Transmission Shift Kit - Part II

[1999montana]

Well Folks,

So far, the shift kit has prevented the ECM from detecting a late or soft shift. We did the hill climb this morning, the same climb that originally set the code for max line pressure. I believe the code was set because of a late 2 - 3 shift, but the shift kit did its thing.

I watched as the heat gauge rose into the higher numbers, expecting any moment for the Trans to start shifting hard; - it didn't! The 2 - 3 shift is a tiny bit softer at higher temperatures, but the shift is decisive and you can still feel it engage solidly.

Next stop, as extra insurance, I'm going to add the in-line cooler today. As summer approaches, the AC will be on more and of course the ambient temperature will continue to climb.

From my hot rodding days, the only way to dissipate enough heat quickly was to add a dual or triple core radiator, often referred to as a heavy duty rad. Every project I have modified or re-built (including the avatar attached to my profile; - that's a '78 Dodge Diplomat, BTW) has benefited from an HD radiator.

The faster you can dissipate the heat, the longer the moving parts will last. This could conceivably help the Trans and engine in the van, but it would mean going to a rad shop for a custom design. I think an in-line cooler would still help the Trans more though. To combine the HD rad with an in-line cooler would be the best of both worlds.

Hope this little text journey helps anyone who is considering an inexpensive fix for a known problem. While the replacement of the PCS is considered a root cause removal, it has from time to time been a very temporary fix (and costly too at over $500 up here). For $30 USD and an afternoon, you too can fix this annoying and often destructive problem.

It's hard to say how much longer the Trans will last with this modification, but I think it safe to say, it will outlive the other components that are also a problem on these vans.

I give this shift kit modification two thumbs up!

One caveat: If you've simply neglected the Trans and hope this will save it, it probably won't. Once you open the pan up, you'll know if it is worth following this process or not. If you find pieces of clutch, band, metal filings, or smell burnt fluid, I'd probably button it back up and start looking around for repair estimates. But, the shift kit can still help your investment live longer once you do re-build, so all will not be lost.

[1999montana]

Update:

Added the in-line Trans cooler yesterday.

There are two holes in the air dam underneath the rad cradle that look like they may be used to route hoses for the OEM version of a Trans cooler. I had to open the holes up a bit with my trusty Exacto knife, and then ran the rubber hoses through the two openings.

Mounted the cooler on this rad cradle lower bracket with two 1/4 inch bolts and nuts. I could have braced it, but it seems sturdy enough and it gets plenty of air flow being mounted in the center of the rad opening.

Cascaded the cooler so that it received the trans oil from the cooler in the radiator and then returned it to the trans.

Only problem I had, (actually have ever had) was connecting the one hose to the steel line that runs to the radiator cooler. The hose is really tight. I should have greased the steel line first, but didn't. Will have to go back and disconnect, grease it and reinstall. It's only seated to about 1/2 inch and it should be seated all the way to 1 inch.

On the ‘hose to hose’ connection (the line going to the trans has a rubber hose attached), I joined this hose and the cooler hose using a piece of 1/4 inch pipe and two small heater hose clamps. To ensure this never comes apart, I’m going to run two nylon ties from one clamp to the other and that will prevent the hoses from 'walking’ or sliding off and separating.

Can do the same thing with the hose connected to the return line from the rad going to the cooler once I get it seated properly.

[spike88]

Hi 1999montana.

Many thanks for posting your Tranny Shift Kit install details and your van's great success. I'm sure many folks on this forum will find your posted info very usefull. Especially if/when they need your 1st hand experience to fix their van as well. Way to GO!


Like you, I also installed a tranny oil cooler on my 2009 Montana EWB van. For my van, I installed 2 x vertical steel angle bars infront of my van's AC rad. Then, bolted my LPD design tranny oil cooler on these vertical braces. Thus, both rads NEVER touch (and never rub or trap crud between) each other. If wondering, I installed an aux tranny cooler rated to tow up to 5,000 lbs trailer - as advised by my local transmission specialist. The rad I used looks exactly like: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-TRAN~HH41311.htm

To view how I mounted the needed aux tranny cooler on my van, surf:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...rSupport-3.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...rSupport-2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...rSupport-1.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...gdowngrill.jpg

For piping, I had to install a special order steel "L-shape" pipe from my local NAPA auto store. And where its transmission rubber hose could rub on something, I slipped a larger rubber hose around its inner hose. Thus, outer hose provides more wear/tear protection - to its inner rubber hose. This worked great for my van.

Hope this helps with your hose routing install as well...

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[1999montana]

Glad to see you found a way to do it that worked for you too. The cooler I had is identical to your cooler, and about half the size so will likely only marginally cool the fluid, but it was 'free' and it will help this Trans live longer, I think.

I didn't want to restrict the air flow or create turbulence across the condenser or rad, so I elected not to add mounts at all.

Like you, I also didn't want it to rub on the condenser (due to road vibrations) so I bolted the cooler to the lower transverse rad support. There is a two to three inch air gap between it and the condenser. It gets plenty of air from the road.

Of interest is this link I found that describes the installation of a cooler on a GP.

http://www.grandprix.net/upgrades/cooler.html

What got me thinking is the routing of the hot fluid through the cooler on the rad. My logic tells me that the hot fluid should enter the top of the rad and fall while being cooled by the anti freeze toward the bottom of the rad, exiting at least a few degrees cooler.

But the article contradicts this, suggesting that the cooler fluid exits the top of the rad. If this is correct, I have to grab the other line returning from the rad and route through the cooler. I've sent an inquiry to the fellow who wrote the article asking for his clarification and will post once received.

[spike88]

For my van, I used Position 1 - as shown within: http://www.etrailer.com/c-tran.htm

And for my van, the ATF pipe routing is:
- Steel pipe across the bottom of factory rad. This pipe did go directly into top of main rad. I simply cut this pipe and removed approx 8" of it.
- Cut Steel pipe into rubber hose.
- Rubber hose to front Aux tranny cooler.
- Rubber hose from front Aux cooler to factory rad.
- 90 degree "L" pipe into factory rad (to create new top coupler connection).

Note: Only had to cut 1 steel pipe and used a new "L-shape" pipe - as per cooler's install instructions.

ATF fluid flow from transmission to main rad (bottom inlet), flowed inside main rad to main rad (top outlet), 90 degree "L-shape" steel pipe, then to rubber hose to front aux cooler (bottom inlet) to front tranny cooler (top outlet), then rubber hose to steel hose (near bottom of main rad), then back to transmission. On the main rad, was always told that bottom outlet is for "in flow" and top outlet is for "out flow" fluid. In summary: Transmission > Radiator cooler > Auxillary cooler > then Back to the transmission.

In my regions colder winter time, I simply cover my aux cooler with a thick padded canvas material (pull ties at its bottom). Thus, stopping my aux tranny cooler from "cooling" my van's ATF fluid too much. And when my harse winter months are over, I simply remove this custom canvas blanket. Same front grill blanket covering design that's used on many vehicles in my colder region. Especially seen on pickup and transport trucks. This winter covering is another reason I did NOT want to pull-tie my van's Aux tranny cooler to its AC Rad (and use recommended felt pads). I need approx 1.5" gap behind the aux cooler to slide its custom padded cover completely around it. As noted in many documentation, the ATF fluid being "too cold" is just as bad as being "too hot". Thus, why I need to use a padded wind-chill reduction blanket - for my harse winter conditions.

Another good reference file is: http://www.hrpworld.com/client_image...pdf_3732_2.pdf

Hope these other tips / tricks help with your cooler install as well...


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[1999montana]

Originally Posted by spike88

....And for my van, the ATF pipe routing is:
- Steel pipe across the bottom of factory rad. This pipe did go directly into top of main rad.....

No reply from the guy who did the write-up on the Gran Prix.

After giving it more thought though, I concluded that I have the in-line cooler on the hot side and not on the return ‘cool’ side. I'll switch to the other pipe under the rad tomorrow.

What has thrown me off is that the rad is actually mounted transversely in the body of the vehicle, rather than being vertical, with the core running up and down.

So, it makes (some) sense that the return line would be at the top, as the flow from the rad cooler goes to the pan on the Trans now. The hot oil comes out of the core of the Trans to the rad cooler.

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[spike88]

To confirm the "real life" fluid flow on your specific vehicle, I read on a different forum the following test can be done. The test is:

- Pulll the rubber hose off your aux transmission oil cooler (since you already have it installed).
- Pull the other rubber hose off your aux transmission oil coller as well.
- Put each rubber hoses in different "clean" bottles. For example, empty (and washed out several times) windshield washer 4L / 1 Gallon fluid bottle.
- Mark one bottle A and other bottle B. And have someone (like an adult) keep an eye on the position of each bottle.
- Start your vehicle, let it idle and with foot firmly on brake pedal, put transmission in "D" gear. No more then 5 seconds, put transmission gear into "D", then immediately turn its ignition off. I read that with no resistance (like main rad), ATF fluid flow at engine idle pumps out approx 1 cup of ATF fluid every second. Thus, don't exceed 5 seconds of idle RPM time. Or, when your `bottle spotter` (sort of speaking) adult, tells you to shut down its engine.
- Analyze bottle A and bottle B and which bottle has ATF fluid in it, trace backwards to main rad couplings.
- Re-connect the rubber hoses as needed (to obtain desired ATF flow).
- Since small amount of ATF went into empty "clean" container, it can be poured back into the transmission. Or, you can decide to trash it, and and put brand new ATF back into the transmission.

If wondering, I did NOT check ATF Flow on my van. My cooler's instructions stated to splice its Aux cooler into GM's main rad "top coupling" and also use seperately bought 90 degree "L" steel pipe - so its rubber hose doesn't need a large loop turn - that's too close to engine's pullies / main belt. And for my previous GM Safari van, it recommend top rad coupling and special bought "L" bracket as well. So, I simply followed their provided instructions - for both my GM vans.

The above test will confirm "fluid flow" on your exact vehicle.

Hope this idea helps as well...

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[spike88]

Here's some info from a GM forum - Corvette Forum. Hope this helps as well...

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OK, The top line coming out of the radiator is the one going back to the trani. Thats what I was told from a guy at the track today.

After putting it to the test (Ran the long course at Pocono today), my trani never got more than 5-6 degrees over the coolant temp. When driving light the trani temp was a few degrees cooler than the engine coolant. Usually I am hitting the 275 degree warning by the afternoon. 2 morning runs (1 cut short from a viper blowing an engine) and 5 in the afternoon.

So, to install a secondary cooler disconnect the the top line, then come off the top radiator outlet into an aux cooler and then back into the factory line going back to the trani (the upper one you disconnected from the trani).

[spike88]

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Took me some time but I "finally" found a picture of it.

The special order 90 degree "L-shape" steel pipe - that was bought at my local NAPA auto parts store is:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

Was special order (took 3 days to get it) and it cost me $7 + taxes. If wondering, I installed this "L" fitting in the top outlet of my van's main rad. This special order pipe was also recommended within my Hayden's aux cooler instructions as well.

Hope this helps as well...

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