If you currently have a truck or heavier passenger vehicle, you may be considering the post-factory installation of a transmission cooler. These devices can help keep the transmission and your engine cooler when it is under stress, but do you really need one? Here is how to decide if you should add a transmission cooler to your vehicle.
Your Truck or Car Runs Constantly at High Speeds
One such example of a car that actually needs a transmission cooler is a race car. When you have a vehicle that is constantly moving at break-neck speeds for miles and miles, the transmission can seriously overheat, run out of transmission fluid (because the fluid is burned up) and then start on fire after cracking, popping, exploding or dropping out. If you run your truck and car up and down the freeways or highways for miles, then yes, by all means, get a transmission cooler installed before you completely wreck your vehicle's engine.
Your Truck or Car Hauls or Tows Very Heavy Loads
Another determining factor in whether or not you should have an automotive shop install a transmission cooler is the frequency with which you tow or haul very heavy loads. Your transmission works overtime to effectively max out the torque from the engine when you have to pull a couple of tons or more behind you. That overworked transmission becomes an overheated transmission, and once again, you will have the same breakdowns, issues and repair needs as you would if you drove the vehicle like a race car driver. If you already know when you buy the vehicle that you intend to use it for towing or hauling, make sure to install the transmission cooler before its first work-related use.
You Can Afford It and You Want to Extend the Life of Your Transmission
If you can afford to install a transmission cooler, then you can reap some of the same benefits from its use as you would if you overworked the transmission. The cooler can help extend the life of most transmissions, regardless of their use, which may be a motivating factor for you to install a cooler in the first place. Additionally, if your radiator should give out or not function properly, the transmission cooler can act as a backup radiator and help keep some parts of the transmission and engine from overheating and self-destructing until you can get the vehicle to an engine and transmission repair shop, like Northgate Transmission LLC.
Share18 April 2016
After trying in vain to fix my car for a few months, I realized that I needed to hire a professional. I was tired of dealing with repairs that I was unfamiliar with, and I knew that I needed to get some help. I started looking around for a great auto mechanic, and even though one business was more expensive than others, I decided to work with them. They worked hard to fix my car, and I was really pleased with how great of a job they did. This blog is all about investing in proper auto service so that you don't have to deal with problems in the future.
