Radiator's transmission cooler for engine oil cooler [Merged 3-9]

[spoolamatic]

I have a 91 tsi awd , and was wonting to know if hooking up the trans to the cooler in the radiator and then on to the air cooled one in front of the rad. that is uses now "factory"would be beificial or not or maybe cool it to much

 

[BUCK]

I've never liked the ones built into the radiator itself due to the extra burden on the Engine Cooling system, on these cars especially the Radiator has enuff cut out for it just cooling the Antifreeze - I have a hard time believing it would actually cool any tranny Fluid - I would definitely go with an aftermarket cooler located anywhere it got good air flow - Hopefully you've deleted the POS Water to Oil Cooler on your 91 by now also - If not it's essentially the exact same type Cooler - but of course you need different grade hoses. My entire Oil Cooler Kit was less than $100 from Bumper to Bumper - see gallery for Pix.

 

[Kinetic Boost]

I also dont think it would be very benifical. I think your best bet would to be just get an aftermarket trans cooler and it should cool enough. What I did when I was installing my FMIC and had to move my trans cooler was I bought an aftermarket cooler and installed some SS lines to go with it. I also did the same thing for the engine cooler.

 

[spoolamatic]

Yea I think I will just go whit aftermarket so it will be done right . Thanks for the input .

 

[transdude]

Your best bet is to utilize the factory radiator cooler and use an external aftermarket cooler beyond that in the return line.

-John

 

[spoolamatic]

That what I had in mind . Don't think it will be to much restiction on the
trans ? And do these trannys circulate all the time or just in gear ?

 

[Zex4g63]

All the time.

 

[transdude]

Originally posted by Zex4g63
All the time.

Actually, these transmissions have no cooler flow in Park- this the reason why the fluid must be checked in neutral in these vehicles.

-John

 

[Project ES]

I posted a thread about this back in march and never got a reply. I was wondering if the automatic trans cooler that is built into the stock radiator would be a sufficient cooler to be used as an oil cooler w/ my 90 air/oil cooler? And if not how big of an oil cooler do i need? I dont have the original one from the 1990 car (car was demolished in the front end). Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[turboed420A]

Flex-A-Lite makes great oil coolers... I got the high performance (horsepower) version for like 180.. It came with lines and adapters to the oil filter.

 

[Project ES]

Ok, thanx for the info. I know i can buy an aftermarket one and use that. Im trying not to though. If I can I would like to use the stock radiator and kill 2 birds w/ 1 stone. All I wanna know is will the stock trans cooler built in the radiator be sufficient enough to be used as an oil cooler or does the radiator get too hot to sufficiently cool the oil going through it at the same time?

 

[TURFNNSURF]

If you have a 5 speed with a rad that has the trans cooler in the bottom of it then sure why not use it... My 91 has a water cooler on the oil filter housing and it uses the same coolant from the rad to cool the oil. I would think that the single row of fins in the bottom of the rad will cool the oil better then the oil cooler on the filter housing. If i had a 5 speed i would use it for oil cooling also, but it's used for the trans now..

 

[Defiant]

All I wanna know is will the stock trans cooler built in the radiator be sufficient enough to be used as an oil cooler or does the radiator get too hot to sufficiently cool the oil going through it at the same time?

Oil and water run at just about the same temperature. The factory cooler is an oil/water exchanger.

I don't know if the trans cooler will survive engine oil pressure levels, though. I don't know what pressure the AT puts out through the cooler.

 

[TURFNNSURF]

Good point Defiant, about the oil pressure. I never thought of that. BTW what is the average oil pressure on our 4g63's? Im sure it's more than the 30 to 40psi the trans sends the ATF to the trans cooler at.

 

[Project ES]

Thats a very good point about the pressure. Maybe im better off not using it. I would imagine that a B&M supercooler should be good enough to support the pressure and big enough to disperse heat efficiently, right? I was looking at buying one used but i have to buy the fittings for it. What is average oil psi on the 1g 6 bolt? Thanx for the help, it would have been a shame to but the car together start it up and have oil blowin everywhere cuz the pressure was too high.

 

[Defiant]

I only use the factory gauge, but have heard numbers around 100psi often. Any after-market oil cooler will be fine, and it's better if you can get one with a thermostat. That's one of the great advantages of the factory oil/water cooler, it regulates itself so much better without any jimcrackery. Of course, gorilla mechanics make it into the threat that it is.

http://vfaq.com/mods/oilcool.html

 

[siueclipse]

I posted a thread about this back in march and never got a reply. I was wondering if the automatic trans cooler that is built into the stock radiator would be a sufficient cooler to be used as an oil cooler w/ my 90 air/oil cooler? And if not how big of an oil cooler do i need? I dont have the original one from the 1990 car (car was demolished in the front end). Any and all help is appreciated.

any oil cooler with dramatically improve the life of the motor. i have a front mounted oil cooler and oil filter relocation kit just to cool the oil down.

 

[01rbuild]

what should i use?
im worried about the lines, rubber lines used on trany fluid would it deteriorate faster if i use it w/ oil now?

ty 4 any assist.

 

[half-cocked]

No the lines would be fine, my concern is with the lines. How are they connected to the cooler. Most aftermarket coolers run something like a push lock design, but not quite as sturdy. I would be concerned about leaks, oil coolers connect by threading in.

 

[Defiant]

Motor oil will be easier on parts than ATF is. Permatex non-hardening on the threads, if they're sealing surfaces (they shouldn't be).
Motor oil will also do a fine job of cleaning out the cooler and lines, and the little bit of ATF that'll be introduced to the engine will be harmless so long as you don't go racing around until that oil's changed out.

 

[DSMJim]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185246

Here is another thread on a similar question.

Basically your tranny cooler is WAY to small to be used as an oil cooler and would likely restrict the flow of the oil so much you would blow up our engine.

If you want an oil cooler, buy an oil cooler, a tranny cooler is not the same thing because it doesn't have a pump like your engine does.

 

[hellotbone]

Like Jim said been though this 90.00 Canadian up here gets you a perfect one for the DSM fit right infront of the driver side wheel on the plastic spash guard. If you have a front mount take the old airdam from the passenger side bumper intake that forced the air to the stock inter cooler and move it to the drivers side to force the air to the oil cooler.

 

[bmxfelon420]

Hi, im looking at buying an automatic car, since im a paraplegic and i cant shift, and after reading the guides and stuff, i was wondering: Is it recommended to buy a transmission cooler? If so, what kind/brand should i look for? How hard would it be to install myself?

 

[twocanewayne]

Unless you are going to be doing alot of hard driving you just need some good fluid and a filter change if you do not know when it was done last, you should be good. I run amsoil in my auto awd and like it and i am kinda hard on my tranny when it comes to stop and go traffic and from light to light drags. But I dont recomend this type of driving.

 

[bmxfelon420]

ok, i planned on going to the shootout in our area and maybe autocrossing in the future, but i will plan on being on top of the fluid changes. I need to invest in a creeper, and get all of my tools from my dad's house. Maybe get a jack too. Any other things i should worry about in particular with an automatic?

Oh and wheres a good place to get service manuals? Id assume i can probably get them from a mitsubishi dealer, but i planned on getting a 3rd party and factory one to have the most reference material available.