Transmission cooler?

[pb300]

Has anyone ever tried using a transmission cooler for a water cooling setup?
Would two of these stacked come anywhere near the performance of a 120.2 heater core or rad?
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...rt=FLX-4110&N=700+4294888777+115&autoview=sku
Now I realize that they probably aren't as efficient as a heater core due to the much larger tubing. I'd imagine that the flow through one of them would be much higher though do to the sweeping bends and the 3/8 pipe.

Looking to cool a phenom 9950be 125w, and I was thinking about using tranny coolers or a motorcycle radiator just to try something different.

 

[fleakiller]

I have not tried it but it would work but you would need a small house fan on high to cover all the area of the cooler plus mounts

 

[pb300]

The one from the link is the size of a 120.2 radiator. The finned area is 9.25 x 5 inches. I also think it would be interesting to try this with scroll type fans.

 

[spathotan]

It couldnt hurt, not expensive either. Worse case scenario is you dont lower temps, best case is you stumble upon some really efficient ****.

 

[dagger]

Make sure the connections are sealed properly. If it spills on your hardware, it's not worth it.

 

[Shadow703793]

It'll work fine but you have to do some modding to fit it inside/outside the case. I have used a car rad from a Civic and it works fine.

The radiator is an essential part of a watercooling system, as it removes the heat in the water deposited form the waterblocks and the pump. Without it the system would overheat in a matter of seconds. Radiators come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are better than others, but it all depends on application and the fans chosen. There are two types of radiators that are commonly used in watercooling setups. The first are the purpose built radiators that are designed to accommodate 120mm fans (some also use 80mm fans) and have different types of hose barbs for a myriad of applications. The second are heatercores. Heatercores are the heating elements used in car heating systems. There are plus and minus’ to both solutions that I will discuss.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54331

PS: If you haven't checked out the threads about Water cooling at XS you are missing out.

============
Right now I am testing out a rad I bought from Ebay ($25 or so) as part of my project for ISEF. Will post pics.

 

[pb300]

It comes with 3/8" barbs already installed, or you can get threaded fittings already installed.
This site has a better picture. http://performanceparts.com/part.php?partID=1150

Being as these are meant to be passively cooled I'm assuming rather low cfm fans can be used. It says its rated for a vehicle up to 5 tons, how that translates in tdp I have no clue.

 

[4745454b]

You realize you can go to a junk yard and get one even cheaper then that right? I bet if you went to a scrap yard you could get one for $10.

 

[pb300]

I already have a chevette heater core. Just looking for different things to use, and to see if anyone has any input on them.

There are 2 self-serve junk yards down the street from my apartment that I might check out, but as far as I know most cars don't come with tranny coolers.

 

[Shadow703793]

As promised:

 

[pb300]

Shadow: Completely missed your other post (trying to do homework and read forums doesn't mix).
I signed up at xtreme systems but it wouldn't let me post for some reason.
Let me know how that works out for you. If I take a trip back to my parents house I'll be more then capable of making any type of parts needed to install that type of rad. Wish my dad still worked at his last job. He had access to a lathe and a mill with all the scrap aluminum he wanted.

Really looking for something different to use that can deal with about 250-300w of heat (9950 and hd4850) for when I eventually get around to water cooling.

 

[cd14]

I used one very similar to your Summit link. It helped a little, but I have since taken it off. I had three 120mm fans in between it and a Swiftech 3x120mm radiator. I just ordered a 2x120mm Swiftech radiator, so when I get it installed I'll compare the two.

 

[pb300]

A comparison would be great. I know it won't work as good as a heater core or commercial rad due to having thick tubes instead of small channels, but I don't see why two couldn't be stacked.

I'll start looking more into motorcycle radiators. This would work better for sure and they probably have larger tanks that can be used as a reservoir. From what I've seen some also include 12 volt fans although the current draw would probably be too much.

 

[V3NOM]

hey pb300 XS took like a few days to accept my account be patient!

 

[Conumdrum]

Looks like aluminum. Looks like louds high CFM fans are needed. Looks like a nightmare to mount.

Purpose-made WC rads are not expensive now.

I just don't get it.

 

[Shadow703793]

^No, actually you neel low CFM fans as the heatercores are quite efficient. Heck my friend has a BMW heater core that uses like 40CFM Yate Loon (I think, can't remember) fans an it never goes above 36C on a OCed E6600 with P95 load.

 

[Shadow703793]

links courtesy of Conumdrum:

My standard noob cut n paste:

I'll steer you to some more technical links, please spend a few days (DAYS) reading posts, searching, learning. Don't forget to look for your case with WC. Google your case and the word watercool or some combination of that. WC stuff is larger than you think, I know from experience. WC setups done right are awesome and almost silent.

Great place, not wayyy over the top with uber WC guys.
http://www.ocforums.com/index.php
Uber place, owned by one of the worlds winning OC guys in the world. Not a place to post or ask questions by noobs, but an awesome place to learn.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/
Another good place to learn
http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/
The GURU of independent testing, worshipped by many.
http://www.martinsliquidlab.com/
Great places to buy WC stuff
http://www.dangerden.com/index.php [...] e&Itemid=1
http://www.petrastechshop.com/
http://www.jab-tech.com/

Hope it helps, see ya in a few days, get edumacated!

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/249534-29-first-watercooling-loop-recommendations

 

[pb300]

Thanks for everyones input so far. Shadow: Thanks for the links, I've seen some of them before as I've had an interest in wc on and off for a few years.
Alright I think theres beginning to be some confusion as to what I originally asked.

Most people use a heater core style radiator on their system or the commercial equivalent (switech, feser, etc.). These are designed with a tank at either and and a bunch of small thin channels the water must be run through in order to cool.

The transmission cooler (or oil cooler, same thing) is simply a length of pipe bent back and forth with fins attached. No small channels, no tight turns, way less restriction (or at least I assume less restriction). This should also be fairly cheap at junk yards and easier to get to. They would be mounted on the frame of big trucks instead of in a tight space under the dash.

My original question was whether the transmission style cooler would be able to match the performance of a heater core style one. I realize that it will be less as the transmission cooler has less physical surface area for the water to come in contact with the fins (because of thick round pipe instead of thin rectangle channels), and that the water would spend less time on said surface area due to less restriction.

So my question is how does everyone think the performance of a transmission cooler big enough for two 120 fans compare to the performance of a heater core style rad of the same size?

As for why I want to do this? I'm really just curious and am always looking for ways to do things different from everyone else.

 

[rubix_1011]

I did it...works OK...but I don't think you get the best surface area heat extraction due to the round tubing as opposed to the 'flat' channels offered by heatercores and CPU radiators.

I picked up a couple of Swiftech MCR320's and going to install them when I finish up the new acrylic reserviors.

Oh, mine was copper...I wouldn't recommend aluminum...

 

[Shadow703793]

^As for copper vs Aluminum. Copper conducts heat faster( from point A to be)but Aluminum dissipate heat to the air faster.

Nice set up btw, should have gotten blue/red instead of green .

My original question was whether the transmission style cooler would be able to match the performance of a heater core style one.

Short answer should be smiler or in some cases better performance. Not to mention those heater core's(btw, the car rad is a form of a heater core) being cheap. Usually runs about $20-30 which is WAY less than a Quad rad (ie. Black Ice GTX 480 ~$100+). Car rads will perform up to 90% or more to the heater core and cost only $30 or so. . Imo, get a heater core over the car rad and the car rad over the Quad rad. For example this heater core is <$30: http://www.car-stuff.com/carparts/fordf5319881997aftermarketrr3982471.html . You should be able to find cheaper on Ebay.

@OP: If you don't mind modding by all means try the heater core first. If it works woot! If not you won't loose too much $.

Long answer:

The other type of radiator that is quickly gaining popularity is the heatercore. These, as I mentioned previously, are merely air conditioning heating elements which have hot water pumped into them and air pushed through them to give you warm air in your car. In our watercooling loops we are essentially doing the same thing, but with much lower water temperatures. These heatercores are excellent for watercooling as they are highly efficient and provide the absolute maximum cooling per size that you can get. They are also very low restriction which lends themselves well to our purposes. They come in various sizes, suitable for a single 120mm fan, dual 120mm fans, and quad 120mm fans. The other thing that is great about them is that they are DIRT cheap. You can pick a dual 120mm one up for less than 20 dollars at your local auto parts store. The most commonly used one is the 2-302 for the 77 Bonneville with AC. A variant of this is the 2-199, which is also for the 77 Bonneville, but is without AC. As good as they are, there are issues to be had with heatercores. First, they need to be modified for use in watercooling. They start out with large copper (sometimes brass) fittings which can either be hack sawed off to the desired length (if your tubing is the appropriate size), or if you’re in need of a different fitting size, you must take a blow torch and remove the tubes all together, and place your own fittings on. To do so requires copper soldering (brazing) knowledge. The other issue with them is that you cannot just mount the fans to the face of them. They need to be used with a shroud.

By: MaxxxRacer @
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54331

As for why I want to do this? I'm really just curious and am always looking for ways to do things different from everyone else.

That my friend is the spirit of modding! Don't forget to post pics once done (both here and at XS)

 

[rubix_1011]

I thought about it, but I already had lots of the green. Besides, I like the contrast. It looks better with the UV Feser tubing I have now...

 

[Shadow703793]

^Meh... I still think red would be better.

 

[pb300]

The flex-a-lite cooler I posted is made of copper tubing with aluminum fins. When I have a day off I may walk down to the junkyards and see if I can find any big trucks that might have usable tranny coolers.

I already have a chevette heater core as I mentioned earlier but through reading have decided this will probably not be enough to cool both cpu and gfx. I bought it way back when for my socket 754 system.

My other reason for looking into the tranny cooler over say, a bonneville heater core, is that I simply like the look better.

 

[rubix_1011]

The only reason I would think a heatercore would be a better choice is simply a matter of external surface area, but depending on the number of passes on the transmission cooler, you might end up with more area than a heatercore. (Which is why I got the big one I did)

The tubing for these coolers only has a minor amount of area that is externally facing, and the fins only work to cool that...not any additional gain for surface area. With a heatercore design (what most PC radiators are based on) you have long, narrow channels that the coolant runs through, but more importantly, spreads out inside. And, you have more than one of these channels running in parallel...instead of one 'tube'. I will admit, the one I have works fairly well, but I saw temps drop 5C when I added the fans (was initially passive).

 

[pb300]

rubix: I mentioned earlier that the tranny cooler possibly does not have the same amount of surface area for the water to contact. I would be going with a cooler that is only 4 pass instead of the 10 pass one that you use. I could stack two of the 4 pass models though, possibly sandwich fans between.

I should probably just look this up somewhere but...
Since the tranny cooler has less restriction the water can make more trips through the loop in the same amount of time. Each trip gives the water less time to come in contact with the cooling effects of the rad but there are more trips.
In the heater core the water moves slower so it has more time to cool down on each pass but there are less of them.
In my mind this could work out to be equal, am I anywhere near close to being right?