Swapping external trans coolers on 1/2T truck suv

[mattt]

Looking at the factory external trans cooler on a 2500hd with 8.1/Allison drivetrain and I noticed how much larger of a stacked plate cooler it is. Early 2000 trucks are showing up at the local pick your parts and I've seen this cooler repeatedly. Thinking about retrofitting it onto an 04 Tahoe. The only adaptation that will be contended with is the line size difference. The hd truck has 1/2" lines, whereas the light duty and 1/2t vehicles have what I think is 5/16" line. It should be easy enough to couple the lines together with fittings. Anyone else tried this previously? Good results, bad results?

 

[swathdiver]

Looking at the factory external trans cooler on a 2500hd with 8.1/Allison drivetrain and I noticed how much larger of a stacked plate cooler it is. Early 2000 trucks are showing up at the local pick your parts and I've seen this cooler repeatedly. Thinking about retrofitting it onto an 04 Tahoe. The only adaptation that will be contended with is the line size difference. The hd truck has 1/2" lines, whereas the light duty and 1/2t vehicles have what I think is 5/16" line. It should be easy enough to couple the lines together with fittings. Anyone else tried this previously? Good results, bad results?

Thought they were the same, but if you pull a used one, make sure it flows well. Clogged coolers and lines (reduced flow) is a major source of transmission failures according to GM.

 

[mattt]

They are indeed different. I had heard they were the same too, but always wondered about it. Now that 8.1 trucks are showing up where it's easy to see, I found otherwise. I'll try to get a picture of it next time. Definitely will check for flow and what the fluid looks like that is coming out, looking for no metal flakes.

 

[rockola1971]

Thought they were the same, but if you pull a used one, make sure it flows well. Clogged coolers and lines (reduced flow) is a major source of transmission failures according to GM.

With the pressure of tranny fluid going through the cooler and the diameter of the pipes. Makes you wonder how the heck is a line or cooler going to plug up. What kinda debris are people running in their fluid? I could see after a tranny failure and mechanic not flushing the cooler but normal wear and tear I just dont see a cooler or line plugging up.

 

[swathdiver]

With the pressure of tranny fluid going through the cooler and the diameter of the pipes. Makes you wonder how the heck is a line or cooler going to plug up. What kinda debris are people running in their fluid? I could see after a tranny failure and mechanic not flushing the cooler but normal wear and tear I just dont see a cooler or line plugging up.

IDK, but the shop manual and the machine specifically measures the flow rate of the lines and cooler when they exchange the fluid with the TransFlow machine.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Honestly, my vote goes to the trucool 40k w/ the PT install kit. Good cooler and a braindead easy install. Most of your time will be fussing with clips on the grille to get it off

 

[SnowDrifter]

With the pressure of tranny fluid going through the cooler and the diameter of the pipes. Makes you wonder how the heck is a line or cooler going to plug up. What kinda debris are people running in their fluid? I could see after a tranny failure and mechanic not flushing the cooler but normal wear and tear I just dont see a cooler or line plugging up.

In fairness, stock trans filters are just a rock catcher. You'll always have debris in your fluid unless you install a spin-on. Think like silt in a stream.

That and the cooler on these are POST filter - after the torque converter if memory serves. So any material shed has to go through the cooler, return to the pan, then go through the filter to be captured, which again, really won't happen unless there are large chunks.

 

[swathdiver]

In fairness, stock trans filters are just a rock catcher. You'll always have debris in your fluid unless you install a spin-on. Think like silt in a stream.

That and the cooler on these are POST filter - after the torque converter if memory serves. So any material shed has to go through the cooler, return to the pan, then go through the filter to be captured, which again, really won't happen unless there are large chunks.

The filter acts as the pickup to the pump, then fluid goes through valves and then on to the torque converter, out to the coolers then the gears and back to the sump.

 

[mattt]

Pics 1-3 are the HD cooler. Pics 4 & 5 are stock 1/2T cooler. I couldn't get side by side pic, but the HD cooler is ~ 5" x 13" and double the thickness core vs the 1/2T cooler which is ~4" x 11" and thin in comparison. It appears to be a bolt in on the core support, you just have to adapter up to the larger lines.

While this HD cooler may not cool as much or as well as the trucool 40k suggested above, it still can be looked to as an upgrade on a 1/2T truck or suv in my opinion. The additional depth of the cooler core along with the larger surface area can only help.


Off topic; I always keep my eyes peeled for factory options that are a relatively easy bolt in and that my Tahoe did not have when it was built. One I have looked for a long time is the factory oil cooler setup. I have never seen one, but I think it is a oil over water cooler in the driver's side tank of the radiator. Is that correct? Anyone know the correct RPO code for it? To add this oil cooler, I'd need to swap out radiators I believe. The lines and adapter at the block/oil filter location are what I'd watch out for as the radiator can be swapped when it's time for a new radiator. Has anyone seen this set up from a factory installed vehicle?

 

[adventurenali92]

According to the build sheet for my truck(2006 Yukon xl Denali 1500) KC4 is listed as engine oil cooling system.