My factory trans cooler looks bigger than most I've seen , is it big enough for towing 10,000 or should I get an aftermarket? Would that effect my warranty?

 

No, the Cummins application is the best system Available and with the Dual coolers that are thermally control Don"t mess with it.If necessary install a fan override switch.

 

I have to agree. The factory cooler is massive for a stock unit. It is bigger that mosts car a/c condensers.

The one thing that I am going to do when I get the time is something that we do a lot at work to increase the efficiency of the a/c systems on buses, RV's and trucks. That is to add 2" x 2" foam sticks (they have a peel off tape on one side) all around the perimeter of the condenser, intercooler, trans. cooler and radiator. Once you take your time to do this. All the air being pulled by the fan at lower speeds must travel through each of these componants and not from the sides & gaps around them. This makes a noticable difference in idle/stop & go traffic conditions with an a/c system. I have to think that it will have similar effects on the other air cooled components.

 

can someone post pics of this MASSIVE trans cooler??

 

The cooler is pretty big. I know on mine (behind the AC condenser) is the Tranny cooler, then under that is the power steering cooler. Guess they use it since the brakes and all are hydrolic. It is a nice unit for a factory unit.

 

I don't know about you guys, but my trans cooler is up beside the engine block!!!

Are you guys looking at the right thing? Up front is the A/C condenser, Intercooler, Steering cooler, and radiator. Maybe they changed something on the newer trucks....

 

The trans cooler these guys are referring to is correctly at the rad location. I agree! The trans heat exchanger is on the side of the block and well whatever its called?

 

Exactly, that is actually the heat exchanger, helps heat the tranny fluid when cold with engine colant, and then cools it when the tranny fluid gets hotter than the engine fluid (shouldn't though) I believe your truck is a 03 dodgezilla, On the 05's it's on the drivers side, near the fuel filter, older trucks passenger side under turbo. But yeah there's two on the truck the heat exchanger, and the transmission cooler up front.

 

After I bought my truck and upon my first fill up I raised the hood to get a closer look of the engine compartment layout to kill time. Being in the a/c business I looked at the condenser up front. Then I was looking at the large 5/8 lines on the drivers side of the engine compartment thinking why did they run run a/c lines on the drivers side when the evaporator is on the passenger side. It was then that I realized that the lines ran to the transmission and I immediatly followed them back to the radiator area to find out that they ran to a large transmission cooler that looked like an a/c condenser. I was impressed as I had thoughts of adding a fan powered trans cooler when I bought the truck. After seeing it's size I think I will wait to get gauges and see if it is needed for my use.

 

With any luck, I'll have gauges going in this weekend....last few parts are due in today.

I agree with a lot of what you guys are saying. The water-to-oil cooler/heater is there to heat up the trans when cold, and cool it if it gets too hot. I prefer this arrangement to the traditional under sized cooler in the cold radiator tanks usually found on vehicles (trucks and cars). I think, mostly by it's size, that it should handle most loads.

Then, to have a rather large air-to-oil trans cooler, after the water-oil cooler, i think should keep the trans reasonably cool.

From what I've read, the air-to-oil cooler has a thermostatic bypass....Have not been able to find out the temp though. Anyone have that number?

Anyone have normal running temps for this trans? Empty? Light load? Heavy load?

TIA

Tony

 

On my truck I can only get the temp up to 160 while stuck in stop and go traffic loaded or unloaded. On the road the temps are 130 deg while locked up and this is loaded.

 

Mine usually stays around 150-170 and will jump up a little if I sit in traffic too long. Turn the A/C on, though, and the fan kicks in and it falls quickly... My sender in in the pan too...

 

When quoting temperatures its a good idea to indicate where the temp sending unit is located, like Dodgezilla did. You can see differences 30+ degrees depending on sensor location.