# Do I Need a Trans. Cooler?



## Birdog

Hi all, recently bought a friends 1999 Wrangler Sport with 6.5 Meyer. He plowed with it for 4 years and it does not have a transmission cooler. I plowed 1 time with it and it seems to run good, but just want to know if a cooler is needed. I guess after 4 years damage would have been done already. Thanks.
Matt


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## sweetnsimple

*20 degree drop in temp*

BD:

For what it's worth, just got back from the local 4Wheel Parts store where I picked up a brochure for Flex-a-lite, which makes electric and belt driven fans, oil and tranny coolers, etc.

I've got a tranny cooler in my 94 YJ, but it was there when I bought the thing and I've never been sure how effective it is, so I read Flex's literature. According to them, a 20 F drop in tranny fluid can double the life of transmission components. Though they don't say as much, you've gotta assume that their coolers give you that much drop and would seem to be worth having (if true).

The website is www.flex-a-lite.com and might be worth a look. I've been thinking about one of their electric fans, which are supposed to free up horsepower by doing away with belts. Lemme know if you hear of anyone who's tried one.


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## TrailK10

check for hard lines into radiator


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## addicted

you should have a tranny cooler built into the radiator.
As far as the e-fan, i have the black magic. Loud as all hell, but works great. It also lets the jeep warm up faster because the fan dosn't kick on until the thermostst opens. Lets the engine rev up faster, but i diddn'r really notice much "power" from it. picked it up on ebay for $60 or so. list is $300!


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## sweetnsimple

*The horsepower thing*

Addicted:

Thanks for the info on the fan. The promise of added HP was what got me thinking about one, but picking up 5 horses by switching to an electric seemed to good to be true -- and apparently is. Still, come February or March, the quicker warm-up time might start looking pretty good.


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## addicted

Hey sweetnsimple,

Don't be turned off by the HP thing. I am sure that it removing the mechanical fan is worth at least a few ponies. It is huge and heavy, and to swing all that mass takes some power. It will also prolong the life of your water pump bearings. All i mean is that my highly calibrated assomometer cant register 17 hp. Maybe it is true, but if so it would most likely be 17hp at 5000rpm.


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## brunosplace

*To answer the Question*

I always recommend to have trans cooler on it as the one built into the radiator isn't sufficient to handle the extra stress and temp build up of plowing. As long as the trans is still functioning it isn't to late to add one. It may have some damage already done, but making it run cooler will prolong its life.


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## Birdog

Thanks for the input from all. Now, how about a trans. temperature gauge? That should tell me if it`s getting too hot right? 
Matt


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## brunosplace

yes a temp guage is a good idea, but keep in mind once the heat has built up, it is doing damage to the trans. best thing is to have both


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## sweetnsimple

*Addicted/Brunosplace*

Addicted:

Good points on being able to detect a small increase in HP, power required to move the fan, saving the bearings, etc. I'm a gadget-head at heart and so I'm always looking for someone to talk me out of buying such things, so I picked up on that part of your response and kinda managed to ignore the rest. Question now is whether the price you got on e bay was from a dealer who routinely sells such goodies at drastic markdowns, or if that was a one-time thing from a random seller? Hell, for $60 I'll slap one on and never look back.

Question for Bruno at Brunosplace: I used to teach Photoshop for a living, so I gotta know -- does that lettering really exist on your actual plow or just on the photo? Looks good in either case, but if you've got the real plow lettered up like that then it really kicks.


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## addicted

sweetnsimple said:


> Question now is whether the price you got on e bay was from a dealer who routinely sells such goodies at drastic markdowns, or if that was a one-time thing from a random seller? Hell, for $60 I'll slap one on and never look back.


It was a one time deal for a used fan, no wiring or mount off of ebay. However, this fan is used in alot of applications. It is the black magic. The different part #'s come from the different mounting kits. Took me about 2 hours to fab the mount and wire in all that was needed. If you buy it new, i am told that it takes up to 4 weeks for flex a lite to send you the mounting brackets.

If you go that route, let me know. I can post some pics of my install and tell you where to fing a good power source for the relay.


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## brunosplace

the lettering is all Photoshop magic!! LOL  , It makes sure no one swipes my pic to use as their own. 

I got my b&m trans temp gauge at local auto parts store for $58.23 out the door.


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## drunkencitywork

there are common electric fans out there in the junkyard,,,ford taurus and lincoln electric fans are a often found swap and I even heard a minicooper fan works..little fab is needed to make these work. Try www.4bangerjp.com .

I am planning the extra trans cooler w/electric fan that you could mount anywhere and a deeper trans pan should help too.


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## Detroitdan

I always put a trans temp gauge, auxiliary cooler (in addition to factory) and electric fan. The first time you plow with a gauge you will not believe how fast that temp will climb. One good driveway in 4wd will add at least 100 degrees in ten minutes. I am convinced that anyone plowing in an auto without a gauge and auxiliary cooling is out of their mind. Maybe that's why people tell you not to put a plow on a truck, and tell you it will ruin the transmission. I plowed a lot with old GM 3 speeds and never had a bit of tranny trouble with my setup. I put a gauge in my latest plow truck, but with all the monstrous cooling capacity and oversized auxiliary coolers that came on the 1 ton with the towing package, I cant get the tranny hot at all.
I'm assuming you have an auto. I havent heard of a cooler on a manual, except on a race car.


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## PLOWMAN45

could never hurt saves life on tranny


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## jeepwannab

*trans cooler*

hi guys, im new to this site, i have a 93 jeep wrangler, 6cyl, auto, and thought it would be great to put a plow on, i was right good for tight places and side walks, but now i have more friends than before with a plow, and am doing more plowing, i was wondering if im the only one that has a problem with the trans. over heating (i think thats the problem) when plowing for more than an hr, my jeeps reverse goes, it feels like the brakes are on and it wont go anywhere in reverse, but if i let it cool down for 15-30mins it works fine, is there some thing i can do? is that what the problem is?

please help, thanks
[email protected]


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## jeepwannab

*trans cooler*

hi guys, im new to this site, i have a 93 jeep wrangler, 6cyl, auto, and thought it would be great to put a plow on, i was right good for tight places and side walks, but now i have more friends than before with a plow, and am doing more plowing, i was wondering if im the only one that has a problem with the trans. over heating (i think thats the problem) when plowing for more than an hr, my jeeps reverse goes, it feels like the brakes are on and it wont go anywhere in reverse, but if i let it cool down for 15-30mins it works fine, is there some thing i can do? is that what the problem is?

please help, thanks
[email protected]


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## PLOWMAN45

the six has a bigger radiator so you should be fine


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## KGRlandscapeing

sweetnsimple;258299 said:


> Addicted:
> 
> Thanks for the info on the fan. The promise of added HP was what got me thinking about one, but picking up 5 horses by switching to an electric seemed to good to be true -- and apparently is. Still, come February or March, the quicker warm-up time might start looking pretty good.


well it could be very true that u pick up power belts take 15 or 20hp off an engine an ac compressor can take a bunch off to one with a worn out bearing can take a good bit more


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## brunosplace

jeepwannab;502871 said:


> hi guys, im new to this site, i have a 93 jeep wrangler, 6cyl, auto, and thought it would be great to put a plow on, i was right good for tight places and side walks, but now i have more friends than before with a plow, and am doing more plowing, i was wondering if im the only one that has a problem with the trans. over heating (i think thats the problem) when plowing for more than an hr, my jeeps reverse goes, it feels like the brakes are on and it wont go anywhere in reverse, but if i let it cool down for 15-30mins it works fine, is there some thing i can do? is that what the problem is?
> 
> please help, thanks
> [email protected]


Sounds like it might be time for a trans rebuild, have you checked the fluid? Is it still red, or is it brown and looks like metallic paint? Get it checked out, quick before you do any more serious damage to it.


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## jeepwannab

brunosplace;503113 said:


> Sounds like it might be time for a trans rebuild, have you checked the fluid? Is it still red, or is it brown and looks like metallic paint? Get it checked out, quick before you do any more serious damage to it.


humm, about once a year a have to add a qt of fluid, no signs of it leaking, but about every 11 months when its cold the tranny slips intill the motor warms up, and 4 months ago, (before ever putting a plow on) i had the shop do it and they said every thing looks good, so now with this problem iv takin it the the shop several times and they said they cant find any problem, there not a tranny shop, and the only tranny shop in my area charges $192.00 an hr, and theres 1 guy that works there (the owner) he told me about 4 hrs just to look at it, "then we can go from there". is this guys nuts?? or is this the avg. rate?

i really apreacate your help, thanks
[email protected]


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## cherokeeman

*do you own a grand cherokee*

my wife ownes a 98 grand cherokee 4 litre inline six we had problems with that tranny since we bought it when it was cold the tranny would slip till it warmed up once it warmed up it would shift late and make a banging noise after each cycle it drove me crazy we took it to 3 tranny shops to look at it alls they did was put a comp on it and tell us there were no codes popping up her jeep was still under warrentee so i was hopeing to have it reguilt before that warrentee expired no such luck they told me it was a dodge problem that there was nothing that could do that was my experience hope you have better luckussmileyflag


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## cj5fun

*72 cj5fun*

On the electric fan I had to go that route when I pulled the In line six and went to a v6, the motor is so short I'm way to far from the radiator. Anyway I went to the junkyard and picked up a used fan from a Honda, 30 bucks and an hour or so done deal. Its been a couple a years still works great. I went with an ajustable relay so I can set to come on at whatever temp I want.


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