Trans Cooling In Pits

I have trouble getting my trans cooled down between rounds and would like to build or buy a cooler that would circulate the fluid in the pits. Maybe a 12 or 110 volt pump with a regular trans cooler mounted in a ice chest? Can you just hook up quick connects in the cooler lines from the trans? Will it circulate properly? Trans level stay the same? I was told Bradco Converters was building such a unit but can't find any info. Also I noticed IHRA pro mod racer Carl Spering uses something similar to cool his Brunodrive but he was too busy to talk about it when I asked last summer.

My setup
Blown alky BBC,Coan XST 2 speed glide and bolt together converter,B&M trans cooler with fan

 

not an ice chest but have you looked at this?

http://www.atiracing.com/products/trans/transparts/scs30.htm

 

Yup, it works. I've been doing that for a while with a unit I built years ago.

Photo: http://onehotchilipepper.com/images/transcooler/cooler1.jpg

It uses a waste-oil transfer pump (12V), a wheelchair battery, and a Perma-Cool Cooler with a fan built onto it. I put charging jacks in the end to charge the battery easily. The hose quick disconnects are on the back of my FED chassis and the unit sits back there where it's out of the way between rounds. The -6 lines are plumbed into the back of the deep pan.

It only circulates what is in the pan (not in the converter) but that doesn't seem to hurt its effectiveness. I used to have a tranny temp gauge and the stuff in the pan would go from 220F down to 160 degrees in just 10 minutes or so.

I wanted it portable so I could take it to the lanes with me and it could sit on the wheelie bar if it needed extra time. It works so good, I've never had to do that. In fact if I get to bullshitting and forget about it (it's quiet) I've let it run too long and things are really TOO cool. I need to put one of those wind-up timer switches on it or put a thermostat on it to turn it off. I probably could make it 110V too since it never leaves the pits.

The only bummer about this setup is the rubber impeller in the pump needs to be changed every season...it isn't completely compatible with ATF. But they're cheap and available, it's more of a PIA than anything else. A different pump...maybe even an old mechanical fuel pump driven by an electric motor would be great.

I thought about building a few of these to sell as everybody who sees it thinks it's great. But nobody wants to buy one...they would rather build their own it seems.

Spud

 

Looks good! Does it ever change your trans fluid level? Too bad it won't get the converter cooled down,my bolt togther just radiates the heat back it the pits. I put a electric leaf blower on it but the noise drives all of us crazy

 

Yes I checked into it. $895 plus machine work. They didn't seem all that helpfull on the phone due to the fact I run a Coan trans.

 

Call Cameron Bradham in Columbia SC. Tourqe Convertor Services, he has a portable unit that will do what you need, plus it moves fluid through the entire transmission inc. the convertor.

 

Do you have any pictures of his setup? Fairly small unit?

 

Since it starts out full and ends up full, it doesn't change the level in the tranny. The connectors close up when you unplug them, so the unit stays full.

If you were to plumb this into the regular cooler line ports on the side of the tranny, I think it would circulate everything including the converter. Once I start the motor to warm-up before heading to the lanes, the cool stuff in the pan mixes with the warm stuff in the converter. It's been good enough for me.

Spud

 

Sorry no but it looks like a large battery charger, well put together. I'll be getting one for next year. You can find a link to his contact info on q8outlaws.com. Jody

 

HEY Spud if you build it I want one!! Hell I don't even have a trans.

 

trans cooler

What about for a lencodrive???? that sucker gets hot!

sean

 

What temp does your Lencodrive get after a pass? What do you run for fluid?

 

I've heard nothign but good stuff for certain hydraulic fluids in the powerglides. I picked up some John Deere Hy-guard today. I should be making a few laps next weekend, so we'll see how it goes. I've heard a 20-25* temp drop in the fluid with it.

Being that i suck at drag racing, going rounds isn't a big problem, so heat build up hasn't reared it's head.............yet

 

I have been running Amsoil in my Coan trans with good luck.

 

John deer fluid

It is good stuff, but it does tighten up the converter by a little more than 1 % Don

 

lencodrive

I do not have a temp guage. (need to get one) mobile 1 synthetic.

sean

 

I use Royal Purple, not cheap but it works well.

Tim Steed

 

Our Lencodrive (blown alcohol funny car) Mobil 1 syn. ATF will usually be between 150-180F at the end of a run. After a hot soak (return road) it may tip just over 200F.

 

For our lencodrive, we use a $40 12 volt ebay oil pump , 2 quick disconnects, and a finned trans cooler in an ice chest, pull fluid out of the pan and dump it in the top of one of the lenco units. Cools off in no time and also helps reduce the temp of the trans in addition to just the fluid.

 

Does it use a cooler in a ice chest or cooler/fan?