Hello folks,
Has anyone out there installed an external trans fluid cooler in their MB? I know I have the one that goes through the radiator, but I want my transmission to last a long time and I was thinking about installing an external cooler, are there any brands out there to consider? Do you totally bypass the radiator or do you include it in the circuit? This is for a 96 SL320 with 138k.
Brian

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Brian W. Heitman

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Brian,

I moved my post over here from earlier today and added some pictures showing one installed on my 86 300E. See below.

Gary

trannys will last the life of the car anyway... with regular fluid and filter changes. the only reason i can see to mount an external one is if you wish to aviod buying a new radiator. but in answer to your question, you can bypass the rad or include it.


your not going to tow a travel trailer are you?

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

No, I am not going to tow anything with it. I have been tinkering with the idea of adding a cooler. My trans works fine and I change the fluid every 35k, but it just gets so hot here in Texas, I can't imagine that it is any good for the trans.

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it certainly couldnt hurt unless the lines leak and dump out the fluid. if you do it just be sure to get the fittings well done and brace all the lines well and you should be fine. i used to have this done on my suburbans for towing travel trailers before the factory started making them ok wo them. i always got the biggest available.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Brian,

I installed a PermaCool ThinLine model 1010 on my 86 300E in July of 2002. At the time it cost about $50. I bought a new return hose and had The Hose Man add some fittings so that I could run a length of hose up to the cooler and back to the return line. This cost about $39. I mounted the cooler to a couple of L-brackets that I fabricated out a steel strip I bought from Home Depot and then mounted the whole asssembly to the crossmember in front of the bottom of the radiator. I re-positioned the horns to the inside of the engine compartment on the Rt side to another fabricated bracket. I've added some pictures below to show the installation.
Hope this helps.

Gary

Attached Thumbnails

       

sanitary. good work.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Heat destroys trans fluid! HOT in the south 8-10 months a year, only HOT in the north 4-6 months: You do the math!

WHY do auto makers offer towing packages that always include extra trans coolers if they aren't needed for hot weather conditions??

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Wow, that looks pretty cool. I am going to order one similar to that, My only concern is there doesn't seem to be much room between my the front of my aux fans and the hood grill. If I mount it behind the radiator I don't think it will do much better since the heat from the radiator sits at about 180. I think there might be some short space down under the bumper, I will have to use a short cooler, the power steering cooler is there. This info really helps as now I know I should probably include the radiator in the circuit, I was going to put in a thermo coupling and bypass the radiator like the ones they sell at prima cool. Another thing too, the older SL's had oil coolers in them, mine doesn't, seems strange that I would have a cooler for my power steering but not my engine? hmmm. Maybe I could take the oil filter housing from an older 104 with the cooler lines and replace mine so that I could have an oil cooler, that oil gets hot!
Thanks again, I will take pics and post them.
Brian

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Brian W. Heitman

www.MBCA.org/northtexas

Join MBCA!!!