Transmission Cooler

[JVC]

it has been mentioned that in the car that I have, the weak link is often the transmission, but if I get a transmission cooler and a transmission flush that should more or less solve the problem and make it last a bit longer... I can get a Volvo OEM transmission cooler, but that would be around $600 to my door, so I figured I would take a look at possible cheap other options... here are a few, does anyone know much about trans coolers?? or has anyone used one or have a friend that has used one of these successfully?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2009360&TID=8014524F&productId=2009360&catalogId=10101

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductBrowse?krypto=EVJWLpQFw%2Bl7HgEmvV%2F2bcmHeUwKjvgVx5yQiJzUCtP6zxmnW%2BaIf2Zw2HPfmhkEsjDSwIynS96v%0ARnCHmS3nva%2BpOD3uXsEPomEnbCOmdGbTYgEtErfK8ulxgecrgirVilRohpwkfF%2FiyAnuckD1OfWD%0AoAISocYtOIvIj%2F%2BN0Uw%3D

I would get a transmission temp gauge also so I could better monitor all of this, but I figured I would gauge opinions first...

Thanks!
John

[ovlov]

I use a Hayden transmission cooler in my 760 turbo, but it's heavily modified (for a volvo) and the old AW71 is a stouter transmission than these newer ones.  I mounted it in the same location as the smaller stock cooler.  Basically I cut the metal lines and then flared them so the hose from the cooler wouldn't come off.  The 760 has a transmission cooler in the radiator and a separate unit in front of the a/c condensor.  I don't know if the S80 shares this type of setup?  I don't have a temp gauge for the tranny fluid but it's not a bad idea.  I run Mobil 1 synthetic tranny fluid.  This car is on its second and hopefully last transmission.  20psi + hotter cam = death of poorly maintained tramission.  

You might want to inquire over at Volvospeed.com, Turbobricks.com and Matthewsvolvosite.com about which transmission coolers are the best fit for your S80.  I think pretty much any of the decent ones are going to be better than the stock setup. 

I don't know exactly about the S80 but with the majority of Volvos as long as it currently shifts fine flushing wont hurt it.  Volvo is very secretive about transmission service, but I think it's good to flush them every 30,000 miles or so.  Some people just drain the pain and put back exactly what came out instead of a full flush.  That's usually 3-4 quarts or so on the P1 cars.  You'll have to figure out what your pan holds.  In the case of your car I *think* you have to use either Volvos tranny fluid or a specific type of Mobil fluid.

[JVC]

Wow thanks for the info, yeah I've just heard its the weak link, I talked to George @ Viva and he said $600 for a OEM trans cooler, which i think would be too much, I figure if I can get a decent sized one for under 200-250 then I'm all set, flush the trans, install a cooler, and then my transmission should be ready to handle any of the power I can throw at it...

I'm gonna post a thing similar to this over on VolvoSpeed, they have a write up on how to do a trans cooler... where did you mount yours? I figure if I can make a lower bracket in the front bumper I could maybe lose the fogs, or take out some of the bracketing in the front bottom grille. I'd have to get under there to get a better feel for where it would go, a trans cooler doesnt seem to be particularly big item but would it be best to have free flowing air "through" it or would it be ok to mount it flat and let the air running under the car cool it or would that not work as well?

Thanks for the Help!!
John

[ovlov]

Mine is mounted in front of where the a/c condenser used to be using the factory brackets and a crappy bracket I welded together.  This is sort of on top of a front cross member.  Here is a picture of the setup.  The small cooler on the left that my hand is touching was the stock unit.  The shiny bigger cooler is a aftermarket Hayden transmission cooler.  The black circles on the cooler are part of the mounting hardware it comes with.  These slide through the radiator/intercooler and snap on one side.  The black and silver thing behind that is an intercooler that is sitting where the a/c condenser used to live.


 I've never seen under the hood of a S80 so I honestly don't know how much room there is or how the cooler lines are routed.  Many tranny coolers can be attached to the a/c condenser/radiator with their included hardware.  I think it is best to have the air flowing freely through the cooler.  Mounting on the front of your intercooler or a/c condenser (whichever is in front) might be a good bet.  Mounting down in the front spoiler would work too as long as it's semi protected from debris.

I just looked at a write up on volvospeed for a 850/S70.  I didn't even think about those couplers.  To me it seems like hose length and finding a way to connect the factory hoses to an aftermarket cooler will be the most difficult parts.

Have you looked into whether or not the S60R/V70R or XC90 received a nicer tranny cooler that could be ordered?  I wondered if the T6 in the XC90 might have gotten something bigger and better because it has to be able to tow stuff.  Some of those might be at wreckers by now.

edit.. would something like this fit? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-XC90-2003-Transmission-Oil-Cooler_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46095QQihZ002QQitemZ120166788232QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

[JVC]

something like that may work, but i;d rather go big or go home, make it so i never have to do it again. there really isn't a whole lot of room under the hood, but behind the front bumper a bit lower i may be able to make something work.

so for the tranny cooler do you just have to splice the cooler somewhere in the lines of the trans fluid flow and then put in a bit more fluid so that its not too low since theres more hose space for the fluid to run through?

[ovlov]

something like that may work, but i;d rather go big or go home, make it so i never have to do it again. there really isn't a whole lot of room under the hood, but behind the front bumper a bit lower i may be able to make something work.

so for the tranny cooler do you just have to splice the cooler somewhere in the lines of the trans fluid flow and then put in a bit more fluid so that its not too low since theres more hose space for the fluid to run through?

In my case I have a transmission cooler in the radiator and I had a small one in the front of the car.  I basically spliced into the lines for the small cooler and removed it completely, so that I could place a bigger cooler there.  As far as fluid goes I didn't have to add any extra that I can recall.  Just make sure that the fluid level is where it should be on the dipstick and you'll be alright.  This page has good info on flushing the fwd volvos. http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/chat/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8767

What kind of transmission fluid cooling setup does your S80 have now?  Is the cooler built into the radiator or is there a smaller cooling unit or is it both? 

[ovlov]

Just FYI Tranny and Oil coolers are stock on cop cars. I say do it.

There are also some nice tranny coolers on Ford vans.  Those are plentiful in junkyards.  Late model 2nd gen/FC turbocharged Mazda Rx-7's got very nice and big aluminum oil coolers.

[JVC]

Theres a good write up on VolvoSpeed if I recall correctly... I'm not sure what the S80 T6 has stock, I think it may just run through the radiator... I would highly doubt that it comes with a smaller cooling unit... and since I haven't seen as many people upgrade their trans coolers I would say its not a smaller unit. So I'll look into purchasing a unit from Jegs or JCWhitney, but otherwise I can look to a junkyard to get one also. We'll see which route I go to, maybe I can get my parents to get me on for x-mas if I don't get one before then, which ever comes first, but I know I need a trans flush coming up sooner than later, so I figure I can do both at the same time and I wont have to worry about losing fluid when installing the trans cooler.

[JVC]

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_31946_-1?utm_source=email020608&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BM2

I found that in an email sent to me by Jegs, does anyone think thats a good one?