis beams, so I'm glad I got what I got.
I don't need a front tag in SC, so if more cooling is needed, I'll probably put a scoop in or just under the spoiler to direct air up to the cooler.

"flows from the tranny, to the radiator, to the factory cooler, back to the tranny."

"Top line out of the radiator is return to trans."

...Do we know which one of these is correct?
I cut the line from the top of the radiator, and installed the cooler in line. I intended it to be the first thing the fluid hit, before the radiator and factory cooler. I can change it if needed, but I don't like cutting and coupling lines....

So, results. I took it out for a couple of test spins, and then to Church yesterday; 1/2hr. each way. Temp was ~85F, and the tranny temp got to 145F. Not exactly the result I hoped for, but at least it doesn't leak, and is ~25F cooler than before. I'm going to get it serviced (fluid/filter), and then go camping for the real test.

 

[1BADI5]

I'm running the Tru Cool 40k in the stock location (I modified the lines and trimmed some stuff)

NO extra fan for me, but I also went with the B&M aluminum deep pan; holds an extra 2 qts of trans fluid. Also replaced all of the trans cooler lines and new filter and fluid while I was in there.

Its been in the upper 90s here the last 2 weeks and my trans temps at their highest has been 138*, normally 118-129* cruising

 

[randeez]

i tried a derale 15840 dual fan one under the cab and it didnt work all the well...went back to a trucool 40k in the lower grill, same mod up a few posts.

@Tim907356 the top should be the return to the trans, i would leave it how you have it though. let fluid hit the stock cooler first (air to water) is efficient but will never lower temp below the coolant temp (195-200). then send fluid to the aux cooler (air to air) that flows ambient temp through the fins - and 145 temp for trans fluid is great, what were you expecting?

 

[Tim907356]

I was hoping to keep it in the 130's, without towing. I know it'll increase on a heavy haul. It previously ran ~170-175F, but then up to 240 in the hills, with a 5000# trailer behind.

I just got it out of service for a filter & fluid change. From the symptoms, the guy said the torque converter is failing, and that's why it flutters, stumbles, and overheats. He said they all fail, but it could ruin the tranny if I don't replace it...$1700 or so. It only has 130k mi. ???

 

[1BADI5]

If your going to replace the converter, call Circle D and get one of their built billet units. Would ba bulletproof item on a pretty much stock truck.

 

[thompsoj22]

Yeah, this is uncanny timing. And good to see much of the same thinking on cooler/cooling mods. I had intended a TC 40k cooler, but the 30k barely fit between the chassis beams, so I'm glad I got what I got.
I don't need a front tag in SC, so if more cooling is needed, I'll probably put a scoop in or just under the spoiler to direct air up to the cooler.

"flows from the tranny, to the radiator, to the factory cooler, back to the tranny."

"Top line out of the radiator is return to trans."

...Do we know which one of these is correct?
I cut the line from the top of the radiator, and installed the cooler in line. I intended it to be the first thing the fluid hit, before the radiator and factory cooler. I can change it if needed, but I don't like cutting and coupling lines....

So, results. I took it out for a couple of test spins, and then to Church yesterday; 1/2hr. each way. Temp was ~85F, and the tranny temp got to 145F. Not exactly the result I hoped for, but at least it doesn't leak, and is ~25F cooler than before. I'm going to get it serviced (fluid/filter), and then go camping for the real test.

Both are correct, the lower line into the radiator is from the trans the top line from the radiator than routes to the aux cooler and back to the trans.

 

[Tim907356]

I'll look at Circle D, but I'd rather avoid shared liability....no one will own anything if something goes wrong!

Both are correct, the lower line into the radiator is from the trans the top line from the radiator than routes to the aux cooler and back to the trans.

True, if you consider that, "Top line out of the radiator is return to trans." omits that it flows through the cooler before the trans., which was the gist of my question.

 

[thompsoj22]

i tried a derale 15840 dual fan one under the cab and it didnt work all the well...went back to a trucool 40k in the lower grill, same mod up a few posts.

@Tim907356 the top should be the return to the trans, i would leave it how you have it though. let fluid hit the stock cooler first (air to water) is efficient but will never lower temp below the coolant temp (195-200). then send fluid to the aux cooler (air to air) that flows ambient temp through the fins - and 145 temp for trans fluid is great, what were you expecting?

Just finished mine, Left the radiator in the circuit and average temps normal driving 145 to 165f. The thermostat on the Derale fan is 180 and im thinking that while im towing and hit the 180 mark the fan on the cooler will have a tough time controlling the trans temp? Add to this the engine coolant increasing simultaneously and it makes sense to go back in and plumb as a stand alone and eliminate the engine coolant influence. What didnt you like about yours? In hindsight im pretty sure that if you ordered a 8an 25 row stacked plate cooler without fan it would litterally attach to the OEM connectios for the standard 9 row cooler, No cutting of the lines at all.