Installing fan on transmission cooler
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: VA
Installing fan on transmission cooler
I've got a 7" fan ordered that I will be installing on the tranny cooler. It is about 7.5" in length and width, and 2.5" at it's thickest point. Fan and polarity are reversible, so I can hook it up as a pusher or puller. It also only draws 3 amps and claims it blows 1200CFM, which I think is very unlikely.
Questions are:
Has anyone installed one of these? Is there more room to the front or the back of the tranny cooler? Should I ditch or relocate the washer fluid pump? Where is the best place to wire the fan? Should I wire it to come on with ignition on? Will the 3amp draw require a relay, or can I piggy back on some other circuit?
I will be installing an inline 5amp fuse as well after I test it with a volt meter to see if it is truelly only drawing 3 amps.
Anyone have any pics of doing this? I was thinking of an additional aux tranny cooler, but figured why not slap a fan on the one that is already there, though the extra fluid capacity would be nice as well.
I am using it to tow a 3000 boat and trailer, so I need all the cooling I can get.
Thanks for the info!
Questions are:
Has anyone installed one of these? Is there more room to the front or the back of the tranny cooler? Should I ditch or relocate the washer fluid pump? Where is the best place to wire the fan? Should I wire it to come on with ignition on? Will the 3amp draw require a relay, or can I piggy back on some other circuit?
I will be installing an inline 5amp fuse as well after I test it with a volt meter to see if it is truelly only drawing 3 amps.
Anyone have any pics of doing this? I was thinking of an additional aux tranny cooler, but figured why not slap a fan on the one that is already there, though the extra fluid capacity would be nice as well.
I am using it to tow a 3000 boat and trailer, so I need all the cooling I can get.
Thanks for the info!
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,583
Likes: 1,397
From: Austin, TX
Just a few things to consider ..
For the fan to work, you need proper ducting/shroud. Without it you will get superficial air flow (path of least resistance ... not through the fins). Physically building one and fitting the fan in the current position (with the washer bottle) will be difficult.
Fixed motor (without anything to let the fan spin higher) has yet another problem at higher speed ... when the ram effect is more than what the fan-in-shroud is trying to dispel ... at that speed typically the torque converter is locked .. so theoretically the fluid is no longer getting heated up further .. but it still benefit by rapid cooling.
Salim
For the fan to work, you need proper ducting/shroud. Without it you will get superficial air flow (path of least resistance ... not through the fins). Physically building one and fitting the fan in the current position (with the washer bottle) will be difficult.
Fixed motor (without anything to let the fan spin higher) has yet another problem at higher speed ... when the ram effect is more than what the fan-in-shroud is trying to dispel ... at that speed typically the torque converter is locked .. so theoretically the fluid is no longer getting heated up further .. but it still benefit by rapid cooling.
Salim
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From: VA
The fan comes with a plastic shroud, so air will be directed directly through the fins. Fitting in front of the cooler with the washer bottle will be an issue. I may relocate or remove the washer bottle.
And at highway speed, the fan may or may not be useless. Since only the very bottom of the cooler gets in ram air/wind across it, the fan may still be helping to cool the top portion of the cooler. I guess I could run a switch so I could flip the fan on and off as needed (stop and go traffic/towing).
And at highway speed, the fan may or may not be useless. Since only the very bottom of the cooler gets in ram air/wind across it, the fan may still be helping to cool the top portion of the cooler. I guess I could run a switch so I could flip the fan on and off as needed (stop and go traffic/towing).
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,583
Likes: 1,397
From: Austin, TX
Just make sure all the air moved by the fan goes through the fins.
Also consider an auxiliary cooler and you can mount that facing side-ways with the fan. This will for sure make things better.
Salim
Also consider an auxiliary cooler and you can mount that facing side-ways with the fan. This will for sure make things better.
Salim
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: VA
Does anyone have pics of where to mount an aux cooler?
Looking at it today, and looks like a fan in back of th stock cooler is a no go and the same for in front without moving the washer bottle.
Looking at it today, and looks like a fan in back of th stock cooler is a no go and the same for in front without moving the washer bottle.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,583
Likes: 1,397
From: Austin, TX
There is at least one member who has an Aux cooler. Search or wait for him to reply.
Now the problem shifts to plumbing, attaching and protecting. The fan can give you problems with attaching/clearance but it should open up lot more possibilities, as you are no longer limited in the air ram effect.
Salim
Now the problem shifts to plumbing, attaching and protecting. The fan can give you problems with attaching/clearance but it should open up lot more possibilities, as you are no longer limited in the air ram effect.
Salim
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 38
From: Bethlehem Twsp. Pennsylvania
why they put that washer bottle in front of the cooler like that is beyond me. and this is the only cooling for the transmission,it doesnt go through the radiator as well like the 2nd generation cooling does.
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From: Ca.
Thomas- Have you ever considered a couple of the larger (maybe 5 in. computer fans) as "pullers" (to keep them out of the way of the incoming air flow) they are plenty thin and though they aren't moving the air that a larger fan (one you would use if you had plenty of room) does but the fact that they are MOVING air, they might just do what's needed to make the difference. They run on 12 volt and can often be found pretty cheap. I bought 4 of them when Fry's had them on a real deal (2 day special), they ran about $15. each and I bought them for $4. or $5. ea. They even have a 3 speed inline switch (wouldn't need for the car). I mounted 1 of them on my wife's recumbent Schwinn exercycle and she uses it all the time. Just a thought.
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From: VA
I am thinking that I will wire a relay so that the fan will only kick on with the coolant fan attached to the radiator. Does anyone know the wires to tap into? What temp does the coolant fan kickon? I think it is at 190F coolant temperature. I guess I could run the engine up to temp and use my volt meter.
I'm also going to do a drain/fill and filter change on the tranny as well as instal a Magnafine filter in the tranny cooler return line.
I'm also going to do a drain/fill and filter change on the tranny as well as instal a Magnafine filter in the tranny cooler return line.
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From: VA
Yes, I let it run for a long time at idle and the fans only come on for a few seconds when the car gets really hot, so hooking a tranny cooler fan up to them for a switch probably wouldn't help much except in extreme heat.
But, there is no room for my 7" fan in front or behind the tranny cooler. I might fit a 5" in front, toward the bottom 2/3 of the cooler and a 4" would definitely fit but may be too small to apply.
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bigjussin
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Nov 11, 2012 12:28 PM
amps, cooler, cooling, fan, fuse, hook, installing, lexus, line, rx300, size, trans, transcooler, transmission, wiring
