Going with an f-body radiator/external oil cooler

That cooler is fine. No the oil lines will not work, you need to make your own lines too, and purchase the fittings that screw into the in/out of the cooler.

Some guys have managed to bend their trans lines to reach the ports on the F-body unit but a lot of guys go with an external trans cooler too.
 
I have the same tranny cooler. I ran ss lines to it from the tranny. I think I remeber from searching that the f-body rad the cooler lines will not work.

There are 1/2 npt fittings on that tranny cooler so you will have to make your own lines. Cut them and flare them and put rubber over them and get some 1/2npt to 3/8 barb fittings.
 
BlackMetal said:
That cooler is fine. No the oil lines will not work, you need to make your own lines too, and purchase the fittings that screw into the in/out of the cooler.

Some guys have managed to bend their trans lines to reach the ports on the F-body unit but a lot of guys go with an external trans cooler too.
Click to expand...

Oh really I wanted to avoid a seperate tranny cooler.:confused: I'm thinking I might just go with the rebuilt G-Body rad for what it's worth b/c Itll cost me more going with the Camaro setup it seems?
 
Sinical said:
Oh really I wanted to avoid a seperate tranny cooler.:confused: I'm thinking I might just go with the rebuilt G-Body rad for what it's worth b/c Itll cost me more going with the Camaro setup it seems?
Click to expand...

I would actually highly recommend a seperate tranny cooler. Factory coolers are marginal at best, and any extra heat taken out of the engine coolants path only helps drop temps that much more. Remember you don't have to spend a couple hundred dollars on coolers, totally unnecessary, there's a bunch to be had for fairly cheap. Food for thought...
 
VictoryTrans86 said:
I would actually highly recommend a seperate tranny cooler. Factory coolers are marginal at best, and any extra heat taken out of the engine coolants path only helps drop temps that much more. Remember you don't have to spend a couple hundred dollars on coolers, totally unnecessary, there's a bunch to be had for fairly cheap. Food for thought...
Click to expand...

Hmm that's a good point. Ill have to chew on that.
 
Anyone have an tips on how to remove the tranny lines from the radiator and also the oil cooler line. Only one of the oil lines seem to be pesky. Do I have to remove the oil filter to remove the lines?
 
Another option...

Well I thought that I would throw this in, a lot of guys in the club do not run oil coolers but they do run the turbo saver that Jack Cotton sells instead. There is a dedicated line that goes from the filter to the turbo. If you ever have engine trouble in the future you won't have to worry about the junk that is in the cooler, contaminating the fresh motor and or the turbo.
Also just use a external tranny cooler, like was said, it will put less of a load on the radiator.

Chuck
 
I put the Camaro rad on my Monte, I bought the trans cooler mounting kit from pepboys wich has zip tie things that go threw the rad and secure the cooler in place, it also came with the fittings that go into the rad for the trans, I just cut my trans line and ran a rubber trans hose so I could feed the line anywhere, I also did it because I swaped to a TH350 trans and used the stock 200r4 trans cooler lines
 
monte87LS said:
I put the Camaro rad on my Monte, I bought the trans cooler mounting kit from pepboys wich has zip tie things that go threw the rad and secure the cooler in place, it also came with the fittings that go into the rad for the trans, I just cut my trans line and ran a rubber trans hose so I could feed the line anywhere, I also did it because I swaped to a TH350 trans and used the stock 200r4 trans cooler lines
Click to expand...

Did you buy the trans cooler from Pep Boys also or just a mounting kit? If I read all the previous threads correctly that I searched the oil cooler will be remote mounted and the trans cooler gets mounted to the radiator?
 
If your planning on using an external oil and tranny cooler, I'd recommend mounting both on the radiator. If the coolers are "floating" anywhere they won't get the benefit of the pull from the fan. I can't chime in on the turbo saver as I've never used one, but I've seen tons of people go fast and be safe w/o them. Your choice really, me personally I'd save the money and put it elsewhere...
 
VictoryTrans86 said:
If your planning on using an external oil and tranny cooler, I'd recommend mounting both on the radiator. If the coolers are "floating" anywhere they won't get the benefit of the pull from the fan. I can't chime in on the turbo saver as I've never used one, but I've seen tons of people go fast and be safe w/o them. Your choice really, me personally I'd save the money and put it elsewhere...
Click to expand...

So I should mount both to the radiator then. OK thanks.

Does anyone know if I need to remove the oil filter to disconnect the oil lines? Having a hard time removing one of the lines from the radiator as it twists up and doesnt allow me to unthread it all the way.
 
well the rad I bought from pepboys was aluminum and for an automatic Camaro so it had the internal trans cooler in the rad too, then I have the external cooler too for the trans, I just bought the mounting kit for the trans cooler, it was about $30, it came with the hoses,clamps,tie downs, and fittings to the rad so you could do the rubber hoses if you want rather than 2fixed steal lines that dont move
 
monte87LS said:
well the rad I bought from pepboys was aluminum and for an automatic Camaro so it had the internal trans cooler in the rad too, then I have the external cooler too for the trans, I just bought the mounting kit for the trans cooler, it was about $30, it came with the hoses,clamps,tie downs, and fittings to the rad so you could do the rubber hoses if you want rather than 2fixed steal lines that dont move
Click to expand...

so you didn't use the internal trans cooler?
 
I did use the internal trans cooler too, I just hooked it all up so the trans fluid went into the rad first then into the external cooler after, I let the fluid go into the internal trans cooler in the rad first to cool the trans fluid down then it went into the external cooler in front of the rad to finish it off with some nice cool air, if you do it make sure you hook it up like that to get best results, also with it setup this way Im sure your trans has even more fluid, Id guess maybe a extra quart considering you have to fill up all the lines, the internal cooler and external cooler, IMO
 
Pep Boys

Just checked the prices and it breaks down like this:

Auto-Zone: $137.99
NAPA: $143.39
PepBoys: $91.99

...anyone use the Pep Boys one? Am I missing something here? He says it's alum with plastic tanks. Did ask if it had A/C though:confused:
 
I think its totally unnecessary to run 2 coolers, all it does is make extra work for yourself. I say get a cheap external oil and tranny cooler and be done w/ it. And as far as your tranny having more fluid, it doesn't really matter because only so much fluid is going to be in your pan at any give time. Thats definitely not something that would justify running 2 coolers. Not trying to say I'm right and everyone is wrong, just offering my opinion...
 
Autozone and Napa seem kinda pricey...since I've heard about the Fbody rad. I've used 3 in customer cars and have never paid over $100, and they are all aluminum cores w/ plastic tanks....if you do a quick search on here, you can find exact part numbers listed as I don't have them on hand, HTH
 
Unless you have a fan dedicated to the external cooler, you should run the radiator cooler plus external cooler. The external with no fan won't be enough in stop and go traffic when you have no airflow.
 
It didn't seem that he had a very modified car that would be putting that much more strain on the tranny. And he DOES have airflow, thats the purpose of the fan, and also the purpose of mounting the coolers basically airtight to the radiator core. I was always under the impression that coolers with integrated fans were primarily for people that wanted to remote mount a cooler, be it for space constraints or whatever. Also leads me to wonder why they would even sell coolers w/o fans if they didn't work, because I'm using one on a 700 hp BBC Regal, that I drive to work everyday, and I built this tranny 4 yrs ago, and also on a 1000hp S2 GN, no problems for me....but I guess everyone has their own opinion
 
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