scalbert

I picked up a B&M clone trans cooler the other day. This is a 21.8k BTU unit so it should be more than enough for our cars. I need some extra hose as the supplied 11/32" ID hose was only 4' long and I'll probably need double that.

But I finally snapped a few pics of the fluid tap points which many have requested. These are taken right behind the VSA throttle looking down.

The first one shows the starting reference point, a large bolt with 'ATF' stamped on the top of it. Looking down at this from the front of the car at about 1:00 you will find a metal tube as shown on the 2nd picture. This carries trans fluid.

Follow this tube back towards the firewall a few inches and you will encounter a connection. There is a rubber line connected to the metal line, this is one of the junction points or both depending on how you want to work it (I'm still undecided), shown in the 3rd pic.

You could remove the connection, put in a barbed coupling into the open rubber line with more hose on the other end. Then run the hose up to cooler along with another line that attaches to the now empty hard line connection. This would provide for the needed loop.

Or you could just remove the stock rubber line as it is just about six inches long and mates back up to another metal line. This way you could just run the two hosed from the cooler, one to either metal line connection. This is shown in the 4th pic.

But in either case the metal, just hose clamps will be needed to attach to the metal line(s). This is all the factory uses...

The last pics is just a blurry snap of the cooler its self.

More on the complete install when it occurs but here is some initial information for those wanting to proceed.

EricL

Steve...

I can't tell from the Helms vs. you pictures if you are getting at the input or output of the existing/factory ATF "warmer"/"cooler"...


Can you comment on which side the banjo fitting (you've shown) is (out flowing or inflowing ATF)????


TIA

EricL

You probably have all of the "connection" goodies "wired", but I had this around for "connection possibilities"/"tranny hookups"/"thermostats"/and other stuff...:



http://www.thinkauto.com//acatalog/catalogbody.html

BTW -- excellent detective work (You must have used the "force"...)

scalbert

Not having unhooked and turned it over to determine flow direction I am just guessing but I'm pretty sure about it based on information in the manual.

On page 14-175, you can see that the line runs between the body and the ATF filter Line/Bracket/Filter, etc... If this system is similar to most then the fluid would run from the body to the filter and into the resevoir for use by the pump. In other words, it runs from the rear port to the front.

But this is just an educated guess but since the pump appears to draw from the filter it seems reasonable. But I haven't found the ATF warmer in the tear down veiws, just the flow diagrams...

EricL

I also found page 14-228 (I missed those two pages (14-175 and the 14-228 even as I ripped through the flow diagrams -- always learning something new here...)

That picture shows the filter -> pipe -> rubber hose -> pipe -> banjo in one exploded view (perhaps a bit clearer for some purposes).

It would have been nice to have a few dotted lines in the various hydraulic flow diagrams to indicate parts on the inside and outside of the transmission (it’s been done before…)

The ATF warmer is depicted on14-151 -- there is an actual picture of it, but not with the same large-scale overview of the previously mentioned pages

It is mounted to the tranny with two bolts and uses two flush o-rings seals for the ATF flow through it. Only one of the coolant pipes is clearly shown.


Keep us posted!

scalbert

Now it is getting real interesting, look in the first pic I posted above. At about 7:00 you can see the warmer cannister. The filter is out of view but is attached to the outside of the warmer. If that is the case then according to the flow diagrams the resevoir would be next in the routing in the external metal and rubber lines.

So the connection in the 4th pic must drain back into the resevoir.

So if the idea is correct about the fluid then flowing to the pump, all flow diagrams seem to indicate by way of solid lines that the pump pulls from the resevoir and pumps into the body, this would be ideal. By tapping these external lines you pick up after the warmer and allow for the cooling to take place just before being pumped up again.

We'll see though.

scalbert

One other thing I was thinking about in this had to do with the pressure levels at this point. If this does feed the resevoir and then into the pump then it might be at a relative low pressure when compared to the pump outlet.

I am sure there is pressure as it has to go through the filter, etc. But it there enough to drive through a cooler without too much of a loss?? I suspect there will be plenty and since it drains into the resevoir air won't be an issue but just thought of this as a potential issue.

JRock

johntypes please don't ever quote a huge post like that again. the rest of us have to load it twice and scroll past it. just delete most of it and quote whatever is so important that you quoted it in the first place. thanks.

cnatra

Hey Scalbert, thanks for the pics & info.

Appreciate you doing all the research, so the rest of us
can learn from your experience!

scalbert

I have everything ready for the install but need some extra hose. It looks pretty good and shouldn't present a major problem but I am surprised at the size of the AC condenser, it takes up nearly the entire area of the radiator

I’ll have more with pics tomorrow.