Stand alone cooler for C6
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 1
From: Earth
Stand alone cooler for C6
I'm getting ready to plumb my cooling lines for my C6 and I actually have an external cooler rated for 18,500 (An SUV towing a 5,000 lb load). This however will be in my '53 Ford behind my built 400. What I'm wondering is, will the transmission be fine if I were to just bypass the radiator cooler and use the external transmission cooler mounted in front of the radiator instead? Or should I plumb the lines into the radiator and then into the external cooler, using both coolers? I would sort of prefer the stand alone external cooler that I bought and bypass the radiator tank cooler, but I don't want to damage my tranny. Your feedback is appreciated 
I'm not racing the truck, but using it for mostly pleasure driving, no towing. Truck probably weighs in at around 4000 lbs and has an 11" torque convertor.
I'm not racing the truck, but using it for mostly pleasure driving, no towing. Truck probably weighs in at around 4000 lbs and has an 11" torque convertor.
Last edited by 53fatfndr; Jul 31, 2004 at 03:14 PM.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
53fatfndr, i've seen c-4's / c-6's that people have bypassed the radiator and installed a remote cooler with all internal metal parts rusty. Most were driven shorts trips,winter times worse. The radiator will heat up the trans faster to prevent condensation buildup.
Install your remote cooler after the radiator cooler then go thru a remote (frame) mounted spin on filter. Add magnets in the oil pan and one in the spin on filter. Caution,
when changing the trans filter you will loosen the shifter body with steel plate with thin gaskets on both sides. After retorquing your at odds of the gasket blowing out between ports wich leads to a slow trans death when you thought you did good.
After high miles, high heat and hard seals people install coolers, thats like telling a fat
person after a fatal heart attack to start a diet. Hard pipe everything, it's a cooler also.
Had to chime in as a friends in the transmission business, custom select fits and modifys, pressure lubes the sprag and more for over 40 years. He repaired new "B&M" trashmissions now they are crap. Killer shifts without pump pressure increases, was running Top Fuel and invented the "Lenco" trans. Sorry to run on, Carl........o&o>.......
Install your remote cooler after the radiator cooler then go thru a remote (frame) mounted spin on filter. Add magnets in the oil pan and one in the spin on filter. Caution,
when changing the trans filter you will loosen the shifter body with steel plate with thin gaskets on both sides. After retorquing your at odds of the gasket blowing out between ports wich leads to a slow trans death when you thought you did good.
After high miles, high heat and hard seals people install coolers, thats like telling a fat
person after a fatal heart attack to start a diet. Hard pipe everything, it's a cooler also.
Had to chime in as a friends in the transmission business, custom select fits and modifys, pressure lubes the sprag and more for over 40 years. He repaired new "B&M" trashmissions now they are crap. Killer shifts without pump pressure increases, was running Top Fuel and invented the "Lenco" trans. Sorry to run on, Carl........o&o>.......
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
53fatfdnr,I have a pretty radical 400 in my 78 Bronco with a race built C6 and a 2500rpm stall.I put 2 cooler's in front of my radiator to keep the tranny cool,I tried 1 but it wasn't enough.I ran through my radiator cooler first then it goes to my 2 perma-cool cooler's.My temperature run between 160 to 180 degree's,even on 90 plus degree day's it has never went above 185.My engine temp went up a tad since the addition of the cooler's but it still run's around 190 to 195 degree's.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
It is better to run it thru the radiator cooler and aux cooler. You can run just the aux cooler but if you live in cold climate, you can actually over cool the fluid. I think all it does is make shifting sluggish but most tranny shops don't recommend a standalone cooler. The radiator cooler will bring you up to operating temp faster and adds additional cooling.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
mark a., clarification on yesterdays reply. Yes i've seen two paper gaskets, one on each side of the seperator plate, factory has only one gasket between the seperator plate and lower valve body. Many trans have failed because the gasket has blown out from the pressure port side. If you were conservative with your driving it may last for years, trailer towing or agressive driving a fast failure. It's not uncommon to see this gasket blown on teardowns. With "performance " plastic filters where the bolt torque goes low the gasket will blow, factory filters are metal and the material under the bolt is metal, the torque stays the same. This paper gasket is app. .012" thick and about 3/4" long beside the passage and only around 1/8" wide sealing off the pressure port. Yes removing the filter alone will unload the pressure on this gasket, new filter and retorque and the gamble begins, do you feel lucky? Better to lap the seperator plate (both sides), the upper and lower valve bodies then install without paper gasket. If you have any leakage it will be very minimal compared to a gasket failure. Carl.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: "Islander"
78 short, because the radiator will get hot air from the trans cooler and not cooler road air. The wider the temp span from road air and the radiator the more heat that can be removed. If you can relocate the trans cooler but still in the airstream your engine temp will then be more stable and lower on hot days. My $.02, Carl....o&o>....
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 1
From: Earth
Well, I decided to go ahead and run the cooler through the radiator tank first, then to the externaly mounted cooler. If all goes well, they should be in tomorrow. I'll see how it runs then.
Thanks for the replies guys!!
Thanks for the replies guys!!
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