well i was looking up A/C delete info, and came across someone saying that you can use the condensor as a trans cooler. It was kind of weird to have read it, cause as i was pulling it out of my car today i thought the same thing. The only thing that gets me thinking, besides it needing to be flushed out, is the size. Its pretty damn big for a trans cooler. but i guess routing it back into the radiator like everyone else does will solve that problem more than likely.... well i was just wondering how good/bad of an idea this actualy is.

 

intresting....

 

im not sure how good tranny fluid would flow through that though

 

yeah thats another thing i was thinking becuase its so big. The tubes are a good size....but there is alot of area that it needs to pass through.

 

It makes a very good transmission cooler. RV'ers use them as a cheap alternative to a $200 cooler and have been using them for years. The only problem we would have is over cooling if used alone or hooked up like most aftermarket coolers. If you were to install the condenser to receive the fluid 1st then be routed to the radiator and back to the transmission you would have a quite effecint cooler that would hold nearly 4 quarts more fluid.

 

You can get an adequete cooler for $20. You'll spend that $20 just buying enough ATF to fill a condensor. Just get a tranny cooler!

 

ATF isnt that expensive... i can have this flushed and add the 4 quarts for probly under 10 bucks

 

OK, then try it and let us know if it works or not.

 

im just worried about line pressure....

 

The condensor itself can handle the pressure. The Head Pressure (High Side) of an A/C system on a very hot day can hit 250+ PSI which is more than what your 700R4 can probably produce. The problem is that you will need high pressure rubber lines to go from the tranny lines to the condensor as well as clamps, which inevitably costs money as well. A tranny cooler comes with the installation kit which includes mounting hardware, lines, clamps, etc...

The amount of money you are saving is trivial by using the condensor, if it even turns out to be a good idea. I don't see what the debate is.

 

im gonna have to agree with you. after thinking about it and debating it.... im not even sure if its gonna work well for my application. ill take your advice, and just go get a kit for my application. Thanks for your input!

 

The little $20 coolers Gmtech is talking about are USELESS!!! They arent even worth the effort to install, somthing more suitable for a GEO. If you even want to bother with an inline cooler you need at least a 12x12 or rated a 20,000 GVW to see ANY temprature drop or extra capacity over a pint. In this area bigger is better.

SSC

 

I paid about 50 bucks for a Hayden (I think 10 x 10) tranny cooler from Pep Boys. Mounts easily in front of the radiator.

 

bigger is better...but is there a too big? say like a condensor?

 

If you put tranny fluid in your condenser your engine's gonna run hotter, since the airflow will cool the tranny fluid first and it will be warm before it reaches the coolant. Condenser = A/C, Tranny cooler = transmission. That's how I look at it.

 

 

The A/C condenser creates a restriction for airflow even without any freon in there. If you run tranny fluid thru it, it will restrict even more and won't let enough air get to the radiator. It will also increase your engine temp because the fluid from the tranny will be hot, so instead of the air only cooling the coolant, now it's gonna need to cool the coolant and tranny fluid. In other words, less air will flow to the radiator.

I experienced a slight increase in temp even with a regular 10x10 size cooler.

 

are you drunk?!

what runs through the INSIDE of the core has nothing to do with how much airflow restriction there is on the OUTSIDE. running tranny fluid through an a/c condenser is not gonna change the amount air that flows across it in anyway.

im not trying to bust your *****, but think about what you said for a minute

 

Thinking,,,thinking,,,done.

Lemme try rewording this. I'm not saying it's gonna change how much air flows thru the condenser. I know tranny fluid inside will have nothing to do with how much air flows thru it. What I'm saying is, because it's mounted in front of the radiator, the air will cool the hot tranny fluid first, so by the time the same air hits the radiator, it would have absorbed heat from the tranny fluid, thereby not cooling the coolant as efficiently and making the motor running at higher temp. Just like in a heater core. The air the blower motor blows is cool but by the time it passes the core, it's warm, because it has absorbed heat.

Am I the only one who sees this??

 

ahhhhh yes

see that makes sense......if you read your last post, it seems as if you meant it was gonna flow less air with tranny fluid than it did with freon lol

your intended statement is totally true though

 

that's what i was thinking at first:sillylol:


an example of the load on the cooling system, with the a/c condensor being a tranny cooler, would be like driving around with the a/c on. same principle right...llvll4l2c91350 described in more detail though.

 

ok, sounds good to me. I guess ill just pick up one of them B&M ones. Thanks for all the great info!

 

Sorry for the confusion. lol.

 

I get what you're saying, but I think you're tranny will put out substantially less heat than an ac system running full blast.

I think the condenser idea isn't bad, if your willing to give up AC to get it. I do think it will be overcooling your transmission in the winter, unless you live in a warm climate area. Of course, if you live in a warm climate area, AC becomes kinda important then.

good luck if you decide to try it