Transaxle cooler placement

[Alex]

Where are you guys planning on stabbing your coolers (if you're going to run one).

The current leading position for me right now is ontop of the transaxle cage - just barely fits, but it fits and provides a neat way to run the oil lines without venturing near the exhaust. Of course the downside is that if you have to remove the cage you need to disconnect the lines and have some fluid loss (btw, that gear oil is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$).

If only I could think of some way to work it (cooler on the top, 90* fittings on the transaxle with go to the driver side into some 180* fittings) and be able to remove the cage without opening him up..........

 

[Frank Catt]

The most effective one I have done involved installing the oil cooler matrix UNDER the gearbox horizontally, then picking up the high speed air flow under the car through the undertray with a 90 degree curved duct, which then flows the cooling air through the cooler and across the undersurface of the gearbox which is directly in contact with the oil.
This is neat and makes a huge effect on oil temperature. Frank

 

[Alex]

On our roads, under the transaxle would equal destroyed oil cooler within 3-4seconds, lol.

bump bump bump bump .... ooops.

 

[Ron Earp]

The most effective one I have done involved installing the oil cooler matrix UNDER the gearbox horizontally, then picking up the high speed air flow under the car through the undertray with a 90 degree curved duct, which then flows the cooling air through the cooler and across the undersurface of the gearbox which is directly in contact with the oil.
This is neat and makes a huge effect on oil temperature. Frank

Hmmm, nice idea and something to think about Frank. Thanks.

We're contemplating this exact question. Last weeks' track outing revealed that our transaxle oil was reaching 265F+ under extremely hard track use (2+ hours of runtime, tight track, lots of LSD action, and 98F ambient day). We have our cooler located in a non-ideal position, adjacent to the engine oil cooler, and so the airflow is less than we'd like. We'll probably relocate it to the passenger side of the car up in the rear clam vent as that area is free and does get a lot of airflow. But if you don't have the luxury of extra space for cooling the undertray idea sounds neat.

 

[Jack]

Alex, mine is going into the passenger side spyder opening. I made an extension of the floor and will use that and the chassis tube to mount. Hose routing may be longer than you like but it'll work okay. I split the difference in the fittings and used 45 degree ones.
Unsure of where I'll mount the breather for the gearbox. Probably just above it.
Engine oil cooler on the drivers side vent. I also welded bungs on the LS valve covers
and use a vent can and breather on the bulkhead (near where the expansion tank would be). A Dorman coolant tank will be used with appropriate plumbing as on J. Salmon's car. It hours on track, hours of idling, no overheating. Good enough for me!

 

[Alex]

Maybe i'll put it around that area Jack. I was studying it somemore ontop of the transaxle cage and wondered if having it laying there might not provide optimal cooling and air flow.