Chevy & GMC Vans

Hey all,

I thought I would start a new thread to address the new topics to help people searching the archives for data.

In my LT1 install, I am thinking of adding a oil and transmission cooler. The transmission cooler is a no-brainer. But the oil cooler is not quite as clear. I am thinking of strapping on a very large oil cooler in front of the radiator and putting a fan w/thermostat on it. I am looking for supplemental thermal shedding to offset the additional motor displacement.

Thoughts?

I had a stock oil cooler set up on my v8. I connected the lines to the stock heavy duty rad after the swap and all was well. Until the rad needed to be replaced. I couldn't find cooler lines that would match up to the new rad. After many visits too many parts stores and 4 wrecking yards I gave up. I also spoke with many mechanics that remove the oil cooler lines on older Gm's as they tend to fail. When they fail say good by to Mr. Motor. Also it takes longer to build oil pressure on cold start with a cooler installed. This being said I don't think the cooler is really necessary. I like the idea of more cooling in principle but when you add the extra risk of line failure and extra wear on cold start I'm not sure it's worth it.
I think you would be better off to run a synthetic that will withstand high temp better in the rare case the motor is overheating and you need the extra protection.
Rocke

i removed my oil cooler and lines. i just use synthetic. if you really wanna add a cooler i'm sure that someone on here has a oil cooler adapter they will part with. good luck!

Honestly, I think you're overreacting. A later model 'vette rad uses one 1.25" core, measures out exactly the same width as the stock rad and fits the stock tanks. It'll be the cheapest part of your swap (approx. $100). It keeps my 502 cool in the middle of summer with the a/c running full-bore. The only time my temps get up there are when I'm towing Tramper which is loaded with all the camping gear & supplies necessary for NECO outings. Temps will rise to 210-215 (which is still perfectly acceptable), but this is when driving thru hilly secondary roads at lower speeds combined with higher (+85*F) outdoor temps & humidity. I do have a tranny cooler which is plumbed in before the rad cooler so as to shed some load (I wasn't sure if the 'vette rad would be capable of handling the extra cubes). However, the cooler is not in the main rad airstream therefore it doesn't benefit from the airflow created by the twin electrics. I'll be replacing the tranny cooler this spring (badly corroded) and relocating it to the front of the a/c condenser, again, before & in series with the OEM rad cooler.
I'd install a tranny cooler in front of the a/c condenser and call it a day. Depending on where you live, you could run just the tranny cooler and no OEM rad cooler, this'll add to your total rad cooling capacity. I could understand if you were building an off-road, low speed monster. But you're building a Saturday Night whoopass vehicle, designed to murder unsuspecting Hondas. Trust me, throw a 'vette rad in there with either an engine-driven fan or twin electrics with at least 4500 cfm & you'll be happy!

Trans cooler.
Didn't someone here install a stacked plate cooler with its' own fan and fluid bypass near the transmission?

It would seem to be the absolute best situation.
No heat load inside the rad.
No heat load in front of the rad.
And with the bypass, the too-cool fluid bypasses the cooler completely.

my 2¢

Water Boy wrote:Trans cooler.
Didn't someone here install a stacked plate cooler with its' own fan and fluid bypass near the transmission?

It would seem to be the absolute best situation.
No heat load inside the rad.
No heat load in front of the rad.
And with the bypass, the too-cool fluid bypasses the cooler completely.

my 2¢

I have run a few different plate type coolers in my machines. They work very well to help keep things cool. Lots of room under the van for a fan type cooler.

If you live in a northern climate where you have to drive your vehicle in winter weather I would run the trany line through the rad cooler/warmer. I have tried running just a cooler on the trany lines and in the winter the transmission takes forever to warm up. I don't believe that it is good for it running it too cold. You could do the bypass thing if you live in a warm climate. Even then I would make sure it is warmed up before hot rodding on it.