Desperately need some advice

[edothekid]

Hello guys,

Well the mustang is acting up again.

It is running hotter than usual. I notice that this started to happen after the installation of a B&M tranny cooler.

I checked for leaks, water level, etc...

I even changed the thermostat last night, thinking it might be that since it had the original one still on.

I need any and all suggestions as to what else to check.
Does anyone think it might have something to do with the tranny cooler?

Please help

Thanks in advance, Edo.

 

[nyuk98gt]

edothekid:

Just coincidence, imho. The aux. cooler should not affect the operation of the rad even though the stock transmission cooler is built into the rad.

Have you changed out your coolant regularly? Have you done a chemical flush of the cooling system? Is the temperature sender OK (i.e.--is the car really running hotter or just indicating hotter)? Have you checked the rad fan fuse or checked to make sure the fan is operating properly? Is the ambient temperature significantly warmer than it has been or are you using the A/C more due to weather?

Please post with results of what you find.

 

[edothekid]

Ok,

The fan does go on as the temperature rises, I recently changed my coolant fluid (looks clean), Just changed the thermostat, no leaks, fluid level is full, It is actually hotter in the engine compartment than usual, I very rarely use the A/C, The radiator is fairly new, I replaced it during the summer.

If this helps, it tends to start overheating when I am on the gas, specialy on the highway, if I cruise on the streets, it tends to cool down.

any other suggestions?

 

[edothekid]

Wife wife just drove the car to the gas station to fill it up and she said that she was drving it normal, and the needle stayed put, normal temperature.

When I drove it this morning it was fine, normal temp., but once I got on the highway (70-80 mph) is shot up, above normal temp.

 

[Huck]

Where is the trans cooler mounted??? It's not in front of the radiator, is it??

It sounds too coincidental to be coincidental, if you know what I mean. It's mere presence on the vehicle shouldn't affect engine temp...unless it's obstructing flow to the radiator, and/or adding heat to the air flowing through the radiator. If either of those is the case...I think that's your problem.

 

[edothekid]

Damn, that was excatly what I was thinking.

The cooler is mounted right in front of the radiator, in the lower driver's side.
Would that interfere enough of the radiator to the engine to overheat?
Or...
Would the heat from the B&M cooler affect the radiator temp and cause it to overheat?

And I too tought it was too coincedental that my car started to overheat right after I installed the B&M cooler.

What do you guys think?

The only reason I put it there was because I had read thats the best place to put your aftermarket cooler on a Mustang.

 

[Huck]

I think you just found your problem. The cooling system only has so much capacity. If you exceed that (by increasing the power output too much), or decrease it's efficiency too much (what you're effectively doing), and you're going to compromise it's ability to adequately cool the car.

You're improving the cooling of the transmission...but you're expecting the engine cooling system to take on the additional load. Two ways - 1) you're obstructing the flow through part of the radiator by expecting airflow to be drawn through both the cooler and the radiator. Which hurts both the efficiency of that portion of the radiator, as well as the efficiency of the trans cooler. You're also dumping hot air from the trans cooler through the radiator - either further reducing the efficiency of this section of the radiator, or, possibly, even adding heat to the engine coolant (if the air temp out of the cooler is higher than the coolant temp in that portion of the radiator.

It's clearly causing a problem. Your best solution would be to relocate the cooler somewhere where it's neither obstructing flow to the radiator, nor adding heat to it. If the trans cooler doesn't cool effectively enough then under all conditions, add a fan to it of its own.

Of course...if it's only causing slightly elevated temps, and not truely overheating, maybe you're o.k. the way you are. But I think the cooler setup is clearly your "problem".

 

[edothekid]

Well Huck,

You just made me feel better, I was hoping it wasn't going to be something more serious.

I am going to try and relocate the cooler and see what happens.
Thanks again man, you really shined some light to this problem.

Hopefully that is what the problem is.

Thanks, Edo.

 

[Huck]

No problem. I hope you get it cleared up and everything working to your satisfaction.