to add a tranny cooler or not to

[Val]

If the stock sensor can be trusted my 02 vette has the highest tranny temps of any car I've owned yet. Having it 200+ cruising on interstate bothers me, and I'm contempating adding a B&M cooler (used several and partial to B&M).

On the other hand I'm gonna keep this car in warrenty till 100k miles, and my friends say to just leave it and if the tranny dies let GM fix it. So if anyone has added a cooler, which did you add and what results did you see? I'll be changing fluid soon and if I put a cooler on it I would like to do it then.

Thanks,

 

[MagikDraggin]

I put a B&M 24k on my '04 coupe.....but I also have a Yank SS3200 convertor as well. Around town the tranny temps are fairly civilized, but like yours, out on the interstate, the temps continue to slowly rise until they finally match the coolant temps of around 198-203 degrees.

The experts at the the places I have my vette worked on, say that's not excessive for a Corvette and should not cause any premature failures.

Of course, then again, "talk is cheap".

 

[jrose7004]

I need to put a cooler on my A4 as I take it to the track on occasion and it peaks.

 

[Val]

Both my trucks run at 150 around town and on interstate (160-170 towing), my 4x4 reaches 180 playing in the mudbogs at the 4 wheel park. Thats why 200+ just seems crazy to me.

I may add a small cooler inline after the stock one, just to ease my mind.

 

[warren s]

How high is the engine coolent when the tranny temp is 200?

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
Factory default is 255 so 200 is NOT a problem at all.
Dexron 3 doesnt start to oxidize till after that.
If you did get this warning, then you would know there is a problem.
200-230 is just fine and will NOT create any reliability problems.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[MagikDraggin]

HI there,
Factory default is 255 so 200 is NOT a problem at all.
Dexron 3 doesnt start to oxidize till after that.
If you did get this warning, then you would know there is a problem.
200-230 is just fine and will NOT create any reliability problems.
Allthebest, c4c5

That's really good news to hear from someone who actually knows. The tranny temps in my C4 ('96) never got as hot as they do in my C5. All the "experts" told me back then not to ever let the tranny fluid get any hotter than 175/180 degrees, as doing so will invite premature tranny failure.

What I don't really understand is why the tranny fluid gets so darned hot while I am simply cruising at 75mph on the highway. At those speeds the Yank is surely in "lock-up" and there shouldn't be any slippage beyond factory design and tolerances....so why the heat?

The coolant is usually right around 198 on the highway, and creeps up to 210 in moderate traffic and slower speeds. Generally, the tranny temps are from a few to about 15 degrees cooler.....but when I get to a constant 75 or so mph, the tranny temps slowly rise to a couple degrees above the coolant temps....and that disturbs me.

The external cooler I have now is a 24k unit. I feel as though I should swap it out for a larger one. I don't rally or drag race any....just drive around a lot.

 

[Val]

Thanks for the advise c4c5.

And ya Draggin I thought the rad could be acting as a preheater, but coolant will be at 190 and trans at 200 on the interstate. I've always been under the impression that transmission fluid should be over 100 but below 200, but I guess I'll have to rethink that.

I'll just fill it with some M1 transmission fluid and enjoy it now.

 

[ErnieN85]

It's cheap insurance......and all most all the transmission rebuilders say it'a good idea. As expensive as a vette is there would be no question in my mind!
Ps my last vette had over 200,000 till the transmission needed rebuilt and yes i had a cooler on it, lots of track time too!