Do I need a trans cooler with TQ converter?

[BLACK KNIGHT]

I heard someone mention that you should get a trans cooler if you put on a torque converter. Is this really necessary?

And also would about a 2600-2800 stall converter be correct for my car? My mods are in my sig. and remember this is a LT1.

[LiquidFire350]

works like this, stall creates slippage, slippage creates friction, friction creates heat, heat kills trans

so unless you like swapping trans all the time, get a cooler, even on a stock converter it will improve the life of your trans

as for the stall speed, need to know what your goals/plans for the car is, but generally speaking a 26-28 is the average stall i see in LT1s

[BLACK KNIGHT]

My goal is to make the car faster in the 1/4 mile and it seems that a stall is a popular way to do that. I have no other short term mods planned except for maybe 3.73 gears. I plan on rebuilding the engine when I blow it up, but I have 94,000 miles and hope that won't be for a couple of years. I just got a pair of MT ET drags that should help with traction.

[Chris 96 WS6]

Yes, any time you put in an aftermarket converter you need an add on trans cooler.

Its cheap insurance.

[gettinthere]

Yes, any time you put in an aftermarket converter you need an add on trans cooler.

Its cheap insurance.


:werd:

I'll take some pics of mine and the lines. It's so big that we couldn't use regular pre-bent lines on mine. We had to use 1" braided hose and Earl's fittings. :lol:

[Pro Built Automatics]

Always!

[LS13RDGEN]

Hell I reccomend having one even if you didn't have an aftermarket torque converter. :D

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Okay, so first I need to get a Tranny cooler installed. Cool.

Hmmm, the previous owner recently had the tranny rebuilt and did a lot of other mods to the car, maybe I should check and see if this could already be done! Hahaha.

[LS13RDGEN]

They are relatively inexpensive, easy to install and worth it in my opinion.
Just for fun, I would throw in a tranny temp guage if you get a chance to.
There is a NPT plug in the driver's side of the transmission that you can take out and replace with a temp sensor that comes with the gauge. Real easy to put in. :D

[BLACK KNIGHT]

They are relatively inexpensive, easy to install and worth it in my opinion.
Just for fun, I would throw in a tranny temp guage if you get a chance to.
There is a NPT plug in the driver's side of the transmission that you can take out and replace with a temp sensor that comes with the gauge. Real easy to put in. :D

Oh, cool idea! Altho to be honest I wouldn't know what the tranny temp should be...or what's too hot.

[gettinthere]

Oh, cool idea! Altho to be honest I wouldn't know what the tranny temp should be...or what's too hot.

When it gets in the red it's too hot.

[LiquidFire350]

i still need to get one of those

[gettinthere]

Me too.

[Lt1burn]

My goal is to make the car faster in the 1/4 mile and it seems that a stall is a popular way to do that. I have no other short term mods planned except for maybe 3.73 gears. I plan on rebuilding the engine when I blow it up, but I have 94,000 miles and hope that won't be for a couple of years. I just got a pair of MT ET drags that should help with traction.

Let me tell you somethin that I know based on experience.
My father plows snow for many business and people and has 12-15 Plow trucks, all chevy's, 90% have 350's. I own 2 of them.
Most of them trucks have more than 140K on them, and only a few burn oil. (A common thing on a high mileage 350) And they get drove Hard, and I mean hard. Cold weather starts, box full of sand, huge plow, turning 4X4's.
If you blow up a 350, (TPI, TBI, LT1, LS1) then obviously something wasnt tuned or set up right. 350's can take a poundin, well over 150K. Regular maintenince and checks are key to owning any 350. Dont redline alot, whether its a 1970 350, or a 2002 LS1, overrevving is the only thing I know that has hurt the 350's virtually unchanged block in more than 40 years of production.
Some run strong, some run average, but theyre all very reliable engines.

[LiquidFire350]

If you blow up a 350, (TPI, TBI, LT1, LS1)
Some run strong, some run average, but theyre all very reliable engines.
LS1 is a 346 ;)

is a 350 reliable? yea, but they are not impervious to exploding

[Lt1burn]

LS1 is a 346 ;)

is a 350 reliable? yea, but they are not impervious to exploding

The LS1 is a 5.7 Liter 350 Trimmed for light weight down to 346. The block, pistons, crank and pushrods are identical and interchangible. A lighter block means less torque, and stock LS1's need RPM's to pull over 300 Tq. I can get that at 2500 RPM with me Lt1 :P
Nothing against the LS1, (a kickbutt motor) but my next engine will be the LS2, hopefully in a Camaro.

[RickAnthony]

I am a strong believer in trans coolers.. I have one on all my vehicles except my Sonoma since I recently purchased it.

We Carry a Couple different options, I really like the stacked plate design.. We haven't added them to our online catalog yet, so if you are looking for one let me know I can get you a size reccomendation and price..
-=Rick

[chevy94c]

They are very good insurance to get the tranny cool.

[LiquidFire350]

The LS1 is a 5.7 Liter 350 Trimmed for light weight down to 346. The block, pistons, crank and pushrods are identical and interchangible. A lighter block means less torque, and stock LS1's need RPM's to pull over 300 Tq. I can get that at 2500 RPM with me Lt1 :P
Nothing against the LS1, (a kickbutt motor) but my next engine will be the LS2, hopefully in a Camaro.
build me a LS1 motor with a LT1 crank

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Let me tell you somethin that I know based on experience.
My father plows snow for many business and people and has 12-15 Plow trucks, all chevy's, 90% have 350's. I own 2 of them.
Most of them trucks have more than 140K on them, and only a few burn oil. (A common thing on a high mileage 350) And they get drove Hard, and I mean hard. Cold weather starts, box full of sand, huge plow, turning 4X4's.
If you blow up a 350, (TPI, TBI, LT1, LS1) then obviously something wasnt tuned or set up right. 350's can take a poundin, well over 150K. Regular maintenince and checks are key to owning any 350. Dont redline alot, whether its a 1970 350, or a 2002 LS1, overrevving is the only thing I know that has hurt the 350's virtually unchanged block in more than 40 years of production.
Some run strong, some run average, but theyre all very reliable engines.


Hehe, you don't know my luck with motors. Actually I've only had 2 Chevy 350s. First one shattered a rod at 110,000 miles. Second one is still going strong after about 60,000 miles...but I just gave it to a friend for his race car right before I bought the Trans Am.

[Lt1burn]

Of course there will be exceptions to the rule. Im not saying that 350's are rock solid, because that is just not true. Especially if driven hard with modifications...
But look at the history of GM motors...
Fords 5.0 ( 4.6 3 Valve ) has been a trademark motor for ford for 50 years,
Dodge's 318 ( Ive owned 2 of them ) are excellent motors.
Chevy's 350 falls in that same category. All the new motors have benifited from the 350's awesome success, and no chevy motor is more qualified to get the job done. My Z28 runs awesome and pulls great, and im very confident in its life span. ( Its got 107K and runs like new )But some people can be just downright cruel to cars, and when a motor can withstand that treatment, you know you have a well built machine.