The advancements of the majority of automotive systems have been both safety and comfort-oriented for a long time now. One of these advancements has to do with the transmission box. For a long time now, there have been vehicles with automatic transmissions. Although since its inception, the automatic transmission hasn't been as well-engineered as it is today it has been preferred by the majority of drivers.

This is because a vehicle with an automatic transmission allows you to focus more on what's going on the road instead of shifting gears. Because of this, a more comfortable driving experience is something expected from cars with an automatic transmission. But in order for your vehicle's automatic transmission to work for as long as it can, you should focus on having a proper transmission oil cooler.

Benefits of Transmission Coolers

Overheating

A simple yet often overlooked aspect of keeping your vehicle and its systems working well is to keep the temperature inside those systems under control. Well-made transmission oil coolers are able to prevent overheating by constantly keeping the substance that makes the components of the transmission work effortlessly. Heat is a car's worst enemy and the less heat there is in systems such as the transmission the better it is for the longevity of the car.

Lifespan

By reducing the working temperature and preventing the transmission from overheating, a cooler helps retain the lifespan of the transmission. In fact, in some cases, a quality transmission oil cooler is able to even prolong the lifespan of the transmission.

Cost-Effective

Repairs are never a good thing both from a financial and time-saving standpoint. This is why having a good transmission cooler is a cost-effective way that helps keep you from spending money and time on transmission repairs and oil changes. That is if the oil in your automatic transmission box needs to be changed since some cars do not require this.

Types of Transmission Coolers

Tube & Fin

Just like there are different types of automatic transmissions, there are also different types of transmission oil coolers. There are tube and fin coolers which are the most affordable you can find. They have an “S” shaped tube surrounded by fins. 

This tubing has the transmission fluid go into it with the fins helping to draw the heat that's retained in the oil. If you have an older model car with automatic transmission a tube and fin transmission cooler is recommended. Do not get a tube and fin cooler if your car has an overdrive transmission.

Plate & Fin

A plate and find cooler is similar to a tube and fin cooler in that it has fins. But other than that, there is nothing else. Plate and fin coolers are more efficient thanks to their horizontally placed tubing between two aluminium fin plates. This makes plate and fin transmission coolers more desirable and also the fact that they take up less space.

Stacked Plate

With stacked plate transmission coolers you get the most efficient way to keep your car's transmission fluid cool as a cucumber. Stacked plate coolers are made with a series of plates surrounding the fluid tubing. This makes the cooling speeds faster which is why these coolers are useful for heavy-duty towing or even racing.

Heat Sink

The least common transmission coolers are heat sink coolers. These are known as frame mounted coolers which have a finned construction that allows the heat to disperse through the cooler's surface. The benefit of these coolers is that they provide cooling where there isn't as much airflow.

Important Features of Transmission Coolers

GVWR

No matter the type of oil cooler you go for, it needs to be compatible with your vehicle. The first thing you need to keep in mind to get yourself a useful cooler is GVWR. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating represents the maximum allowed weight your vehicle is able to handle.

The higher this rating is the more efficient of a cooler you'll need, even if you won't use your vehicle to tow large loads. But when needed you will be happy to know that your transmission will easily handle all of that weight without getting damaged.

Size

The size of the cooler is what will have a big impact on efficiency too. The cooler shouldn't be too big though as it can add a lot of weight and even hinder the performance of the transmission. Make sure to get a cooler with an adequate size so that it serves its purpose without having a negative effect on other components or the component it's there for in the first place.

Fans

Although not every type of oil cooler comes with fans, it's never a bad thing to consider them too. Getting a transmission cooler with fans can help speed up the cooling process and thus reduce the level of heat present in the transmission box. If you are going to frequently tow heavy loads or do aggressive acceleration on a beaten path, consider getting a cooler with electric fans.