Do I Really Need a Transmission Cooler?

[Fearspect]

Hmm... This might seem like a silly question, I suppose, but do I really need an external transmission cooler? Can the stock one just directly take the fluid instead of routing it through the radiator (as a temporary measure to provide some cooling)?

I currently have an automatic. The very first mods I will be performing after some reliability parts swaps (koyo radiator, setrab oil cooler, fuel components and hoses) then my dyno tune, will be a full transmission swap to manual. Can I make due either removing the transmission cooler altogether or simply ignoring the part that goes through the stock radiator (redirected directly into the transmission cooler) just to be able to get it home?

I know what SHOULD be done, but it honestly feels kind of stupid to install an external transmission cooler to the tune of ~$100+ simply to remove it after taking two short (and I'll take it easy) drives with it and chucking it (since it will go to basically $0 value on the secondary market almost immediately).

If it helps the details, I'm running very close to stock, let's estimate ~300rwhp.

[themadscientist]

If you do it, don't beat on the car and you might want to avoid long highway trips, but it will be fine otherwise. I would change the fluid at least, though, before trying to run without the cooler to give it a batter chance of dealing with the increased heat.

[Fearspect]

I'm not intending to fully remove it yet, but simply to skip the portion that flows through the bottom of the stock radiator and hooking both hoses directly from the transmission to the stock transmission cooler; temporarily making it an 'external' transmission cooler.

I would have thought city driving would heat a transmission up more than highway though...

[t.mcginley.jr]

I'm not intending to fully remove it yet, but simply to skip the portion that flows through the bottom of the stock radiator and hooking both hoses directly from the transmission to the stock transmission cooler; temporarily making it an 'external' transmission cooler.

There is no stock transmission cooler, just the one that's part of the radiator. Both city/highway driving will heat up the trans fluid pretty quick. You can grab a cheap-o trans cooler for like $25 I think and just zip tie it to the front of the radiator (not real zip ties, but hose plastic ones that go through the radiator and hold it)