adding transmission coolers in series
#16
06-03-2013, 11:18 PM
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I found this:
" 4-When hooking up multiple coolers several things should be noted. The cooler itself is a restriction of flow and this restriction while not a problem for the cooling or lube to the trans can cause excessive pressure inside the converter. This can force the converter against the flex plate more so than normal and cause wear to the engine thrust bearing. A stopped up or severely restricted cooler or cooler lines can do the same. So when installing more than one cooler its advised to put them in parallel with each other, This means one line from the trans is split with a Y and one line run to each cooler then out of each and into a Y back to a single line running to the trans. This will assure adequate cooling while reducing the wear to the engine thrust bearing. Always use line that's at least as large as the inlets in the cooler, Avoid extreme twist or turns in them particularly with rubber lines. "
It is an excerpt from a good page here:
@ Tips, Hints, for Transmission Cooler Installations
Hope it helps ...
" 4-When hooking up multiple coolers several things should be noted. The cooler itself is a restriction of flow and this restriction while not a problem for the cooling or lube to the trans can cause excessive pressure inside the converter. This can force the converter against the flex plate more so than normal and cause wear to the engine thrust bearing. A stopped up or severely restricted cooler or cooler lines can do the same. So when installing more than one cooler its advised to put them in parallel with each other, This means one line from the trans is split with a Y and one line run to each cooler then out of each and into a Y back to a single line running to the trans. This will assure adequate cooling while reducing the wear to the engine thrust bearing. Always use line that's at least as large as the inlets in the cooler, Avoid extreme twist or turns in them particularly with rubber lines. "
It is an excerpt from a good page here:
@ Tips, Hints, for Transmission Cooler Installations
Hope it helps ...
Do you have any comments of the article I quoted above?
Seems reasonable. Or would you recommend running one single larger cooler? It seems a larger cooler would add some restriction, but not nearly as much as two small coolers put in line where the fluid has to CRAM between the small connecting lines.
I am just concerned because when I bought my truck 3 years ago the PO already had two smaller coolers run inline. I left it that way thinking two coolers were better. Not thinking of the restriction.
#17
06-04-2013, 05:52 AM
Is the inlet/outlet of the two coolers the same diameter or larger or smaller than the original line? Chances are they are larger so to me it may add a little extra resistance but not much. If the cooler tubes are larger diameter then the fluid shouldn't have to move as fast thru it so less friction and pressure.
Mark said economy drove cooler sizing, so perhaps the pump really is sized to handle a much larger cooler. The 6.0 one is huge in comparison and people use those.
Maybe I'll look for a v10 one, I guess those are pretty good size also
Mark said economy drove cooler sizing, so perhaps the pump really is sized to handle a much larger cooler. The 6.0 one is huge in comparison and people use those.
Maybe I'll look for a v10 one, I guess those are pretty good size also
#18
06-04-2013, 10:06 AM
#19
06-04-2013, 01:50 PM
The pump was not sized for a larger cooler. On the other hand, it wasn't sized for a smaller cooler, either. I don't know how (or why) one would size a transmission pump for a cooler. The pump is sized to handle the transmission. Pump flow is not affected by cooler size.
#21
06-04-2013, 07:28 PM
Posting Guru
I find it interesting how this came about. Ford had a department that was responsible for all powertrain cooling. This included engine, transmission, and axle. They reported through the vehicle engineering organization, so they did not answer to transmission or axle engineering. They were evaluated by how much money they saved the company in purchasing hardware. This drove them to put the cheapest coolers they could get away with for transmission coolers.
By the 6.0L truck transmission engineering took over responsibility for their own coolers. Now the trucks actually had enough cooling to keep the trans cool.
-When hooking up multiple coolers several things should be noted. The cooler itself is a restriction of flow and this restriction while not a problem for the cooling or lube to the trans can cause excessive pressure inside the converter. This can force the converter against the flex plate more so than normal and cause wear to the engine thrust bearing.
First time I have ever heard that a trans cooler can wear out your thrust bearings.
Diesel Rod
#22
06-04-2013, 09:20 PM
If the cooler circuit is restricted the converter pressure will not be affected very much. There is a regulator valve in the valve body that limits converter pressure to 120 PSI. So if there is a restriction this valve will keep the converter at safe pressures. So no, the cooler can't cause the converter to swell. But it will swell under normal operation.
#23
06-05-2013, 05:35 AM
Mark, is there like a standard pressure in the cooler line or does it very by transmission type or what the transmission is doing at any particular time? I was thinking of maybe adding pressure gauge before and after the cooler(s) but if its always variable I don't see a benefit to it.
Thank you. And good info also.
Thank you. And good info also.
#24
06-05-2013, 10:54 AM
#25
06-05-2013, 10:59 AM
#27
06-05-2013, 05:02 PM
Hotshot
#28
06-05-2013, 06:06 PM
Post Fiend
#29
06-20-2013, 08:56 AM
#30
06-20-2013, 09:53 AM