ok, first off I tend to overdo things on the cautious side.

with that known, I finally got a set of "LS1" electric fans installed in my truck. They cool the motor just fine, running off Pin 42. The problem is the transmission temp. Keep in mind I'm reading these off a Denali gauge cluster on my Silverado). My normal temps driving in traffic were ~150*, maybe 155*. Now I'm getting temps up to 180* easily, it probably would go higher if I drove further. I do tow with this truck and occasionally it's a large load.

I have my transmission cooling lines running into the radiator and then into a B&M stacked plate tranny cooler.

I'm considering getting an electric fan for the tranny cooler and just hard wiring it to run with ignition, maybe the fan off a motorcycle radiator? that would cost ~$50 and I could add a switch for not much more. my only other option would be the b&m hi-tek tranny cooler with a built in thermostatic fan (on @ 180* and off @ 160*) which goes for a whopping $200 (@ summit)

so the questions:
1. should I be worried? I haven't driven enough in traffic to know if it will go higher but suspect it will.
2. would the motorcycle fan be a good solution? I was comfortable with my temp in the 150* range
3. maybe bypass the radiator so the coolant is heating the tranny fluid?

 

I think GM specs say your tranny temp is ok up to 230. I personally start to get uncomfortable once it gets over 180. I put a set of Hayden electric fans from Pep Boys on my coolers, they have worked pretty well.

 

Thunder so you no longer have the plastic guard under there? Dont you go offroad alot I would think that would make those fans ahve a short life.

 

Yeah the plastic guard is gone, I don't go off that much anymore, nobody I know has a truck so I have nobody to go with

 

That sucks dude I would go with you if i was in AZ

People and their damn cars what are they thinking

 

Seriously, WTF?? What's so cool about a car anyway?

 

thunder,
I thought I was paranoid! that's one hell of a cooling set up. how ar you controlling them? I was thinking about just wiring them relayed with an ignition on circuit triggering them (on with ignition all them time). I don't know if it's worth my time to use a controller, but I'd consider it if I could a reasonable way to do it.

I have a friend looking around at work (Honda/ Yamaha dealer) for a fan off of a wrecked or junked bike. I figure it'll do the job, and if not or if it fails it won't cost me anything other than the time and wiring.

 

DAMN thunder


Nick, trust me, the tranny high temp light doesnt come on till 250, dont ask how I know this, but I do I really think your just arent getting as mutch air flow as before, I wouldnt worry about it. I doubt the temps will get mutch if any higher.

 

Hahah....I did that to be absolutely sure there would be no problems. I tow a boat during the summer, sometimes in 115 degree weather, and the lake we go to has about a 5 mile uphill pull coming back into town. I have seen my tranny temps get into the 230's with a single no-fan cooler, so I decided to not take any chances. The fans are manually switched, I keep my eye on the tranny temp gauge whenever I am towing. I can also manually trigger my radiator e-fans to come on high even if the PCM doesn't command it. I have had no problems since then.

Anyway, freeway driving, fans off, I range anywhere from 150-165 or so. In traffic, fans off, it gets close to 180 but never over. Towing uphill in 3rd gear in 115* weather with fans on, I have never seen it top 195. I think I'm in pretty good shape.

Call it paranoid if you want, but when my tranny guy pulled my 75K hard-mile tranny apart and told me my clutches and bands were almost brand new, it suddenly became totally worth it IMO.

 

Any fan would probably be fine if you can find a way to attach it. I wouldn't bother tapping an ignition circuit or anything, just put a switch on them so you can turn them on when you need them. I rarely turn my fans on.