I was at the local you-pick-it parts place yesterday and scored some nice trans coolers for 10 bucks. They are of the stacked plate design and I'm not sure which to run. I've been wanting to bypass the cooler that is in the radiator and I'm not sure which way to go with this now.

I've got two of the thinner coolers, and one of the thick one. They're both the same length and width, 7"x11.5". The thicker one is 2" deep, and the thinner two are 1" deep.

I was thinking of running the two smaller ones together at first, and then came across the big one. What would be the most efficient, the two smaller, or the one large cooler?

Picture of the 2" deep one.

Personally, I'd run the big one and call it good. With two coolers, there's extra hardline to bend up and additional headaches with mounting the second cooler.

I'd run the big one. Also I'd put a mech temp gauge with the sender in the trans pan so you can keep an eye on things. If it's overheating the ATF, then you can think about adding in an additional cooler(s).

Are you running a stock torque converter? If so you may not need any transmission cooler at all. If you live in a cold climate leave the stock oil cooler in place. One of the reasons it's placed inside the radiater to to help warm the transmission oil in cold climates. If you are worried about your trans temp put an oil temp gauge on it first and see what temps it tends to run. I live in a warm climate (Texas) have no oil cooler on my trans and I have never seen it get over 180 degrees.

Roger

I would run the large one. It would be easier to fit/plumb. A temp sender in the output (front)cooling line is the most accurate as that's where the hottest fluid comes out of the torque converter. It would take some fitting knowhow to get a sender in the line but someone here had done it & I am not sure of the temp diff from there & the pan.

I would never run a junkyard plate cooler on a car I care about. No telling whats in them and there,s no way to clean them out that I know of. Maybe a rad shop can do it.

I probably should have posted more details on the setup. Car has an A500 in it with a 2400 TCI lockup converter.

Seeing as how I live in Michigan then I'll definitely leave the stock cooler inline.

Is it harder to flush the stacked plate coolers? I was just going to run mineral spirits through it with a couple of pounds from a blow gun behind it. I figured I'd do that until the mineral spirits came out clean on the other end.

I wouldn't run a used cooler from a car I didn't know.

If you want to end cooling problems try running syn. ATF. Costs a boat load, but if you overheat it your car will be on fire anyway so it won't matter.

I've used those spray cans of flush made for trans lines/coolers from a parts store