Tranny cooler recommendations
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,228
Likes: 5
From: Running Springs CA
I have a Hayden. it is a "plate type" which is supposed to transfer heat better than the "tube" style. They are sold in different sizes based on the combined weight of your loaded truck and trailer. Mine was installed in-line with the radiator cooler, not instead of it.
Jim
Jim
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
The in line with the radiator cooler is to make sure you don't get things too cool and to add a little extra cooling capacity.
Sounds contradictory eh. When it is really cold, an auxilliary cooler can over cool the fluid so the in line cooler in the radiator supplies enough heat to keep the tranny happy. When things get warmed up, the radiator cooler just adds some cooling capacity since the water in the radiator is usually cooler than the thermostat setting in the engine which is usually 180-195 degrees. Only when the engine is boiling over does the radiator cooler not help but then the aux cooler is there to save the day.
I like the plate style coolers because they are smaller for a specific rating, so they are easier to find a spot to install.
Don't over cool. What I mean is don't add the biggest cooler you can find unless you really need that rating. A tranny likes to operate in a certain temperature range. Too cold is not good. Too hot is worse. You want to be between about 120 and 200 at most for most driving. Over something like 220 the tranny life drops very quickly.
I don't have a recommendation for you since my F250 has a good sized aux cooler factory installed and the temp never seems to get too high even while towing. I have used Hayden and Rapid Cool in the past with good results, both of those were tube types.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Sounds contradictory eh. When it is really cold, an auxilliary cooler can over cool the fluid so the in line cooler in the radiator supplies enough heat to keep the tranny happy. When things get warmed up, the radiator cooler just adds some cooling capacity since the water in the radiator is usually cooler than the thermostat setting in the engine which is usually 180-195 degrees. Only when the engine is boiling over does the radiator cooler not help but then the aux cooler is there to save the day.
I like the plate style coolers because they are smaller for a specific rating, so they are easier to find a spot to install.
Don't over cool. What I mean is don't add the biggest cooler you can find unless you really need that rating. A tranny likes to operate in a certain temperature range. Too cold is not good. Too hot is worse. You want to be between about 120 and 200 at most for most driving. Over something like 220 the tranny life drops very quickly.
I don't have a recommendation for you since my F250 has a good sized aux cooler factory installed and the temp never seems to get too high even while towing. I have used Hayden and Rapid Cool in the past with good results, both of those were tube types.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,153
Likes: 1
From: Venezuela
