I'm looking for a tranny cooler for my 94 Q45. I have seen a few brands thrown around and have researched a few like the B&M 70264 and 70268 models. What I'm looking for is experience with brands and which ones install the easiest with the best cooling. If anyone has any pics of the install, I would sure love to see them. I did a search on the topic and only came back with one thread which didn't have all the info I was looking for. Living in South Texas I figure this shouldn't be put off any longer.

Thanks,Pat Daniels

http://www.q45.org/trannycooler.html

I prefer the stacked plate design better than the tube-in-fin design because they are more rugged and you really cant mess them up.. The fins on the latter bend very easy, these do not...

The stacked plates work very nicely and are easily the best on the market now.!

What he said ^

Don't waste your money on tube-and-fin. The stacked plate are something like 80% more efficient.

Most of those on the market (including B&M, Hayden AND most OEM) are made by a company called "Long Coolers" in canada. They make some that are house-branded. Just look on ebay and get the cheapest one in the size you want.

I have a hayden finned cooler in my Q now and Ive thought about swapping it out for a B/M... My ultimate goal is to not have to worry about trannycooling (read: MT)

i bought the biggest hayden i could find not cause i cared about brand, but because it is BIG. 11 inches in height [stacked plate of course].

i'll try to snap some pics so i can show-off my install. i'm quite happy with it--but beware and learn from my screwup with a very sharp drill bit near the a/c condensor.

The B&M coolers are both stacked plate design and the size difference is minimal between the 2 models. That's a great link on how to do it. Do you guys bypass the original tranny cooler or do you still use it in addition to the new one?

You drilled into your AC condensor? Holy smokes, I bet you had the hollow "poop in your pants" feeling when you realized what had happened.

I always recommend bypassing the filter and stock cooler.

elwesso wrote:I always recommend bypassing the filter and stock cooler.

Never bypass the OEM esternal filter. It is there for a reason and is one of the critical improvements on the post 1993 taht contribute to transmission longevity.

If you are always in Corpus and S of the Nueces, by passing the OEM heat exchanger is fine.

Look under my name in Member's Rides Gallery for various installations.

Personally Id rather see you get a filter that is replaceable... You cna get external trnany filter kits that use regular oil filters, and you can replacethem... The OEM filter would be kind of hard to retrofit in with a aftermarket tranny cooler...

elwesso wrote:Personally Id rather see you get a filter that is replaceable... ...

It is, and it is available from Joe.

Depends on mileage and how contaminated the ATF has ever been as to when best replace them. I am guessing 100K would be a good time with pristine fluid at all changes.

I hate to break it to you, but the only reason they tacked that filter in the cooler lines is to prevent the oem narrow cooler from plugging up. It won't make a whit of difference if you've installed an external cooler.

RobertsnewQ wrote:I hate to break it to you, but the only reason they tacked that filter in the cooler lines is to prevent the oem narrow cooler from plugging up. It won't make a whit of difference if you've installed an external cooler.

What makes you think the OEM "cooler" is "narrow"?

Particulate contamination is abrasive, and filtering it out of the ATF is beneficial. Most pan drops I have seen will have a little metal in the bottom of the pan, at least on the first instance.

All oem in-radiator coolers suck, and they are narrow. Have you ever cut the end tank off a radiator? It's just a piece of tubing, sometimes with fins but often without. The increased cooling capacity is only half the reason we replace them - the other half is because they plug up and starve the trans for lube as well as cooling.

In-line filters are just there to prevent the crap thrown off from wearing clutches from plugging the OEM cooler. The "split" cooler design (with one in each tank) is another way around the same problem. As long as the engine isn't overheating, the 195 degree coolant temp is a fine temp for ATF, and the coolant keeps it more consistent. THe split cooler just gives the crap in the fluid less of a chance to plug the cooler.

All auto transmissions have an internal bypass to prevent a plugged cooler from starving the trans but they don't have enough flow rate and eventually it will die.

Subaru did the external filter too (they also use the Jatco trans). The external filter goes in the transmission OUT line which should be a clue.

RobertsnewQ wrote:1.) All oem in-radiator coolers suck, and they are narrow. Have you ever cut the end tank off a radiator? It's just a piece of tubing, sometimes with fins but often without. The increased cooling capacity is only half the reason we replace them - the other half is because they plug up and starve the trans for lube as well as cooling.

2.) In-line filters are just there to prevent the crap thrown off from wearing clutches from plugging the OEM cooler. The "split" cooler design (with one in each tank) is another way around the same problem. As long as the engine isn't overheating, the 195 degree coolant temp is a fine temp for ATF, and the coolant keeps it more consistent. THe split cooler just gives the crap in the fluid less of a chance to plug the cooler.

All auto transmissions have an internal bypass to prevent a plugged cooler from starving the trans but they don't have enough flow rate and eventually it will die.

Subaru did the external filter too (they also use the Jatco trans). The external filter goes in the transmission OUT line which should be a clue.

1.) Technically, they are heat exchangers, and in the VH45DE, is designed primarily to heat the ATF (assuming proper engine warm up procedure) to quickly bring the ATF up to 176° F so OD lock up can occur at low rpm. Cooling only occurs when ATF is elevated substantially from high demand operating conditons.

2.) So you think the contaminants should be allowed to be deposited on the interior surface of the heat exchanger, thus reducing its thermal conduction? The Nissan engineers did not, thankfully.

Might want to read the previous posts by Q45tech on this (and other) topic(s) sometime.

maxnix wrote:1.) Technically, they are heat exchangers, and in the VH45DE, is designed primarily to heat the ATF (assuming proper engine warm up procedure) to quickly bring the ATF up to 176° F so OD lock up can occur at low rpm. Cooling only occurs when ATF is elevated substantially from high demand operating conditons.

Yes, I understand that they are technically heat exchangers, delta T and all that, but that isn't the point of my post. Cooling occurs any time the temperature of the transmission fluid increases above coolant temp (or sufficiently above it to get past the two junctions - oil to metal and metal to water). They're coolers. ATF would spike way above coolant temps if you left them out. And yes, part of the job is to stabilize oil temps so the TCU can do its job without worrying about viscosity changes.

Quote »2.) So you think the contaminants should be allowed to be deposited on the interior surface of the heat exchanger, thus reducing its thermal conduction? The Nissan engineers did not, thankfully [/quote]C'mon, I didn't write that at all. I'm just pointing out the purpose of the filter, which was added to SOME but not all Qs. I also pointed out that it isn't a big deal given the larger surface area of an aftermarket stacked-fin cooler/heat exchanger. If you leave it out it won't make a bit of difference over the short term, and minimal, if any, difference over the long term.

Incidentally I happen to agree with you that an inline filter is a good idea, I just wanted to point out that it only "saves the transmission" indrectly by making sure that the cooler can do its job and not get plugged.

What's a good inline filter to install? It sounds like the stock external is there to catch the big stuff. I would think you would have to be careful about installing a filter with too low of micron count (lets only the smallest of particles pass) as if it plugs, you'll get no flow.

From what I gather from the debates is to bypass the stock cooler and the jury is still out on whether the stock external filter should be left in or tossed.

My thinking is on the filter... IF you have pieces that big floating around, the tranny is already almost shot.. To each their own, but I have no qualms running with no filter..... maybe my tranny will die at 50k (dang, thats only 20k away!) and if i would have had a filter it would have gone 150k...

When I took my filter out of my old Q, I cut it open and I didnt find anything inside there... Now my tranny had 125k on it and it had only been SERVICED ONCE!!

Anyway, any of the filter kits on summit racing will be fine..

CoastyAV8R wrote:What's a good inline filter to install? It sounds like the stock external is there to catch the big stuff. I would think you would have to be careful about installing a filter with too low of micron count (lets only the smallest of particles pass) as if it plugs, you'll get no flow.

From what I gather from the debates is to bypass the stock cooler and the jury is still out on whether the stock external filter should be left in or tossed.

This also concerns me... The cooler circuit runs at very low pressure, whereas the oil system runs at like 15psi minimum.. The tranny PUSHES, not PULLS the fluid though... I feel more comfortable knowing that im not adding a restriction...

Bottom line, the magnet and the filter in the tranny will do probably 150% more than the external filter because the external filter sees so little fluid compared to the former 2.....

RobertsnewQ wrote:C'mon, I didn't write that at all.

RobertsnewQ wrote: The external filter goes in the transmission OUT line which should be a clue.

RobertsnewQ wrote: I'm just pointing out the purpose of the filter, which was added to SOME but not all Qs. I also pointed out that it isn't a big deal given the larger surface area of an aftermarket stacked-fin cooler/heat exchanger. If you leave it out it won't make a bit of difference over the short term, and minimal, if any, difference over the long term.

Incidentally I happen to agree with you that an inline filter is a good idea, I just wanted to point out that it only "saves the transmission" indrectly by making sure that the cooler can do its job and not get plugged.

Here, most of us are about the long term given the extreme ruggedness of hte design of the engine. Getting accesory components to function at the same level over that time is paramount to most owners.

I believe the Nissan engineers could have used a screen intead of a filter if the only wanted chunks to be excluded from the cooler. Unlike many newbies on the board, I do not think I can out guess nor out-engineer the Nissan engineers who have the credentials and experience to design such a beautiful piece of machinery.

Again, for logical consistency:

RobertsnewQ wrote:I'm just pointing out the purpose of the filter, which was added to SOME but not all Qs.

And do you think theis later change was just on a whim and not considered necessary by the Nissan engineers? As Spock would say, that is illogical! Any other deduction is subject to being very incorrect.

elwesso wrote:Bottom line, the magnet and the filter in the tranny will do probably 150% more than the external filter because the external filter sees so little fluid compared to the former 2.....

You could add one if it makes you sleep better at night but it won't make much (if any) difference to transmission life. Like you point out, the cooler is on a bypass circuit so it won't see a very high percentage of the oil flow. I mentioned above why it's there, and if you add a cooler you've eliminated the problem.

Now, if you install a rebuilt transmission, ALWAYS add an inline filter in the cooler return line so you don't send all the crap from the old dead transmission into your fresh rebuild.

back to the question of inline filters:I usde a magnefine. they come in 5/16 and 3/8. oem hoses are 5/16, most aftermarket cooler hoses are 11/32. the 3/8 magnefine is what i used, tight, but not outrageous fit with the 11/32.magnefines advertise a bypass in the event the filter media clogs.

here's a picture of my install:not the greatest picture, as you don't get a feel for the vertical depth.cooler is 'soft' mounted to the radiator. there is no metal to metal contact of the cores [fins], and no zipties touching the cores. i cut up an old wiper blade insert and bonded the vertical rubber strips to the cooler before putting it in. these are also just thick enough to keep the metal support strap from touching the radiator, except where the washer is at the top.

if your car is not an active [not an option on my install], the LF wheelhouse seems ideal, especially if you have the louvered closeout [i'm not sure if the non- actives are louvered].

there are 2 return lines that ''y' into a single return line to the trans. i didn't want to have a kluge kap on the other return line, so I replaced the oem filter [to the tune of $61], and have it so that the aftermarket cooler output now inputs the oem filter, and the two outlets from the filter are the two return lines. of course, as previously mentioned, i have the magnefine on the input side.

now, i have no hard data on how much flow i actually have thru this setup, it just seemed like the way to do it.