Transmission and transmission cooling ideas & locations

[fourstars]

Transmission and transmission cooling ideas and or locations

Been having a hard time with my transmission. The first transmission was burnt due to a bad leak on a 7hr drive. Now I have a new USED transmission with new solenoids, filter and new transmission oil install and on SHORT drives to the store or on a highway, it drives like a Lexus. Since my last 7hr drive, I’ve been nervous driving it anywhere longer than an hour.

Just the other day, my transmission gauge temperature hit the 200 temp and my transmission didn’t want to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear. Check the fluid and it was still red and clean with no burn smell or anything. But my transmission cooler was really hot.

Transmission cooler is from a 90’s Ford F150 V8 truck. It is located inside the engine bay with 2 fans. The cooler is 11inches long by 5inches wide and 2 inches thick, the 2 fans are 4 inches. The 2 fans are constantly running but I NOW know it NOT enough to cool it down.

I don’t have adequate room in the front to mount this cooler, since I have the radiator & AC condenser and on the side a Cadillac El Dorado cooler for the Power Steering. I also have a winch that is dead center of everything.
I am considering relocating my transmission cooler to get more cooling.

Should I put in a hood scoop to direct more air in that area?

Should I buy a bigger aftermarket oil cooler and add a bigger fan?

Can I mount this cooler right on hood with a hood scope with 2 fans pulling air?

What would be your idea?

Anyone have any recommendation?

 

[fourstars]

was trying to post a pic, but its not working..

 

[BlackUZZ31]

photos would defiantly help, what kind of car?

 

[fourstars]

photos would defiantly help, what kind of car?

1986 Toyota 4Runner 4x4

 

[Zuffen]

First thing I would look at is where the air is coming from that goes through the cooler.

Unless you are getting cold outside air you appear to be drawing heated air off the exhaust header through the cooler. This could be hotter than the tans oil you are trying to cool.

Using bonnet scoops may make the situation worse as you may slow the air flow through the engine bay by increasing the air pressure within the engine bay. HiLuxes tend to have cooling problems as the air can't get out of the engine bay as it is full of engine.

The cooler is plenty big enough so I would look at air flow.

 

[fourstars]

Engine bay is a tight fit and the trans cooler is just slightly above the exhaust manifold. So yes, there seems to be hot air circulating the engine bay.

I've decided to add a scoop to catch air. It will be mounted right above the trans cooler. The hood will be cut to shape the size of the trans cooler. In the engine bay, the trans cooler will be mounted a little higher and the fans will be at the bottom. So the puller fans can draw cool air from the scoop. I will make a housing that would concentrate air flow directly to the cooler and cooler only. This housing will also protect water or debris into the engine bay. Just below the trans cooler and fan, i will cut the wheel-well and put a diamond mesh screen to allow air exit.

SO, air will come thru the scoop, thru the hood into this housing that houses the trans cooler, the fan will pull the cool air and push out the hot air exiting the wheel-well .

Will this work? What should I change?

 

[Zuffen]

I'd run it the opposite way.

Hot air rises so you would draw in cool air from the wheel well and exit it through the hood, with the fans on top of the cooler.

If you mount the scoop backwards it will help draw the air out of the engine bay and cooler.

Also unless you seal the cooler well to the wheel well (in your suggested layout) the hot exhaust will heat the cooler when moving slowly or stopped.

 

[fourstars]

I cant seem to picture that working out. with a housing built for the trans cooler, it will not be effected by the engine bay heat. the housing will only allow air coming into the scoop and passing through the housing thru the cooler and exiting the wheel well. I don't think your idea will work since, in the wheel well there is no force of air traveling up. the scoop is design to capture the air and force it into the direction of the cooler.

 

[Zuffen]

Basically you're building a similar setup to a Subaru intercooler.

They don't work when stationary as the hot air in the engine bay turns them into a heater for the air intake. Once moving they then have to cool the heated intercooler before the intercooler can cool any intake air.

No doubt either option will work, but as you have a fan on the cooler it's a bit academic.

 

[fourstars]

gotcha, it took me a minute to understand it, but i got a good idea. I'll just try both ways to see which method is more effective. either way, the hood and wheel well has to be cut for either method to apply. but thanks for your input, it helps a bunch. =)