Racing on a road course, drag racing with a high stall speed torque converter, towing a boat - the one thing all these activities have in common is that they all generate a lot of heat in the automatic transmission fluid, probably more heat than your stock transmission cooler can handle. Testing has proven that for every 20°F increase in operating temperature, the lifespan of the transmission fluid and the transmission are reduced by half.
All vehicles have a transmission cooler in the radiator, and some performance vehicles and trucks have an additional external cooler, but the radiator is insufficient by itself and even an external cooler may not be large enough. Transmissions are very expensive to repair or replace, and if you race, you no doubt have a lot of additional money invested in your box. A performance transmission cooler is comparatively inexpensive, so it's cheap insurance.
We offer several types of transmission coolers in sizes to suit every application. Tube and fin coolers have serpentine tubes through which the fluid flows, attached to fins that transfer heat to the air. They're generally inexpensive and we offer models with turbulators to increase the cooler's efficiency. Plate and fin coolers are formed like radiators, with fluid flowing through plates attached to cooling fins. Their larger surface area makes them more efficient. Stacked plate coolers are the most efficient, with larger plates than plate and fin coolers and turbulators for increased cooling.
A transmission cooler should be installed in front of the radiator or A/C condenser where it is exposed to airflow, but not subject to damage by debris. However, if you're forced to install your cooler where there is little airflow, we offer coolers with an integral 12V cooling fan and thermal switch, so the fan only runs when cooling is needed. If the radiator cooler is retained, your performance cooler should be plumbed into the system after the radiator, so the coolest fluid flows back to the transmission. We also offer a line of direct fit coolers, designed specifically for certain popular vehicle applications. |