Transmission / Overdrive: did automatic cars have a Trans. cooler in the radiator?

[TXmark]

I'm putting a 727 Torqueflie behind the early hemi in my '63 hawk, was there a trans cooler in the radiator in automatic cars. my car was originally a 4 speed,

[53k]

I'm putting a 727 Torqueflie behind the early hemi in my '63 hawk, was there a trans cooler in the radiator in automatic cars. my car was originally a 4 speed,

Only the Powershift and heavy duty automatics had the radiator cooler.

[SN-60]

I'd go with an aftermarket trans cooler....more effective than the HD Stude factory jobs, where hot transmission fluid is pumped through an already hot radiator!

[doublepaddle]

My '57 Transtar had a trans cooler attached to its' side. It was leaking both to the ground and water into the trans fluid. I called and searched the web for venders and anyone who knew anyone who had parts and possibly might have one. After two days of eight hours searching I finally found the only one I know of in America or so it seems. Found on a vender's shelf. He had put it there many, many years ago and was not sure what it went to. After sending pictures of mine we figured out it was exactly the same and NOS. If you are looking for a NOS cooler, GOOD LUCK!!!!! Save yourself the time and effort and go after market. They all do the same job and no one will see it under there.

[karterfred88]

I'm putting a 727 Torqueflie behind the early hemi in my '63 hawk, was there a trans cooler in the radiator in automatic cars. my car was originally a 4 speed,


[ATTACH=CONFIG]41590[/ATTACH]

No, 4 speed anything didn't have internal coolers in the radiator, I would put in an aftermarket cooler, and radiator for that hemi. Still have the 4 speed set up? Want to dispose of it? If it's the original 63 set up I'd be interested in it for my Avanti.

[TXmark]

hemi

No, 4 speed anything didn't have internal coolers in the radiator, I would put in an aftermarket cooler, and radiator for that hemi. Still have the 4 speed set up? Want to dispose of it? If it's the original 63 set up I'd be interested in it for my Avanti.

Sold the engine trans and hurst shifter, So I'm pretty well committed to this early hemi plan

I'll crank it up for the first time soon out of the car with the stude radiator ( to see if it will keep it cool) and check for any other problems, like leaks and such. I still have work to do in the engine bay before the install

[jclary]

Sold the engine trans and hurst shifter, So I'm pretty well committed to this early hemi plan

I'll crank it up for the first time soon out of the car with the stude radiator ( to see if it will keep it cool) and check for any other problems, like leaks and such. I still have work to do in the engine bay before the install

I'm quite sure I'm not the most qualified to comment on radiator science, engine swaps, or customizing, but, be sure to do your homework on the radiator and cooling. Having one perform OK on a test stand, is no guarantee it will do the same once placed in the car. It has been my experience, that Studebaker (and others) built their radiators to be "adequate." Besides a clean block, properly operating thermostat, water pump, etc., small things like the thickness of the water pump gasket, placement of a fan shroud, added oil cooler, or air conditioning condenser, can take an "adequate" radiator into volcano mode.

I can't tell you how many huge powerful looking hot-rods, I've sailed by on the interstate, in one of my little flat head six Studebaker vehicles, because the hot rod couldn't maintain a decent speed without overheating.

An engine sitting on a test stand, in winter, with free airflow, no load, and an "un-restricted" radiator, will not perform the same as it will with all the "heat-gaining" components in an enclosed engine compartment, with a firewall impacting the air flow, under power on a black asphalt highway, with ambient temperatures in the high nineties. Often, it is the cooling system, that makes a hot rod a performance king, or a parking lot queen.

I have a homemade test stand. Using a Lark radiator, I've found that, just a few inches between the fan and radiator, makes a difference in how cool the engine runs.

[57pack]

Well said John, found this out years ago with a 1956 Mercury.
We just "hopped up" the stock 312 and it ran ok temp wise while moving.
As soon as you got into some stop and go traffic, you could watch the temp gauge move on up.
Had to increase idle to bring temp down, and it was a Merc-O-Matic.

[wittsend]

FWIW, I've heard two sides of cooling an Automatic:

One is that the radiator coolant is already in the 180-200 degree range. So, why a would you want to use that to "cool" the transmission. Just use an external, aftermarket cooler.

The other is that the transmission has a designed operating temperature. Use an aftermarket cooler to reduce the initial trans fluid temperature, but also use the internal radiator cooler to maintain the desired temperature.

I have a 700R4 behind a 350 Chevy in my Daytona. Initially I ran it through the radiator, then an external trans cooler. I got a leak at the radiator fitting, by-passed it and now run the external cooler only. Frankly I couldn't tell the difference. Other than getting the fluid warn enough to evaporate condensation an Automatic will still function on a cold day even for a short drive. So, I think the lower end of a temperature scale isn't as critical as the upper end. It might, like the oil in the car, be more efficient warmer. And when you think about it, the fluid can't be any cooler that the radiator coolant. I've heard that above 260 degrees the fluid breaks down.

You can always use a trans temperature gauge and see what it reads. I'd think that if you welded a nut to the trans pan with the same thread as your water temperature sender you could just buy another sender and use the existing temp. gauge with a switch for the trans and the engine coolant.

[SN-60]

I installed an aftermarket trans cooler and bypassed the factory radiator trans cooler twenty one years ago on my '83 Avanti 'Everyday Driver',.....The original 700R4 now has over 300,000 miles on it, summer and winter, and has never skipped a beat!

[pmyers]

New user. Does anyone know if I can use a powerglide tork converter in my 1966 Borg Warnet 8 2 speed? If not is there another converter that will swap?
Thanks.

[StudeRich]

New user. Does anyone know if I can use a powerglide tork converter in my 1966 Borg Warnet 8 2 speed? If not is there another converter that will swap?
Thanks.

We are pretty quick to answer here, it does not take 3 Posts to get an answer, NO there is no interchange Converter.