TRANSMISSION COOLERS & ENGINE OIL COOLERS
INTERNAL and EXTERNAL
Transmission Coolers (TOCs)
Ever since the advent of automatic transmissions, radiators have been tasked with the job of keeping them cooled so that they can work properly and last longer. Generally, the transmission fluid is pumped into a transmission fluid cooler, located in the outlet tank of the radiator (the coolest part of the cooling system). The coolant flows around the transmission cooler (often called a TOC, for Transmission Oil Cooler), cooling it before the fluid is pumped back to the transmission, where it is expected to cool the clutches of the transmission.
It doesn't always work out very well.
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The TOC works under fairly extreme conditions. Even in the best case scenario, the cooler is still operating in a radiator that gets over 200° itself. If the radiator is running properly, this shouldn't be a problem. But if radiators always worked the way they're supposed to, we wouldn't be in business. Let's face it, radiators go bad and cars overheat. Additionally, when a car's engine runs hot, so does its transmission. Burnt clutches are the number one cause of transmission failure in vehicles with automatics.
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So, what could possibly go wrong? Pretty much everything. For one thing, what happens when your radiator starts building calcium deposits and the tubes that are plugged don't work? Your radiator will run hot and therefore the TOC inside of it will also run hot.
The solution here is to make sure that your cooling system doesn't run hot. If you see your temperature gauge operating at a higher temperature on average, bring it in and we'll gladly check it out before the problem gets a lot more expensive.
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External Transmission Coolers (eTOCs)
Another potential problem is towing. Do you pull a trailer? If you're pulling your boat, RV, or even a landscaping trailer, your automatic transmission will run hotter and burn up a lot more quickly. Cap-A Radiator has a solution for this, as well! Bring your car, truck, van or SUV to us for an external transmission cooler. Working in conjunction with your internal TOC, the external TOC will keep your tranny running much cooler!
As a Flex-a-Lite dealer, we can also help you with your semi-truck or bus! While most heavy trucks and equipment come with external transmission and engine coolers, they do go bad; they can get plugged or leak. We carry a full line of external coolers for both transmissions and engines. We also do repairs and clean them. So come down to see us at 994 Fulton Street (Route 109) in Farmingdale and we'll take care of all your cooling issues!
Internal Engine Oil Coolers (EOCs)
In the 1970s, General Motors came out with their first line of diesel engines, which were primarily sold in Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs. And they ran hot! One of the remedies that GM came up with was to add an additional engine oil cooler (EOC) into the outlet tank of the radiator, across from the TOC. The EOCs in these cars were generally a bit larger than their TOC counterparts. Most had five “plates” for the oil to flow through and get cooled, whereas the TOCs usually had three plates or less. Most passenger cars that don't require heavy duty cooling at the factory come with cylindrical coolers.
