I have the 3.9l V6, Ramvan 1500 conversion ('99). On vacation this year I will be towing a 2500lb pop-up camper + kids and luggage from Illinois to Oklahoma then to Hot Springs Arkansas and back (lots of hills).
I've been trying to decide between the 5000lb rated standard tranny cooler, or for a little over-kill, go up to the 10,000lb tranny cooler (not much price difference), and if I decide on the 10,000lb tranny cooler should I go for the full blown "extra heavy duty with more fins" for a few dollars more. Keep in mind I only have a 3.9l V6 and there will be a lot of hills.
Thanks - T.O.D.
JamesJ2525
02-12-2005, 01:02 PM
I would just go with the standard cooler and keep to O/D locked out on the hills. Your tranny is built to tow more than what you are towing so I would think the std. cooler would be fine.
Dodgevanman
02-13-2005, 11:54 AM
Since you only have the 3.9L V6, I would add an oil cooler as well. Summit Racing sells a combination oil/trans. fluid cooler kit for around $100.00. It comes with everything you need to install it.
Putting in a HD radiator wouldn't be a bad idea either.
DANVAN
02-14-2005, 04:58 PM
I'd go with the larger cooler myself, extra cooling cant hurt. I would also run it thru the rad 1st then thru the aux cooler. Some may tell u differently. Thats my way of adding a cooler.
Have a safe trip.
bocephus
08-06-2005, 10:30 AM
Always put the biggest trans.cooler you can fit...if it's the tube and fin type..might want to bypass in winter..stacked plate type will govern how cool for you..as fluid warms it passes through entire cooler, when cold just passes thru first few plates..drawback is stacked plate types can clog from particles more easily.the more expensive and larger coolers will come with a thermostatic bypass...careful when having oil coolers..they can bleed off pressure on startup
bocephus
08-08-2005, 12:26 PM
Run through aux cooler first, then rad cooler...the reason the cooler is in radiator in the first place is to keep fluid at proper operating temperature..trans. fluid expands dramatically when warm..if you cool even further after rad. cooler, you can keep fluid too cool..this is a no no for the transmission..too cool is as bad as too hot....
