[Trooper93]

I recently went out on my first off road excursion in the trooper.

After about an hour in 95+ degree Arizona desert the temp gauge climbed to less than 3/4 to max. Then the check trans light came on.

I immediately stopped and opened the hood and let it cool down and babied it back to civilization.

I figured I got the light because the temps got dangerously high. Everything shifted and felt fine. The check trans light stayed on. I disconnected the battery and the light is now gone.

So now I have plans to do a cooling system upgrade. Along with engine/transmission and upgrading the radiator.

I've done tons of searching and can't find anything to the extent I'm planning on doing. Let me know If I'm going over board.

For the engine I would use a sandwich type adapter:

leading to the cooler, I would use the same type and size for both engine and trans, so this x 2:

and since cooling all of this oil would result in more stress for the radiator, a universal aluminum radiator with a pair of electric fans:

So, Am I going overboard?

Keep in mind I want to be able to go off road in the desert, where 100+ temps happen 4 months of the year.

 

[psguardian]

There is a stock option that has an adaptor plate between the oil filter housing & the filter.instead of the standard 'sandwich type' that pipes hot oil off to a cooler, this one is an extension with a coolant ring around the stock oil flow path.

For engine oil & coolant upgrades; swap your rad to a 3 core (w/trans lines), get that oil plate mounted & fed with coolant lines.

If you do go with an external oil cooler make sure it is rated for engine oil use, some trans coolers have lower volume per minute rates them oil coolers, don't want to starve your oil pump.

For trans coolant upgrades; trans outlet - external cooler - internal cooler - trans inlet.

The external cooler should be designed to bypass itself if the fluid is cold, either by a check valve or by the first reed being wider to allow thicker fluid by. This will pass cold fluid to the rad, which will warm it to operating temp on it's way back to the trans. Once fluid is hot it will flow through external cooler, saving your rad some stress. If it's still hot by the time it hits the rad it will be cooled a 2nd time, if it's too cold the rad will warm it as before.

From what I have seen here, the 4L30E likes to be in a short operating temp range of 190°-270° (top # might be high). Over cooling trans fluid is almost as bad as overheating it so don't delete the in-rad cooler, it keeps things warm when needed.

~psguardian

 

[mallen]

There is a stock option that has an adaptor plate between the oil filter housing & the filter.instead of the standard 'sandwich type' that pipes hot oil off to a cooler, this one is an extension with a coolant ring around the stock oil flow path.

For engine oil & coolant upgrades; swap your rad to a 3 core (w/trans lines), get that oil plate mounted & fed with coolant lines.

If you do go with an external oil cooler make sure it is rated for engine oil use, some trans coolers have lower volume per minute rates them oil coolers, don't want to starve your oil pump.

For trans coolant upgrades; trans outlet - external cooler - internal cooler - trans inlet.

The external cooler should be designed to bypass itself if the fluid is cold, either by a check valve or by the first reed being wider to allow thicker fluid by. This will pass cold fluid to the rad, which will warm it to operating temp on it's way back to the trans. Once fluid is hot it will flow through external cooler, saving your rad some stress. If it's still hot by the time it hits the rad it will be cooled a 2nd time, if it's too cold the rad will warm it as before.

From what I have seen here, the 4L30E likes to be in a short operating temp range of 190°-270° (top # might be high). Over cooling trans fluid is almost as bad as overheating it so don't delete the in-rad cooler, it keeps things warm when needed.

~psguardian

What about one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-Rx ... ccessories

Im not suggesting getting it off ebay of course as that is way over priced. You should be able to scrounge one out of a wrecking yard for much less.

 

[Trooper93]

ebay is where i found the one above, which now seems maybe a little too large.

still, $40 is a great deal:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVERSA ... ccessories

 

[psguardian]

So long as it's an oil cooler & not a trans cooler, most any that are say 8"x10" or bigger will make a big difference.

~psguardian

 

[vanduker]

I figured I got the light because the temps got dangerously high.

So, Am I going overboard?

Guys from that climate might be better able to address it but to me yes you are going overboard.

You have what is likely an 18 year old radiator with unknown coolant status and unknown fan status.

You are looking to replace that with a new racing radiator, two racing oil/trans coolers and two expensive fans and associated electrical and plumbing pieces. I don't know the costs but looks likely north of 1k by the time you get it mounted, plumbed and wired.

These trucks are used all over the world in all sorts of conditions with more or less the stock pieces. I'd replace the radiator with a good stock type replacement, add a trans cooler, make sure the stock fan works properly and put good coolant in it. Maybe add a trans temp gauge if you want. Then see what you end up with - I would be surprised if you still had issues.

As to the 1,2,3,4 core radiator I wouldn't buy based on number of rows. Have seen several 4 row units get replaced with 1 row and cool much better. Most times I see people singing the praises of their new multi row they were replacing a 15-20 year old gunked up unit - yes a new rad cools better than one gunked on inside and so old the fins are disconnected on the outside.

One article:

http://www.yotatech.com/f116/2-3-row-radiator-231583/

 

[Ramblin Fever]

If you want my honest opinion, if that's the original radiator in that truck....that's your problem.

I lived in the desert for 6yrs with 2 rodeo's, one a 3.2L, the other the 3.1L, both have the automatic transmissions. We used to do a lot of offroading in the desert at 100F + temperatures, not too mention towing a heavy boat at 110F, I've never once had an overheat condition.

Even now, I have 200k on the one truck, and 350k on the other, both still original automatics, never overheated, and I do not have any extra coolers.

So....try changing out just the radiator, thermostat, etc. and see where that goes.

 

[Trooper93]

If you want my honest opinion, if that's the original radiator in that truck....that's your problem.

I lived in the desert for 6yrs with 2 rodeo's, one a 3.2L, the other the 3.1L, both have the automatic transmissions. We used to do a lot of offroading in the desert at 100F + temperatures, not too mention towing a heavy boat at 110F, I've never once had an overheat condition.

Even now, I have 200k on the one truck, and 350k on the other, both still original automatics, never overheated, and I do not have any extra coolers.

So....try changing out just the radiator, thermostat, etc. and see where that goes.

That Sir! Sounds like a plan!

 

[jacks_s13.5]

I plan to replace the radiator on my girlfriends trooper here soon, its very old and has seen better days but I too have plans to run in an oil cooler, I mean if done right I don't see how it could hurt and her trooper runs very hot!

 

[psguardian]

If the rad is gunked up that's why it's running hot. Oil coolers are nice, but can be done any time. Especially if you're on a budget.

~psguardian