How to install a Derale 20561 transmission cooler on your Wrangler TJ

Rock Toy said:
Anyone add a trans temp gauge when installing this cooler? And if so, where did you mount the gauge and where did you tie into the line/transmission to get the temperature?
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I don't have the Derale cooler, but I installed my sensor in the pan and a gauge at the back of the center console. You can't read the numbers at the top there, but I know 180 degrees is at the top. Some have mounted in the front of the center console right in front of the transfer case shifter. I like that spot, but I have that little pocket in my console that I use and didn't want to lose that.

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Are there any placements for a transmission temp gauge that don't require welding? Or is welded into the pan the preferred reading?
 
They make drain plug kits that bolt on/through the hole you drill in the pan. I tried that previously and had leaks. I welded in a bung on a new pan. I still have a tiny seep around the weld. Considering getting someone else with better skills than me to weld me a new one in.
 
MountaineerTom said:
They make drain plug kits that bolt on/through the hole you drill in the pan. I tried that previously and had leaks. I welded in a bung on a new pan. I still have a tiny seep around the weld. Considering getting someone else with better skills than me to weld me a new one in.
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If it is only a tiny seep you might be able to seal it with a Loctite product.

I have used a loctite product with good success on welds (not mine) that were made in the outer can of Prototype air shocks that had to be shortened. The leaks sealed were very small.

IRC it was green and designed to wick into weld and casting porosity. Not sure how it would work with oil already present. We only had to hold air pressure.

This is the only link I could quickly find
https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/product/threadlockers/loctite_grade_aa.html
 
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jgaz said:
If it is only a tiny seep you might be able to seal it with a Loctite product.

I have used a loctite product with good success on welds (not mine) that were made in the outer can of Prototype air shocks that had to be shortened. The leaks sealed were very small.

IRC it was green and designed to wick into weld and casting porosity. Not sure how it would work with oil already present. We only had to hold air pressure.

This is the only link I could quickly find
https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/product/threadlockers/loctite_grade_aa.html
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Thanks, I haven’t heard of that.

I did try a little JB weld on the weld but it didn’t help. I had a feeling it wouldn’t.
 
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I received the Kit from Summit and going to install this weekend.
It looks straight forward.

With the radiator coolant at 210 it seem that using a cooler to reduce the ATF temp is being defeated by heating it up running it threw the radiator.

What coolers are you to delete the radiator cooler?
 
Having just installed the carrier and fan to the frame, not sure how much air flow I will be getting out the fan as it sits very close to the floor in the Unlimited.

As I write this it is 105 on my thermometer with about 112 for the high today.

Not over thinking removing the AFT from the radiator but I cant see heating the ATF up to 210 then trying to cool it to 185.

BTW my FSJ with the 360 V-8 has the factory HD tow package with a very large ATF cooler mount in front of the radiator with the lines running thru the radiator.

That said it never gets over 180 even two Sundays ago when it was 122 and I drove it to town where it sat for a half a hour idling with the AC on while I did some shopping.

Looking at where I can fit a cooler in the front I am thinking of going with the Derale 24in. mounted on Warn front bumper where the winch would sit.
https://derale.com/product-footer/fluid-coolers/transmission/heat-sink/13256-detail
 
K.I.S.S., people forget this rule.
your already trying to fix an issue you don't yet have. run the unit you have as it's designed and then make an assessment.
there are several fin n tube or stacked plates that fit up front protected behind the grill, if for any reason additional cooling is required.
 
I had a temp gauge in my pan before I added my cooler in front of the grill. I ran like that a few months. It didn’t show any temps at 210°. No higher than around 180°.

After adding a B&M stacked plate cooler in the grill, it was around 160° in similar conditions. I used the factory radiator cooler, then through the B&M, then back to the transmission. On really hot/humid days here in the south it will still get around 180° when sitting idling or slow driving.
 
Hey I just installed this, and want to wire a switch with a relay to kill power to the cooler. Could someone help me out with wiring a relay to do this?
 
@Jerry Bransford how is the cooler holding up in that location? Looking at how chewed up my control arm mount and frame are right next to where the cooler would go I’m not sure this would be a good fit for me.
 
JPHikr said:
Not over thinking removing the AFT from the radiator but I cant see heating the ATF up to 210 then trying to cool it to 185.
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For anyone following that missed that little tidbit, no you aren't heating it up to 210, you are cooling down to 210 from when it left the trans and the aux. cooler takes it down a bit further.
 
mrblaine said:
For anyone following that missed that little tidbit, no you aren't heating it up to 210, you are cooling down to 210 from when it left the trans and the aux. cooler takes it down a bit further.
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Also, The cooler is in the lower tank so the coolant surrounding the trans cooler should be cooler than 210.
 
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starkey480 said:
@Jerry Bransford how is the cooler holding up in that location? Looking at how chewed up my control arm mount and frame are right next to where the cooler would go I’m not sure this would be a good fit for me.
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Working perfectly, never a problem. The frame mount location seemed a little sketchy to me at first but 12-14 years of wheeling with it on big rocks and it has never been touched. The frame is right next to it which seems to keep the rocks off it.
 
I just installed mine and the fan I got had no sticker labeling the direction of airflow or which wire is positive. no problem, I hooked it up to a battery and it turns out my fan blows air out through the radiator, it is my understanding that most peoples' fan sucks air in. I probably have the newer design as the fittings are black and the instructions are only for 2003/newer Tj's, just wanted to know the difference it makes. I wonder if the fan blowing out would be better for water protection vs it sucking water in? 🤔
 
You need to flip the wires. The fan will work with either wire to power and either wire to ground. Choose the orientation that has the fan flowing air from the front of the radiator to the back of the fan.
 
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Cheezycheeto said:
You need to flip the wires. The fan will work with either wire to power and either wire to ground. Choose the orientation that has the fan flowing air from the front of the radiator to the back of the fan.
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Will do that, thanks for the info. It occurred to me that inversing polarity could cause a fan to spin in reverse. Strange, I used the black wire as positive, as the manual stated ( technically the manual says to check the sticker). I guess my positive wire is blue then.
 
Does anyone know what the threads are for the cooler where you screw in the AN adapters? I'm going back to using mine on my swap and like always I didn't put all the parts back together so I'm having to replace them 🙁
 
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