autozone sells transcoolers for like 45 bucks. should i go ahead and get one??? or is it not even worth it??

dont we have a trans cooler built into the radiator already??

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2000 Silvermist GTP. CAI, 180 t-stat, stage 2 shift kit, u-bend and resonator delete, fastkatt tuned PCM, autolite P104's, 3.4 pulley, altenator wire upgrade.

we have one built in to the radiator. Unless you have a higher stall torque converter or tow with the car don't bother.

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My Mod List

My dealership reccomended that I put one on because of my mods. I'm planning on doing it this summer because my tranny temps are already pretty high and it hasn't even gotten really hot around here yet.

My temps hover just below 200* F cruising and jump to 210*F after passing someone. Then it takes awhile for the temp to come back down.

I'll probably use the GM cooler from either the dealership or PFYC.

http://www.pfyc.com/pc/GP3005/04UNDER/A ... -body.html

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3.5" MPS, 1.84 Rockers, 3" DP, Frt PEM, 39lb Injs., PowrTuner, Wizair
14.07@ 98.85mph 2.180 60'

I used a plate style from Hayden. It seems to work great. I did the cooler the same time I did Dexron VI and a shift kit. I didn't change the 1-2 spring to a 2-3 but will probably soon. I think I went with the 2nd highest setting on firmness with spacers, zzp kit. Changing the fluid again, I did the other change 2k miles ago, should have most of my fluid Dexron VI and fresh. My tranny stays well under 200F now. I have the fluid go from the tranny to the cooler and then to the radiator. That way I don't overcool it in the moderate temperatures I'm not in. You may want to route it differently depending on where you live.

Steven

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

Someone posted a while back that they tried the cooler from pfyc.com and it didn't make a difference. You may want to check on that before you buy one.

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K&N CAI/Flips Custom Headlights, Tail Lights, Reverse Light,Brake Light/Front STB/Magnaflow Exhaust

2008 Grand Prix GXP

Where did you get it? Was it specific to the GP or was it universal?

I looked them up and liked what I saw, but I couldn't find a place to buy one for a GP.

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3.5" MPS, 1.84 Rockers, 3" DP, Frt PEM, 39lb Injs., PowrTuner, Wizair
14.07@ 98.85mph 2.180 60'

jacob_barnes06 is the one who said he tried the one from pfyc.com. You may want to ask him if you have any questions.

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K&N CAI/Flips Custom Headlights, Tail Lights, Reverse Light,Brake Light/Front STB/Magnaflow Exhaust

2008 Grand Prix GXP

I used a universal kit.

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

OMG NOOOOOO!!! NEVER INSTALL A COOLER, THEY ARE THE DEVIL!!

Sorry for the caps, but I had a really bad leak and broke the tranny. From hard experience and please take it from me, don't install one please!!!

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Why have more money than brains? Cuz RACE CAR :

I agree with Malefic under certain conditions. If you aren't going to install it properly or don't know what you are doing it would be a bad idea to install a cooler. Using several hoseclamps on the connections is not a substitute for flaring the metal tubing ends. If you don't flare the ends you are asking for the hoses to come loose. You can get a flaring tool on loan from many parts stores so there isn't really any excuse for not doing it. You should check all your connections to make sure they are tight after you finish installing and then again in a few weeks to make sure nothing has loosened up. Another thing to consider is that all rubber hose is not the same. You don't want to use fuel hose in place of transmission hose. Tell the parts store what you are using it for so that they sell you the correct type. I believe it also has the rating printed on the hose itself. Now, with all that being said, I doubt I need a cooler but I wanted one and installed it properly. I've had success with them on some of my past cars. I've had transmissions last much longer than expected. The reason they have gotten a bad rap here is because people skimp on the install normally unknowingly. If you are worried about it leaking then it would be a good idea not to install one.

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

I will also differ. You must install it correctly.



X2. I work at a shop where we have installed many tranny coolers, and never had a problem with them leaking.

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Six-speed top-swapped GT, sold.
2006 F-150 4x4 for a daily driver.

Flaring the ends? This wasn't mentioned in the instructions for the cooler... I did how ever tight the barbed fittings to death, but it did quite work out like I thought.

This is where I had the leak. (pic from PFYC)




here is the link: http://www.pfyc.com/supportfiles/transc ... rhowto.htm

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Why have more money than brains? Cuz RACE CAR :

I cut and flared the metal lines rather than cutting the rubber line. The tranny lines are metal on the ends but the center section is rubber. I used a universal kit but changed some of the hardware. If I remember correctly when I was doing some test fitting I noticed that the factory crimping was the source of a leak. Rather than trying get it to stop leaking I cut the metal crimps at the connection to the rubber line and conntected my hoses directly to the metal lines at both connection. I would recommend that you do the same. Buying a new line so you can cut it in half doesn't make much sense. Get several more feet (6 or 7 total) of hose than you will need so that you don't use any barbed fittings. Remove all the factory rubber hose from the line you are splicing in to. The only connections you will have are from the factory metal lines to the new rubber tranny cooler lines and then to the cooler.

Good Luck!

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

Are you sure that it wasn't the factory crimp that started leaking? We see those go out quite often.

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Six-speed top-swapped GT, sold.
2006 F-150 4x4 for a daily driver.

Yes I am, it was leaking out of this spot like a cut artery. I've had problems in the past, but it wasn't this bad.

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Why have more money than brains? Cuz RACE CAR :

The factory crimp just to the right of the right side hose clamps is where I noticed a leak. It doesn't take much moving around to make those factory crimps leak. I bet that is where your leak is and not at the barbed fitting. If it is at the barbed fitting it's an easy fix unless you don't have enough factoy hose left connected to the metal line. I know the picture isn't you car but if that's all the length you have you may not have enough to work with. Cut off the factory crimp and use new hose. You will have much better luck. I hope that you are only hearing noise because you are low on fluid and not because something is damaged. Good luck.

Steven

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

i installed the gm on on my car. mine goes from the trans, to the radiator, to the aux. cooler. the trans stays roughly 20deg cooler than the engine on hot summer days. and the winter. tops out around 100deg when it is -20 to 0 deg.

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http://myspace.com/jon72181

Mine goes from the tranny, to the cooler, to the radiator. and tjhen bacl to the transmission. The theory is that the fluid won't be overcooled. I have a 185 deg Stat in the motor. The radiator fluid will always be a little cooler. When the stat opens, the motor get's some of this cool fluid to keep it from overheating. Placing the cooler here allows the radiator to warm up the fluid if it gets too cool. It also helps speed up the tme it takes to heat the tranny fluid faster. Mine runs about 179 deg tops this way.
Placing the cooler after the radiator will certainly cool the fluid more but may keep it to cool. If you are still running a stock thermostat your radiator fluid may be 180 deg. The tranny fluid comes in and is cooled to about 185. Then it is routed to tje cooler which may drop it down to 165 deg. That is too cool in my book. If the radiator is left out of the loop then the cooler would be the only source of cooling and hopefully won't cool the fluid too much. I recommend getting a plate style cooler rather than a fin-tube type. Placing the cooler before the radiator is better for cooler climates. Placing the cooler before the tranny or leaving out the radiator cooling circuit will work better in hotter climates.

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

Well I'm interested in hearing more about this as well. I too was thinking of getting a trans cooler as well. Now I still have a couple of mods that I have on order, I'm just waiting for their arrival. Which should be this week. Those include a DHP PCM and a 3.4 pulley. Now someone said they didn't think I could run a 3.4 with my mods yet. So if I can't I won't.

But I was thinking about adding the trans cooler. It would be professionlly installed, but do you think it is really worth it? I live in the Washington DC area. And my temps are right now hovering around 190, which isn't too bad. But what do you think. Since there is a debate on if we really need them or not.

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Thrasher CAI-DHP PCM-MSD Coils-PRJ Wires-NGK TR55IX-Corsa Exhaust-180 T-Stat-Trans Cooler-GMPP RTA-F/R STB w/Don's Brackets-3 AeroForce Gauges-Slotted/Dimpled Rotors-Kazerza KZ-V 17X7-Custom Painted Engine-Fuse Cover-Chrome DogBone Mounts-Upper Mounts-Side Mounts-ALT Re-Wire

Have it professionally installed and get a 180 stat

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Why have more money than brains? Cuz RACE CAR :

Already have a 180 t-stat installed. So according to my signature below, and adding the DHP PCM, I should be able to now run a 3.4 pulley? Bothe the pulley and the DHP PCM should be here by the end of the week beginning of next week.

Because I am ready to place the order for the trans cooler.

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Thrasher CAI-DHP PCM-MSD Coils-PRJ Wires-NGK TR55IX-Corsa Exhaust-180 T-Stat-Trans Cooler-GMPP RTA-F/R STB w/Don's Brackets-3 AeroForce Gauges-Slotted/Dimpled Rotors-Kazerza KZ-V 17X7-Custom Painted Engine-Fuse Cover-Chrome DogBone Mounts-Upper Mounts-Side Mounts-ALT Re-Wire

i have the gm transmission cooler and i didnt notice really any major drop in temp, maybe a couple of degrees. i havent had any leaking tho, so at least that is a plus.

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I don't think you will be able to run a 3.4. You need to scan before you do any more mods. I don't see headers or even a DP in you mod list. In Denver (5200 ft elevation) I was able to run a 3.4 with some tuning but only when using a DP, that's with only 91 octane. In Seattle (sea level) I couldn't run a 3.4 even after tuning and adding a power log. I had to swap to a 3.6. I may be able to go back to a 3.4 when I do rockers but maybe not. I can get 92 octane here. I think DC is at sea level or close. If it is I doubt you can run a 3.4. You may even have trouble running a 3.6. Higher elevations can run smaller pulleys even though they usually don't have as high octane in the fuel. In Louisiana I could get 93 and 94 octane. I miss it. The corsa exhaust is nice but that's not where most of the restriction is. A downpipe, headers, or powerlog should be the first performance mod to minimize kr. A CAI can actually give you more kr because it allows more air into the engine. KR is because it can't get rid of the air fast enough.

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39# inj, LQ4, FWI, Jardine exh, OBX hdrs, PT, AL104s, PRJ Wires, DEI boots, 180 stat, 3.4 MPS, MSP poly eng mnts, F&R STBs w/ DR brkts, poly sway bar bushings, painted tails, SPO grills, spoiler & tips

You have the 180 stat and you hover around 190?? Thats weird, I notice a drop in temp once I put the thing on.

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Why have more money than brains? Cuz RACE CAR :

I use Shell V-Power gas, and it is 93 octane here in the DC area I believe. So from what your saying a dowpipe is at least one thing I should do before I do the pulley? And of course a scan as well. Ok, I can accomplish that, the scan may take a bit to work out. But the downpipe is something I can get fairly quickly. Headers is also something I can get fairly quickly as well.

This stuff will be done over the course of the next few months, so I have time. I still need to get the car into the dealership for warranty work as well. So I can't do any of these mods until I get her back from the warranty work any how. The exhaust and CAI is as far as I am willing to push it with my dealership. Even though the exhaust isn't and shouldn't even touch my warranty. My dealership is pretty cool with me, but I'm not willing to push it, since I have a year to go on my warranty.

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Thrasher CAI-DHP PCM-MSD Coils-PRJ Wires-NGK TR55IX-Corsa Exhaust-180 T-Stat-Trans Cooler-GMPP RTA-F/R STB w/Don's Brackets-3 AeroForce Gauges-Slotted/Dimpled Rotors-Kazerza KZ-V 17X7-Custom Painted Engine-Fuse Cover-Chrome DogBone Mounts-Upper Mounts-Side Mounts-ALT Re-Wire