Transmission cooler?

[jdouga]

So i havr been using torque app and found that the stinger atf is above 220 pretty easily, has anyone installed a transmission cooler on these yet?

 

[Weareblondi]

would be cool, but where? that is one tight undercarriage. thinking of getting the larger intercooler, and that looks like a tight fit. wonder if it were placed in rear, the length of the hard lines would cool the atf. hmmmmm, have to take a look now.

 

[CaliSting]

Guess the question would be do you really think street driving would require cooler? If you were thinking of doing extensive track work certainly both a transmission and rear dif cooler would be required.

 

[Weareblondi]

yes and no, with heavy traffic and some spirited driving, any extra help would, hopefully, extend the life of the tranny, besides changing the oil, obviously. we change the intercooler to larger units, larger brakes, different thermostats,etc. its the packaging and space limitations. and, you never know when you might be driving along and blammo, you kind of end up at a track racing. officer, who knew that the 405 was a timed trial?

 

[CaliSting]

yes and no, with heavy traffic and some spirited driving, any extra help would, hopefully, extend the life of the tranny, besides changing the oil, obviously. we change the intercooler to larger units, larger brakes, different thermostats,etc. its the packaging and space limitations. and, you never know when you might be driving along and blammo, you kind of end up at a track racing. officer, who knew that the 405 was a timed trial?

Intercooler I understand as that helps with horsepower. Bigger brakes debatable benefit on GT2 - I’d go for lighter brake rotors with good pads before going bigger.

I’m just wondering if our transmissions under most circumstances even with tuned motor would need tranny cooler? Maybe for extended long pull up a tall mountain pass? I’m not a fan of adding extra failure points in system if not needed. I’d want to see data that indicates our transmission gets hotter than effective working temp of transmission fluid with aggressive street driving before adding weight and complexity to the car. Our transmissions look pretty beefy and are rated for more torque than we deliver in mildly tuned form.

 

[eflyguy]

Here is the post I referenced in the other thread about a transmission/engine oil heat exchanger:

Normal operating temperature range (according to my Kia techs) is similar for both engine oil and transmission oil, and we know that the transmission oil is cooled by engine oil coolant heat transfer on this car. Excessive use of launch control could push the transmission cooling beyond design limits even with auxiliary cooling and result in excessive temperatures which would be the reason for monitoring transmission oil.

 

[jdouga]

well I certainly do lots of spirited driving, and from my understanding anything above 220 degrees in your tranny fluid is already taking a toll on the lifespan of it. I had a 2014 sonata 2.0, and it would heat up very quickly just sitting in traffic, especially hot weather, i had upgraded intercooler and methanol, plus a tune, and the engine was fine, but the tranny temps would skyrocket. I added a small hayden transmssion cooler which would let me pull all day long with no issue. I may have to do some exeperimenting I guess.

 

[Weareblondi]

i can see calisting's viewpoint. i am just an old school rodder. i am certain that the new tech in todays trannys is far above what i grew up with. i see your point about added failure points, but, like elfguy posted, any and all added cooling to prolong the life of the tranny, i will try and do. either pulling a trailer up a hill, or crawling along I-95 during rush hour in 100+ heat, and launching against whomever, stop light to stop light. tranny doesn't know the difference. heat is heat. well, i realize that last statement can be construed any number of ways, but i hope that my reasoning makes sense. hope being the key word

 

[Helo58]

I would like to know if we have a locking torque converter in addition to the transmission cooler. Hopefully the right eyes will come across this thread.

 

[eflyguy]

... but, like elfguy posted, ...

 

[BlaydeX15]

Yeah, get it right. It's elfyguy

 

[Weareblondi]

the fact that you used capt pickard has the mrs all happy. i goof on her being a star trek fan. and sorry tflyguy, 14 hour days in the heat of the kitchen, i forget my name.

 

[Weareblondi]

 

[Kazz]

Looked at the trans with my mechanic this morning. The pan for the trans is finned, and there's a line that goes from the trans to the bottom of the radiator. So, standard trans cooling, it would seem.

 

[Helo58]

Looked at the trans with my mechanic this morning. The pan for the trans is finned, and there's a line that goes from the trans to the bottom of the radiator. So, standard trans cooling, it would seem.

Was there a line, or lines from the transmission to the front? Were you able to actually see where the cooler lines actually connect up front? It would be great to get some pictures or even a related part number to positively confirm the existence of the transmission cooler.

 

[Kazz]

No pics, sorry. He was poking around with a flashlight, though. And there were two lines on the trans - in and out, I'm guessing?

 

[eflyguy]

I wonder if Jason / @KiaofMuncie could have one of their techs take a look next time they have one on the lift?

 

[Helo58]

No pics, sorry. He was poking around with a flashlight, though. And there were two lines on the trans - in and out, I'm guessing?

Two lines is a good sign.

 

[Weareblondi]

according to the rep i just spoke to, mike at kia n.a., there is no trans cooler. asked about the two lines and he wasn't sure and that he would check with korea. he thinks, and i stress that, that the the two lines are a sort of, not really, trans cooler. not sure what he means, but i have not been able to get the car for more than several minutes at a time since the mrs is always out hooning around. will update with more info when it become available.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Possible that the lines just provide a path to "air flow" so that in can be cooled that way? Nothing "dedicated" but still putting piping into some airflow?