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B&M AT Cooler Install Location & Details Needed

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Glenn 
#1 ·
This forum has been very helpful to me keeping my 96TB running which I do appreciate. Now, I am going to change my AT fluid with Mercon V (very hard to get the pure MV these days). I recently bought two cases of old stock at a O'R's store. I also bought the Dorman AT pan to install as well as the B&M AT cooler. But, I need some advise and comments on installing the cooler location, use of brackets, etc. Photos would be very helpful of any installation. I just like to do it right. I could install it in front of the condenser, but would like to independently mount it somewhere behind the front bumper. Pictures would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Glenn
 
#2 ·
There's really no right or wrong way to do it. Almost all of the airflow in these cars come from the slats on the very bottom of the bumper covers, so as long as your cooler is in that area you're good, I've seen some members with wide coolers mount them directly flush against these even(personally I wouldn't if your car is lowered, the bumper cover bottom is curb bait). I used a Hayden cooler in front of the condenser, mounted to the core support, between it and the hood latch bracket, directly on the top rails using brass nuts and bolts and made c-channel bracket to mount the bottom rail to bottom of the core support using one of the existing slots. Worked excellent.

Pics of it in this post:

http://forums.tccoa.com/1387131-post65.html
 
#3 ·
I am trying to run the B&W cooler lines from the center of the condenser area where I mounted the new cooler over to the DS edge of the radiator - past this area to under the battery and then up to the top of the OEM radiator cooler line. I do not want to cut the OEM steel AT lines. I want to just unscrew the top OEM cooler line and connect one of the B&W cooler hoses to the top of the OEM cooler outlet fitting and then the other B&W hose to the OEM steel line that used to go to this OEM cooler outlet fitting. I am trying not to run the B&W hoses down to the bottom of the radiator and then up to the OEM cooler outlet area. I am trying to find a shorter path as I described above.

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks,

Glenn
 
#4 ·
Well, I guess we do not have many TB owner's interested in installing a AT cooler. But, since I have a progressively worsening shuddering I am trying to lower the AT temperature so I can get some more life out of the AT. I am also going to change the AT fluid to Mercon V and change the AT filter. So hopefully this will give me a few more years of life out of the AT since I can not afford to rebuilt it.

The B&M Cooler is a nice piece. I installed a larger B&M cooler on my 2003 S/C MM (500 HP - 11.70 sec in the 1/4 mile, 4500#). It really helped the AT temperature - never over 180 even when running and on hot days in GA. I have some cooler install pictures attached, but they are not very good. I installed the cooler several inches in front of the condenser rather then on top of it that most people may do. I had to remove the complete hood latch mechanism and bracket to install the cooler and route the hoses which became the hardest part of the install (see pictures). I routed the AT cooler hoses basically following the PS cooler hoses. I have one question which I hope someone can help me - is there is concern running the AT cooler hoses next to the PS hoses. Is the PS fuild running at a higher temperature then the AT cooler hoses?

The first picture is the AT cooler shot from above the hood release bracket (removed).

The second is the AT cooler hoses running next to the PS hoses (located at the very bottom of the radiator location).

Third is the hoses running up the side of the radiator to the top of the radiator AT cooler.

Thanks for any comments.

Glenn
 

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#6 ·
Wile,

Check the Jmod articles, that's how I did mine.

I disconnected the upper tranny line from the radiator and attached a rubber line to it. Run the line into a bucket under the car and start it up. Let the fluid run out until it starts to sputter (fluid flow), turn the car off. This will get quite a bit of the fluid out until you drop the pan, drain the convertor and then the valve body.

Joe
 
#7 ·
I acquired two 90 degree fittings to use with the new cooler hoses being connected to the top AT radiator cooler fitting. See pictures. These fittings permit the new cooler hoses coming from the bottom of the radiator location up to the original radiator cooler fitting in a straight line avoiding a curved hose at the top of the radiator.

The left fitting goes into the top of the radiator cooler fitting and the right fitting goes into the AT steel return line. I am not cutting the AT return line. I am doing this in case I need to reconnect the original AT return line to the original AT cooler.
 

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#8 ·
The unions that you have attached to those 90 degree fittings will not work..

AFAIK, they don't make a union fitting that will adapt to the factory transmission cooler line fittings..

The problem is, the factory transmission cooler line fittings have an extension on them..
You can see it here:


That's to allow it to fit inside these radiator fittings:


Maybe you can find some union fittings that are extra deep..I've personally never seen them though.. :zdunno:






Rayo..
 
#9 ·
O'Boy - did not know that - thanks for the information. I am going to have to remove the AT line fittings and look at them close. I've been caught up in some other things recently. I have to get back to the TB soon.

Thanks again,

Glenn
 
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