Fan cooled tranny cooler

[FransWhiteXJ]

I snow plow with my '00 XJ and the engine temperature rises (220?) due to slow speed driving and plow impeded air flow thru the radiator. I'm guessing all the slow speed running and constant forward-reverse motion is also heating up the tranny. I don't have a tow-group aux tranny cooler only the built in one in the radiator. I want to add an aux tranny cooler, but I think I would need a fan cooled one, such as a B&M or Perm-a-Cool type. My slow driving speeds don't allow for much air flow thru the radiator, so I don't think a normal aux tranny cooler mounted between the grill & radiator will do much good.

As I look around the engine compartment, I don’t see a lot of room to mount any type of tranny cooler, let alone one that is 4 inches high with the fan installed. My XJ is all stock (no skid plate, has AC & factory fog lights, which help during snow plowing [not the AC ]), but has a rather large steel subframe for the snow plow attachment up front. Has anybody found a good place to mount a fan assisted tranny cooler in a late XJ? If yes: make, model, location, pictures, etc.

Thanks,

Fran

 

[MN-Cherokee]

Just a suggestion. Could you mount the transmission cooler in the factory location in front of the AC condensor? Mount it on the driver side. (Same side as the factory electric fan) Then just wire the factory electric fan to a on/off switch. That way you can control when it comes one.

In theory that should work. When the transmission starts getting warm simply switch on the electric fan. It should pull cooler air through the transmission cooler towards the radiator.


Just a thought.
Brian

 

[FransWhiteXJ]

Brian,

Interesting concept. Is the factory electric fan controlled by the computer? If yes, would it set off a code with a manual on-off switch? Could a tranny thermal switch be put somewhere in line to auto start the fan as well as still having the "normal" fan operation when not plowing?

Fran

 

[beakie]

you could use a switch to a relay, and have the stock wiring running to the always on pin of the relay, and the manual on (switched) power to the other pin (forget if its 85/87 whichever is which)
that way if you want it on normal operation, the relay allows it, and if you flip the switch you get power to the fan when you want it.

 

[the_weirdo]

If you are plowing snow, I imagine that you could mount the tranny cooler on the passenger side in front of the mechanical fan and be fine due to the cold weather. If not, put it on the driver side and hook a switch up to the electrical fan to have control over it.

 

[FransWhiteXJ]

If you are plowing snow, I imagine that you could mount the tranny cooler on the passenger side in front of the mechanical fan and be fine due to the cold weather. If not, put it on the driver side and hook a switch up to the electrical fan to have control over it.

You'd be surprised at how hot an engine gets, even if it is 0F outside, when you're running slow and with the snowplow blocking that little airflow thru the radiator. This is why I'm trying to find an alternate location for the tranny cooler so it doesn't add to the heat load on the cooling system. Of all the installations I've read about here and other sites, most end up mounting it in front of the radiator. My best guess is that it will go in front of the electric fan with some sort of switching system to turn on the fan when the tranny fluid reaches some preset temp. The tranny temp can spike really fast :flame:when your pushing several tons of heavy, wet snow at 3 mph, uphill in 4wd lo. There is so much activity going on when plowing, that I don't want to rely on ME to turn on that switch when it's too late.


Thanks again,

Fran

 

[Shogun]

I agree with your analysis, simply sticking another cooler in front of the radiator is a poor solution and indicates a lack of understanding of the other related cooling issues. It may work slightly better than nothing, but as conditions continue to degrade (work load higher, temps higher) it will not work. Theres only so much cooling that can be accomplished per square inch.

An idea I have been mulling is below the radiator. The rad is very short, bottom to top and there is alot of space directly below it, about 6x16. There are maybe two holes in the sheet metal in front of this space, which is directly behind the bumper and above the oem engine skid plate. It is high enough to be protected from stuff by the skid plate and bumper. Perhaps adding another slot in the sheet metal, and then cutting similar slots in the bumper would provide the needed inlet. With two small fans on the cooler the issue of airflow would be non. I am looking at Earl's coolers in the appropriate dimension, either one for the trans or two side by side, one trans and one oil.

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

The nice thing about a fan cooled trans. cooler is that you can mount it anywhere. It does not have to rely on air being pushed through it as you drive. You can mount it below/behind the radiator in a horizontal position tucked up out of the way. I have seen them mounted under the body on a Dodge Diesel w/an auto. Worked great.

 

[rockclimber24315]

Putting the cooler in front of the radiator, in my opinion is a bad idea, because again your pushing hot air through your radiator, my opinion would be to mount it behind the cross member. The write up is at:

http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAutoCooler.htm

 

[FransWhiteXJ]

Thanks for all the replies.

IGOCOMMANDO, where in a "stock" Jeep XJ can a fan-cooled tranny cooler be mounted?

rockclimber, I have that page booked marked! My fear is cutting away the front supports, where the plow frame mounts, will only weaked the front end. My plow frame tucks up under the front bumper, so there isn't much room for a tranny cooler.

Any other thoughts? With the 100's of thousands of XJ's made somebody must have/wants to mount a fan assisted tranny cooler.

Thanks,

Fran

 

[JJacobs]

There's no reason it has to be vertical! Find a spot alongside the engine where you can lay it flat but not up against the floor, so air can flow through. Build brackets etc to suit.

 

[needsrepair]

How about in front of the fuel tank between the shocks? I considered putting mine there but I didn't get to the point of measuring it up yet. Mines got a 5.5 in lift though. ???????????

 

[rehab]

the cooler doesnt really need to be mounted with a fan, the temps just arnt high enough to justify it. the max your tranny will get to with a cooler is probably 140, which is still pretty cool. 200-210 is about average when towing or plowing.

summit and jeggs all sell small fans for coolers that can be mounted anywhere, you could even mount it in the cab under your seat, it doesnt really matter. so find a small fan and wire it up, put the cooler up out of the way of everything else.

i have mine infront of the stock mechanical fan with the a/c condenser taken out and the radiator moved forward.