Clyde Frog Build Thread

[clydefrog]

Its been awhile.

Adding an oil cooler to the array of other coolers. The fancy fittings in the foreground are for my OBA system which I will post some pics of that system when done.

Drilled some holes in my custom bumper to aid with airflow. The holes will be for the oil cooler and one of the two transmission coolers. Going to be tucked out of harms way.

Also Rhino lined the front bumper and rocker guards.

Current cooler setup. Cheap Hayden trans cooler (which is getting upgraded to a Tru-Cool cooler). A small p/s cooler, the a/c condenser and the 4.5" thick radiator. Down below is the secondary trans cooler (actually the lower trans cooler is full time while the upper one in front of the radiator comes in at 180 degrees via thermostat).

Cut out the frame a bit to allow with airflow. I tow a ~2,000 pound (wet) vintage trailer with this rig and I will driving it across a few states this Summer so i don't want any trans cooling issues. You can see one of the trans coolers hanging down.

The upgraded Ebay oil cooler block I got to replace the GM pressure port block. Going to run some -10an hose up to the cooler behind the bumper

Also found this while i was in there. Its the p/s feed line and it was 'slightly' touching the steering shaft. Gonna be changing that, glad i discovered it in my garage rather than on the trail. Rubed through to the cloth.

 

[clydefrog]

OBA distribution block. Not fully done yet, I also have 1/4 plastic line going into the interior and back to the air tank.

Air tank mounted on my Smittybuilt tire carrier. This air will power air tools, tire inflation and a solar shower that will be mounted on the roof (roughly 3.6 gallons). May add a train horn too down the road....

Doesnt impede my rear view either, gonna be getting 33" tires soon.

 

[cleenrob]

nice i think ill be doing an oil cooler sometime in the future as well as an extra trans cooler, i want my fresh trans to last a good long time.

 

[clydefrog]

nice i think ill be doing an oil cooler sometime in the future as well as an extra trans cooler, i want my fresh trans to last a good long time.

Summit cooler: $30 plus about another $100 in fittings and hose. Easy upgrade once you have the 5.3. Planning on plumbing it in the next few days so more pics are coming.

 

[clydefrog]

Ok built some lines for the OBA system that is taking me a year to finish. Did the LS swap in less than a month but its taking me over a year to get the OBA up and running. Scrambling to have it done by the Reno run, not that I think I will need it but I want it up and running to test.

Also, update on the oil cooler. Helping greatly with my engine temps, never goes over 200, got it up to 204 while towing ~2,000 pounds with the a/c on and going uphill, otherwise it stayed at 200. Measuring at the coolant since I never put an oil temp gauge in. Trans temps stay at 180-190 but creep up at slow speeds so just gotta get that in check and i think i will be good, maybe another fan?

Cut and tapped the GM hoses.
This is the feed line -10 AN hose with a filter and oiler on the other end:

And this is the pressure side 1/4 tube:

Also routed the hose to my rear tank. Almost done! Hopefully it works as good as I hope.

 

[clydefrog]

Got the OBA all hooked up. Holy Sh*t, I didn't know it would be as good as it is. Fills the 2.5 gal tank to 155psi in 28 seconds at idle and 8 seconds at 2,000 rpm. Haven't tested it on a tire yet but my guess is it can fill a 33" in less than 30 seconds? Super stoked. Works way better than I thought it would.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Nice Man!!!

 

[burntkat]

Gorgeous build. The color got my attention, and then I see you've gone a similar way I want to go with my 90.

FYI- trans temps of 190 are running dangerously hot. I'd get that below 160 ASAP. Consider taking the thermostatic switch out of your main aux cooler. Also, make sure the path goes from transmission to radiator (in-tank trans cooler, if used), then to the aux coolers before the return to the transmission.

Also, STRONGLY suggest an inline filter, something like a Magnefine would be great for the tight packaging of an XJ. I run them on all the PS and AT systems in my vehicles and they are $20 well spent.

 

[clydefrog]

Gorgeous build. The color got my attention, and then I see you've gone a similar way I want to go with my 90.

FYI- trans temps of 190 are running dangerously hot. I'd get that below 160 ASAP. Consider taking the thermostatic switch out of your main aux cooler. Also, make sure the path goes from transmission to radiator (in-tank trans cooler, if used), then to the aux coolers before the return to the transmission.

Also, STRONGLY suggest an inline filter, something like a Magnefine would be great for the tight packaging of an XJ. I run them on all the PS and AT systems in my vehicles and they are $20 well spent.

I don't have it going through the radiator, just two aux coolers, I am upgrading one of my Hayden coolers though which should bring the trans temp down. Both coolers are tube and fin and my main cooler, once upgraded, will be a larger plate design. It runs around 150 normally and will get up to 190-200 while towing and wheeling. Never considered a filter, i will look into it. Thanks!

 

[burntkat]

I run spin-on quart sized filters on my hydraulics on the vehicles with frames, the others get inline filters because of space constraints.

Adding a good filter that catches the ferrous bits (magnet) and everything else down to a few microns is a very good idea as it breaks part of the wear chain. Also, since hydraulic spool valves have very tight clearances, this avoids damage to them. It was required when I did the hydroboost upgrade to my S10. The brakes would self-apply and not release at all due to crud in the fluid, no matter how much I changed the fluid. I put an inline filter in and the problem went away. Also, had problems with the 94 ZJ shifting (issues with the transmission solenoids crudding up are well-known in the 42RE trans), even after fluid change. I put a filter in and the truck has never shifted so well- that was 2 years ago.

I'd say, for any electronically-controlled transmission (or any fluid power system with solenoids), multiply my suggestion by 10X... and I STRONGLY recommend them. Modern automatics don't really have filters in them- it's more like a screen than a filter. This is because they have high flow requirements, and are difficult to access (and the manufacturers know most folks will just buy a new car when the transmission starts acting up :shhh

I see you're running a Rustoleum paintjob. That's one of my two options. I'm testing Durabak this weekend on the roof of my 90.

 

[burntkat]

I don't have it going through the radiator, just two aux coolers, I am upgrading one of my Hayden coolers though which should bring the trans temp down. Both coolers are tube and fin and my main cooler, once upgraded, will be a larger plate design. It runs around 150 normally and will get up to 190-200 while towing and wheeling. Never considered a filter, i will look into it. Thanks!

My suggestions, living in hot and humid Charleston, SC:

-Go ahead and run it to the in-radiator cooler.- in the bottom and out the top.. then come out of that, go into the other coolers.

-replace all the "bent tube" aux coolers on the transmission with the plate and fin jobs, starting with the biggest first. I just run one after the in-tank unit, but it's the biggest one I could fit (Hayden 679, in my XJ and my S10).

-all aux cooler fittings should be horizontal (ie, the ports should feed left to right, not up and down, as looking into the ports). You'd be surprised how many people screw this up and don't realize they are not using 95% of their cooler (when using plate and fin coolers) because it's full of air. This isn't such an issue with the tube and fin jobs, but still isn't right in that application either). They should also feed from the bottom and discharge to the top. Otherwise you will have a siphon effect and the fluid will flow through the cooler too quickly.

Goal should be to keep the trans under 150deg, maybe 175 if you're REALLY stressing it (towing up a mountain) but even then I'd still like to see it around 150. I don't have mountains locally so I can't comment on what mine does in that application.

Good general guide for tranny temps:
http://www.txchange.com/heatchrt.jpg

I have spent WAY too much time studying up on fluid systems for my SAS build (it got a case of mission-creep... I ended up completely revamping the trans cooling system and hoses as above (I went to 3/8" high-pressure lines run along the top of the frame instead of hardline), went to hydroboost braking out of a HMMWV, on and on. I've messed with more JIC and AN fittings than I care to recall. BTW, JIC and AN are the same thing- they are compatible- just JIC is steel, AN are aluminum and pretty. If I was that worried about weight, I'd not be building a solid axle truck with a V8!

I just put a Trans cooler and PS cooler in my son's 97 XJ. I followed the advice above (BTW- a good inline filter can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/58964-Magnetic-Line-Transmission-Filter/dp/B0014BCFC0) and I've already found the PS fluid much cleaner (owned the vehicle about 3 weeks now, been DD'ing it to make sure it's ready for a new driver) and trans shifting much better. I don't have a trans temp gauge on it - yet- but am expecting good things since I'm running a cooler that is rated by itself for a 12-ton RV.

 

[clydefrog]

Thanks a ton for all the info. I don't have a radiator cooler in my radiator (Running a Novak custom radiator). I will be upgrading the largest trans cooler with a tru-cool fin and plate, should be 300% more efficient then what i currently have then leave the secondary tube style and see how it goes. I will def be ordering a filer and both coolers will have horizontal outlet/inlets (had no idea that would affect it).

FYI my temps are being pulled from the pan (taped it and welded in a sensor bung) and I am running Swepco 714 which is 20wt I believe. Should be getting the upgraded cooler sometime in the next two weeks (towing to Banff and Glacier NP in a month) so want that sorted out before then.

I will report with the numbers after the upgrade.

 

[burntkat]

Sounds good. The thing to keep in mind with the plate cooler is you have multiple parallel channels flowing between two tanks- exactly like in an intercooler. So if you don't have gravity working for you, it will be mostly full of air. Thst will lead to poor cooling and foaming/aeration - which just compounds the heat problem!

 

[burntkat]

What did you do for the 4L60E to 231J tcase adapter? You said you used a stock 231 (NP231J) It won't bolt to Chevy tranny without adaptation.

The smart thing to do is use an NP231C out of an S-10. Get the transmission from it, too! This gets you a stock bolt together solution using COTS, non-aftermarket, adapter. AA make a fortune off of their $600 adapter and it's just not necessary. Also, the 231C has a heavier duty chain... 1.25" instead of 1". I'm informed by several friends the front half of the 231C and back half of the 231 J play together just fine once you swap the output shaft. Have to admit I haven't had a 231 apart in years, but I'm about to in order to SYE the 231C in my 89 S10 (build info in my signature, below).

 

[cleenrob]

What did you do for the 4L60E to 231J tcase adapter? You said you used a stock 231 (NP231J) It won't bolt to Chevy tranny without adaptation.

The smart thing to do is use an NP231C out of an S-10. Get the transmission from it, too! This gets you a stock bolt together solution using COTS, non-aftermarket, adapter. AA make a fortune off of their $600 adapter and it's just not necessary. Also, the 231C has a heavier duty chain... 1.25" instead of 1". I'm informed by several friends the front half of the 231C and back half of the 231 J play together just fine once you swap the output shaft. Have to admit I haven't had a 231 apart in years, but I'm about to in order to SYE the 231C in my 89 S10 (build info in my signature, below).

hes using the AA adapter

 

[clydefrog]

hes using the AA adapter

Yep.

Wheeled it today on a mild trail with some peeps. Two things.....
first, the oil cooler helps keep the temps WAY down while wheelin' and second is: the Bilstien 5160 shocks are amazing! XJ was smooth on the trail!

Oh and the OBA system is awesome, I b*tched out at the end of the Reno run and was at the trail head by myself and filled my puny 30" tires from 15psi to 32psi in 40 seconds each.

Anyways, gotta get the 33"s mounted and also seriously rethinking my build after seeing someway cooler rigs today.

 

[burntkat]

I see you have the AC Condensor still in place... and you're running OBA. Are you running two compressors?

Also, in case I didn't point it out- get rid of the thermostatic switch on your tranny coolers. That's a big part of your problem. You're only cooling with the small cooler, till the trans hits 180. Then you are switching in the big cooler, and playing catchup.

Unless you live in the Subarctic, you can never run an AT too cool. The thermo switch is just not needed, and is working against you.

BTW, the orientation of the large trans cooler is just fine as it is, so long as you are feeding the bottom port and discharging by the top.

 

[clydefrog]

I see you have the AC Condensor still in place... and you're running OBA. Are you running two compressors?

Also, in case I didn't point it out- get rid of the thermostatic switch on your tranny coolers. That's a big part of your problem. You're only cooling with the small cooler, till the trans hits 180. Then you are switching in the big cooler, and playing catchup.

Unless you live in the Subarctic, you can never run an AT too cool. The thermo switch is just not needed, and is working against you.

BTW, the orientation of the large trans cooler is just fine as it is, so long as you are feeding the bottom port and discharging by the top.

Yes, two compressors. Gotta have a/c when its 100+ out.

I am not running an AT thermostat. Both coolers are fed at the bottom port. They marginally keep up while wheeling, runs about 180 in 4wd while climbing hills (which isn't bad considering how cheap both coolers were). Once I upgrade it should be perfect.

 

[cleenrob]

totally agree on the a/c

need to get mine set up soon, its already almost 100 here every day now

 

[burntkat]

I'm with you guys on the AC. I just bought my son a 97, with functional air. It's spoiled me after 20+ years not owning a vehicle with functional air.

Have you got pics of the dual compressor layout?