I've got e-fans, the factory tranny cooler, and I'm running the stock t-stat.

With the stock fan, temps never got over 150* unless I was driving REAL hard in 3rd all day.

Since installing e-fans, my tranny temps like to "skyrocket" when my truck idles. Normal cruise, I see about 150*F. When I idle, it climbs upwards of 178*F (as seen via software). It's then hard to bring the temps back down again. It's pretty unsettling.

Two "contributors" to the problem: E-fans are set to turn on at 202*F. They're run by the DCC unit, so the fans only turn on as much as the engine coolant needs. I think the engine coolant is heating the tranny fluid unnecessarily. 202 is a very stable temp for the fans though - no cycling on and off.

Secondly, the tranny cooler sits right between both of the fans, so there isn't much airflow passing through the cooler while stationary. It more or less gets pulled by each side of it.

Solutions: Bigger tranny cooler, move the factory cooler to one side, or mod the t-stat and get the fans turning on sooner?

I can easily turn the fans on sooner and deal with the cycling, but there is still the airflow over the cooler issue.

What do you guys think?

I've got to pull our 5K-lb camper in three weeks. I'm looking to get some sleep at night.

Maybe I could just screw on the factory fan and run shrowdless while I pull the trailer?

 

I am kind of questioning your readings. I dont see how you can keep your motor at 150deg.. Witha 160thermo, stock LS1 fans, and setting my fans to turn on way early on my T/A I always saw about 170-180deg. 150 just seems really low, actually too low to run good. LS1s generally like a lil heat.

Wht software are you using to monitor this?

 

150* is his trans temp not engine temp. I've noticed the same thing and have a fairly large cooler. I never thought about the cooler position in relation to the e-fans. Sounds like moving over to one side may actually help considerably, I'll have to try that.

 

Yeah, that's tranny temps.

Thanks Silent - so it sounds like the larger cooler might not be a big help right now.

I pulled off the front grille, and felt the front of the raditor (condenser, really), and noticed the lack of airflow in the middle there.

 

Doh!

That's what I get for not reading correctly. Still seems low though. Maybe that's just what these things run at. My T/A used to run about 180-205 after a WOT run. But i also had a 4400stall in it.

 

I have noticed similar effects.
Good thinking on the cooler placement versus e-fans. I also notice that about 50% of my tranny cooler is hidden behind the center bar of the grill. I think I'm going to relocate my tranny cooler this weekend...

 

I'm going to give it a whirl too... I was never a fan of the A-brackets up front there anyway.