Finished this week: the ultimate transmission cooler install

[NiftySVX]

So this week I finished my transmission cooler install. I decided that the cooler I had been using which was a hayden 677 mounted in front of the condenser was much too restrictive and wasn't up to the job of cooling my transmission, which actually surprised me a great deal as I did not give any thought to restriction when I installed it many years ago.

The new cooler is a B&M model that as far as I can tell is similar or identical to that which others are running. I selected this particular model because of my very scientific test method of blowing through various units with my mouth to evaluate their restriction level. This particular unit offers very little backpressure, has a large total radiating area, not to mention the thermostatic fan.

The LH fenderwell is the only place with enough room to mount it, as the unit itself is rather bulky and mounting anywhere between the radiator and the front of the car would be impossible with the bumper installed.

With the bumper removed, I first scouted the area and considered mounting options. I also relocated my ballast for the HID headlights far up so that it would not be in the way (not to mention there is a label on it that states "keep away from the hot wind")



I decided to mount the cooler upwards, at an angle, to allow for maximum airflow around the back side of the fan as it pulls air through the cooler fins, and the instructions for the unit state that it should be mounted in one of two ways; with the thermostatic switch placed at the bottom with the ports facing upward, or the thermostatic switch placed at the bottom with the ports facing to the side, which would put them facing to the rear.

After fabricating sturdy brackets and mounting the cooler unit to them using rubber bushings:



View from front of car:



Today I completed the wiring harness, including a fan on indicator light mounted in my "transmission control panel" which contains the transmission temperature gauge, and a newly installed ECT power switch salvaged from a cash for clunkers SC400. I also finished routing the hoses.

Upon testing I found that the fan is not very noisy and I am not convinced it would be heard over the main fans when the bumper is installed, which makes me glad I decided to add the light.

Stay tuned for a finished install picture.

[Green1995SVX]

Wow. Your car is so not-rusty.

[NiftySVX]

I think there is a spot of rust on one of my exhaust bolts. Maybe.

[michael]

[michael]

Originally Posted by Green1995SVX

Wow. Your car is so not-rusty.

I don't think they have rust there, just tumbleweeds

[Green1995SVX]

Originally Posted by michael

hahahahaha

[Trevor]

A very nice job. Lucky bugger you, with access to a hoist/lift.

Was the area cleaned or debris before being photographed? I have always been concerned regarding the efficiency of the plastic lining, Particularly in regard to the entry and retention of water.

Do you have a permanent pressure gauge on your panel? Where is it located?

Looking forward to the next episode.

"there is a label on it that states 'keep away from the hot wind' "

When you think about it, this is very good English, concise, understandable and to the point.

[Elliott]

Originally Posted by Green1995SVX

Wow. Your car is so not-rusty.

Looks normal to me.

[processengr]

How is the hot air ducted out?

[NiftySVX]

The exact venting design was a simple try and check routine. Basically, I cut off little pieces in the fender liner until I got satisfactory cooling performance. At first, I cut a small piece off the triangular bump on the fender liner, just on the inside edge nearest the engine. This proved unsatisfactory as the fan would come on and almost never cycle off. Additionally, the fender and bumper on that side were being heated to over 120 degrees and they were obviously hot to the touch. I later cut most of that triangular bump up, leaving the shape of it but taking most of the material off so that air flows through it completely. Finally, I cut some small rectangular holes in the fender liner on the forward side of the wheel arch, being careful to cut three sides and use a heat gun to bend the remaining "flap" so that air would flow out from the fenderwell area but debris thrown up by the wheel would be deflected. I'll post up some pics this weekend.

[Landshark]

i'm gonna go ahead and say this isn't the "ultimate tranny cooler install", because i remember some psychopath on here had 3 of them installed.

[BoxerFanatic]

Maybe this is something for another thread... and maybe it won't work, but has anyone tried a Laminova Water to Oil cooler?

It is for engine oil... but perhaps could also be used for hydraulic oil from the gearbox, and comes in various sizes...

http://www.thinkauto.com/laminova.htm
http://www.opcon.se/index.asp?sPage=1&langID=2&cID=15



It does list both engine and transmission cooling capabilities in a liquid-to-liquid sealed housing, with the oil flowing around the outside of the core, which is internally cooled with liquid, likely from the vehicle's water cooling system. Supposedly no oil temperature thermostat is required, and it is quick to reach operating temperature, and then keeps temperatures at that point, rather than higher...

The design also is adapted as an air-to-water intercooler in a variation on the core design, that the core can be installed in a purpose-designed pressurized intake manifold, with the liquid medium pumped through the cores to carry the heat out of the air in the manifold.

Supposedly, in the case of the self-contained oil-to-water coolers, they are easy to mount and plumb into the oil and cooling systems.

I came across this, when reading up on Rotrex Superchargers, and Kraftwerks using this sort of oil-cooler to keep S2000 Honda engine oil temperatures in check when running higher horsepower via the supercharger...

That is not an SVX application, but the SVX transmission oil cooling issue could also possibly benefit from this, especially considering the small airflow exposure of the front end of the SVX... and using the radiator's airflow exposure to co-op the water cooling for also cooling the transmission oil, and maybe even engine oil, as well.

I just thought of it when looking at the pictures in this thread, and wondering how much airflow availability that the oil cooler would have, being hidden behind the front corner of the bumper cover. an oil-to-water cooler could be installed in the same place, and rely on the radiator's open airflow exposure, and the engine's water pump circulation, rather than relying on a fan and trying to pull air through various places.

[immortal_suby]

Which BM cooler is this? the 70297 or 70298? Wondering if the larger one will fit in that spot.

[dromano]

I'm in the hot zone no one else deals with. I have 2 30,000 gvw coolers between the ac condenser and the radiator, here in the desert 145 degrees the highest so far, I use royal purple atf and do not expect to have to replace or rebuild the tranny ever. Have been running royal purple in the tranny since 2002. Go figure.....