I decided to try one of these on my car thermostat

Usually I have to work to keep heat in my transmission. Car is setup with two transmission coolers because I am typically double entered. I struggled at times to keep heat in the transmission as when I am cooling the engine with the fans it cooling the transmission. So it was a fight. It became even more of a struggle when I would go out of one class. Now the transmission doesn't cool below 150 on the return road.

This definitely help stabilize my transmission temps. Once I got everything warmed up, it would stay at 150 degrees. I didn't have to do anything to keep heat in the transmission even with with prolong times between rounds. A couple times when I first started it up to go to the lanes, it would be 130-140, but it was 150 by the time I got up there.

The way it works, is when the fluid is cold, it sends 90% of the fluid back to the transmission. I found that it would maintain 150 in my car, even though it says it doesn't start flowing more fluid till 180 degrees.

If you have to work to keep heat in the transmission, this is definitely something you should look at. For the most part it stayed between 150-170 all night long. Let me know if you have any questions.

I like it!

Bill Congrats on your win in Pro last night. Enjoyed the little bit of time we got to visit. See ya at another race down the road.

What fluid are you using?

quote:

Originally posted by smokinjeff:
Bill Congrats on your win in Pro last night. Enjoyed the little bit of time we got to visit. See ya at another race down the road.

Congrats to you on your win in box and winning the king of the track. Man, I was just in the way. Definitely looking forward to a rematch.

I use b&m trick shift

Humm very interesting

I wanted to provide an update on this, I installed a trans temp sensor over the winter so I can now log my transmission temp. I used to have to work to get heat in and keep heat in my trans with my dual super coolers. I would have to get on the converter to get heat in.

I made 14 passes this weekend, I didn't do anything special to get heat in. According to my logger, though 14 passes, starting temp ranged from 165-172. Got to say I am pretty impressed with the consistency considering some of these passes were 10 minutes apart while others were 30 minutes. I think the highest temp i saw was 180.

If your having to work to maintain consistent trans temps, try one of these out.

I think the thermostat is a good idea.

Interesting post. How important is consistent transmission temp?
I have trouble getting heat into my mild-mannered S10 race truck, even after I went to the extreme of moving the transmission cooler to a point behind the radiator.

I've thought about building a by-pass of sorts myself, making up some sort of 'H' fitting with a valve in the middle.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Nusz:


I've thought about building a by-pass of sorts myself, making up some sort of 'H' fitting with a valve in the middle.

Thanks!

For what that valve he posted costs it would be a waist of time to try and make one. It bypasses until it reaches a preset temp.

There is always some fluid flowing the cooler. I think I read somewhere it was like 10% when it's in full bypass. I was pretty impressed on how well it controlled and maintained the temp.

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Nusz:


I've thought about building a by-pass of sorts myself, making up some sort of 'H' fitting with a valve in the middle.

Thanks!

For what that valve he posted costs it would be a waist of time to try and make one. It bypasses until it reaches a preset temp.

Thanks, Curtis; I think I'll spring for one. It looks like a more elegant solution.

I still puzzle some over what the optimum transmission temp should be; mine usually stays at about 110*, rarely getting up to 150.

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Nusz:
Interesting post. How important is consistent transmission temp?
I have trouble getting heat into my mild-mannered S10 race truck,

Thanks!

Maintaining all temps water, oil, trans etc are important. But if you are having trouble getting heat in your transmission then I do not think it would benefit you much. Bill has a big stall and pretty good power which builds a lot of heat in the converter. Plus he runs several classes and goes a lot of rounds which puts more heat in the converter and transmission. The hotter the transmission and fluid gets the thinner it gets which starts changing stall and performance of the car. Lower stall converters do not create as much heat, if you have a low stall then you probably do not need it.

If your trans temp is never getting over say 160 then it would not help you much. Now if your car was 140 first pass and then after a few passes you are 200 or so then you need a solution.

Thank you for that excellent, thoughtful post Curly1. My transmission temp does not seem to vary by much throughout the day; I'll largely ignore it for now.

Curly you might revisit how this works.

I raced yesterday, and double-entered even; Pro Trophy (Sportsman) and Mod ET.

My transmission rarely exceeds 120 degrees with my lower-stall converter, even after I moved the tranny cooler to a point behind the radiator (an experiment to see if I could warm up the transmission to a certain, consistent temp).

In my very first elimination round, due to a snafu with the tree, I had to sit in the beams for a long time at 2,500 RPM with my foot on the brakes waiting for the tree to come down.

At the end of that pass, the tranny was at 180*, and for the rest of the afternoon it never really cooled off much.

In eliminations then I ran 11.773, 11.763, 11.762, 11.762, 11.764, 11.759, and 11.758.
What the....?

I was encouraged by that, however my final two qualification passes before that, with a much cooler transmission were 11.763 and 11.759.

I won three rounds in Pro Trophy and made it to the semi-finals in Mod ET. Won a hundred bucks at least. ;^)

The air density was excellent that day, and my engine seems to be jetted to really like it.

I had done some experimenting with tire pressures and ballast which may have tightened up my 60' times.

Tranny fluid is just some cheap, synthetic ATF.

I'll have to race another weekend then to see if there is any difference now, with a cooler transmission.
Cheers,
Troy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bad Nusz,