Changing to a aluminum radiator does having the auto trans cooler built inside the radiator take away from cooling? Would it be better to get a manual rad and install a separate trans cooler????
Engine is a 350 supercharged / th350 auto trans. /

Integrated trans cooler I think would be a good thing. Help the engine get up to temp quicker. Usually they are added to the side and don't take away much if anything from engine cooling.

I have a buddy who mounted his trans cooler under the passenger side floor board, runs of a temperature sending unit and a small low profile electric fan mounted against the trans cooler. There is about 3" of space in between the cooler and the floorboard.

I have been meaning to take a picture because I thought it was a very cool setup without any obstruction to the radiator.

The car is a 70 Chevelle.

man. rad. with external trans cooler is the way to go!!!!!!!

I have always bypassed the radiator and used a separate cooler for the tranny...never an issue.

On a side note (not that it happens very often)...
On our D-8 (Large Dozer) at work, "new" radiator was installed. Kept having a low coolant alarm and we kept adding anti-freeze thinking that there was air purging (large cooling system). Then a few days latter the tranny acts up... over full :confused: ding ding ding...now we know where the anti-freeze went after it wiped out the tranny (over $10K in damage).

From the TCI Transmissions website : "Unless operating in an environment where the outside temperature is below 0°F, you should cap off the radiator cooler line openings and run your cooler lines directly to a new cooler mounted in front of the radiator. This allows the transmission to have its own cooling system and doesn't allow the engine water temperature to heat the fluid." Converter slippage will heat the fluid up pretty quick except in arctic temps. I run a 400sb so I don't need any heat from the trans helping my motor warm up.

my Camaro is driven more in the warmer months than the cooler months, thus my decision to have seperate cooling systems for the engine and trans was a simple one.
if mine was a daily driver, winter months, I might reconsider, or switch to a synthetic fluid,, but as it is seems to be working fine.
I installed a B & M 14000 gvw cooler kit, and mounted it out in front of the radiator,, which gives about a 2" or so airspace between the cooler and the radiator.
don't have any pics but could get some in a day or so if needed.
there's a whole bunch'a info on this subject in Transmissions section.
I think I read almost every thread before deciding to have seperate coolers.
:thumbsup:

seperate cooling seems to be the way to go. its a simple fix. thanks for input...