Adding an Auxilary Oil Cooler to the Automatic
by cclngthr (Difficulty: medium)
This modification adds a second transmission cooler to the automatic
transmission. Front wheel drive automatic transmissions tend to overheat and having the extra cooling will lengthen the life
of the fluid and transmission.
Materials:
Hayden lightweight transmission cooler kit (contains: cooler, hose,
4 hose clamps, nylon "bolts")
3 feet of transmission fluid hose (not fuel line)
Drill with bits
Assorted pliers
Socket set or combination wrenches
The Project
1. Remove upper radiator support brackets and elongate the existing
holes and straighten pin on the bracket so the radiator can be tilted back about 1/4 inch or more.
2. According to the instructions included in the kit, attach hoses
and clamp them down. HINT: Use liquid soap to make the hoses slide on the ends easier.
3. Attach 4 of the foam pads on the back of the cooler (which will
be against the A/C condenser). Next, slide the cooler between the radiator and front support as shown. The lines should be
toward the drivers side of the car.
4. Push the 4 nylon bolts through the cooler, foam pads and the
radiator all the way. Slide on the nylon nut until the cooler is secure on the radiator.
5. Route hoses around the drivers side of the radiator to the back
of it, and route them away from moving parts (fans and mounts). It is easier if you tie the hoses to the fan shroud, away
from the fan blade to keep them from rubbing on any part. For the top hose, route that toward the upper area and toward the
transmission cooler lines, and the lower hose can be routed between the radiator and lower radiator hose and over the center
tranny/engine support and toward the cooler line by the exhaust pipe.
6. The hose you want to remove from the tranny and the radiator
is toward the passenger side of the car. The line is the easiest to get to, plus it is the one that returns the fluid to the
transmission. Cut and attach the aux cooler lines on these connectors, and clamp them tight.
7. Start engine, and run the car through the gears while parked,
check and fill (if necessary) the transmission with the Hyundai spec fluid, checking for leaks as you do this. Drive for 10-15
miles, and recheck installation and fluid levels.
You will notice the transmission torque converter locking up later
when it is cold. This is normal; the heat sensor on the transmission tells the TCM to lock up the torque converter when the
fluid reaches a certain temperature.
- Colin Guthrie
