OIL COOLERS What do you think?

[MzFiT]

I was Talking to Manx and cooling the trans and oil in our 4 cylinders is a big plus for engine life and the fluid's life spand.

So who here has all ready added coolers to their Fit? Which adaptor for the oil cooler did you use and was it a straight or 90 degree?

Is the trans cooler that attaches to the frame a good idea why or why not. My thought was "space friendly"

But if there was a cooler infront of the condenser would this interfer with the a/c cooling?

Thankx for your comments!

[VillageIdiot]

If the transmission on your car is cooled by the radiator I would install the cooler line between the transmission and the radiator.... I did this on my former vehicle and it dropped the engine operating temperature as well as the trans fluid temp..... I have stopped on the side of the road after driving at high speeds in 90 degree weather and pulled my dipstick and found the oil on it easy to handle comfortably on my Fit....That is without an oil cooler and just the hood louvers..... If you install either cooler it shouldn't create much more temperature than what is already being dissipated by the radiator and the A/C in my van worked as well or better with the transmission cooler.

[manxman]

I recommended installing a trans cooler in front of the radiator/A/C condenser because in a Fit there is almost no room for the cooler in the engine bay, and there is a huge amount of space in front of the radiator- so much room that the cooler doesn't even have to touch the radiator. On a GE, the cooler could be mounted right below or beside the horn, hanging 1 or 2 inches in front of the radiator, fastened to the radiator support. The trans cooler would be much more effective being out of the engine bay, and being cooled by air that has not already been heated by passing through the hot radiator. Trans coolers are small and will not prevent adequate air flow through the radiator.

[claymore]

If you live in a warm area a separate trans cooler is a good idea BUT if you live in a colder state like Virgina having the trans oil go through the radiator helps get the trans coolant up to temperature quicker and yes it works better too hot than too cold. Not boiling but there is a range that it works best at.

Unless you are boosted or track your car a lot an oil cooler is a waste.

[MzFiT]

:DThanks for all the well explained comments, anyone else out here in the forum have any input/questions? I am going with the trans cooler and am looking into what it take (parts wise) to install an oil cooler.:confused:
To tell ya the truth I just want the engine/trans. to keep it's kick and last 300k.:rolleyes:
:DThe best thing done to the drive train to this date is by far the "throttle controller"!

[manxman]

Hey Mike,

I forgot, do you use a Scan Gauge? If you do, you will see a normal water temp. of around 180 degrees. My '09 Fit A/T runs at about 180 all the time- in 30 degree mornings in the winter, and a few 100 degree days in the summer.

I personally don't think that you will need both a trans cooler and an oil cooler. Your winters are cold enough so that both of those things in operation may prevent your engine from ever reaching its normal operating temperature.

I would suggest that you start with just the trans cooler, and then monitor your water temp. with the Scan Gauge. Your summer temps. will fall by about 10 degrees just from the heat reduction in the trans.- maybe more, but I doubt it. I personally would not want to see engine temps. any lower than that. Using an engine oil cooler in addition to the trans cooler will cause problems, such as inefficient heater/defroster function in the coldest winter temps. If you get the engine oil too cool, the thermostat won't open, and hot water won't flow into the heater core in the cabin.

Little 4 cyl. import cars are designed to run much hotter, all the time, than the older generations of American cars. Another suggestion to consider doing with the trans, cooler is to switch to Amsoil Synthetic ATF. That will take much more heat without burning or oxidizing, and it will flow at much colder temps. than conventional ATF. If you use regular parts store ATF and that gets too cold, you will have shifting problems with the trans. until the ATF warms up enough to flow properly. At sufficiently cold temps, engine oil and ATF can freeze into a gel that does not flow at all. I doubt that it gets that cold where you live, but that's why block heaters are so often used in parts of Canada and Alaska, and some of the snow-belt states.

[MzFiT]

Thankx Manx,
I changed out to the Amsoil ATF universal @12k and noticed a difference in shifting right away:D I was running the 5/20 amsoil too but had too save $ some where and know the dinosaur juice blend is ok if changed 3k with filter. I still use the Wix brand filter.
Maybe Mobile 1? There's alot of good info on this synthetic oil. No I don't have the S.G. yet.... but will be a nice addition:D, so the trans cooler 1st and oil cooler if needed and from what ur say'n it's not because the 4's make less heat? Here in VA the temp extremes go from -3f to 105f, average is 60f. And I will install inline with the radiator as you and Village suggested, good advise thanx yous guys!

Derale cooler 13220 and it can be installed in front of the cond. but is designed to be installed on the frame by the trans. when i get MzFiT on a lift we'll see what is the location and if I don't install the oil cooler then it will go in the front I reckon? It's still up in the air..... haha

[manxman]

Good luck Mike. However, my advice was to install the trans. cooler in FRONT of the radiator. That is where I will install the cooler that I found, made by B&M Hydro. It measures 11" wide X 7" tall X 3/4" thick, and has a mounting bracket at the top that I will bolt to the radiator support above the passenger side of the radiator. It is low restriction, and can't be damaged by rocks (and rocks won't hit it where I will mount it anyway).

I would also recommend to anyone who wants to reduce trans. heat (the thing that will kill the transmission the fastest), that you buy a cooler from a brand famous for quality, like B&M, who has been making automatic transmissions for race cars for 60 years.

The cooler that I will install is only $46.00 on eBay.

[floydpo]

I was Talking to Manx and cooling the trans and oil in our 4 cylinders is a big plus for engine life and the fluid's life spand.

So who here has all ready added coolers (http://www.jcwhitney.com/coolers/c53845j1s17.jcwx) to their Fit? Which adaptor for the oil cooler did you use and was it a straight or 90 degree?

Is the trans cooler that attaches to the frame a good idea why or why not. My thought was "space friendly"

But if there was a cooler infront of the condenser would this interfer with the a/c cooling?

Thankx for your comments!
i added cooler later. but i dont know how to put it. are you done adding it? can you teach me on how to do that?

[claymore]

Trans coolers are very easy to install. There are two cooling lines that attach to the bottom of your radiator and you need to disconnect one and install the cooler lines from your new cooler from the outlet on the radiator to one side of the cooler then out the other side of the cooler into the old line. Don't forget you will need to add extra transmission oil to make up for any you spill and to fill up the new cooler.

If you have one already look in the box for instructions that normally come with them.