1940 Ford Tudor Build Thread

[rspears]

Roger, my radiator doesn't have a trans cooler/heat exchanger in it. My orange truck has no radiator heat exchanger with the same style trans and I've never had an issue. I don't plan to drive the 40 in the winter much at all and I don't think I'll put a hitch back on it either. I've never used one of these heat exchangers and figured this would be a good place for one.

Your experience with the truck says the '40 will be fine, especially considering limited to no winter driving. I went back and looked, and found Jack's (Henry Rifle) post following up on his install of the Hi-Zoot B&M tranny cooler, made for all weather extremes - Texas HOT

On a side note, Jack's picture of his "bug attracting yellow" coupe was my computer screen saver for months at the office, before I took the plunge and ordered my roller package for my black coupe. I miss his posts, but he sold the car and hasn't been around for a long time..... Christmas 2019.

[40FordDeluxe]

Your experience with the truck says the '40 will be fine, especially considering limited to no winter driving. I went back and looked, and found Jack's (Henry Rifle) post following up on his install of the Hi-Zoot B&M tranny cooler, made for all weather extremes - Texas HOT

On a side note, Jack's picture of his "bug attracting yellow" coupe was my computer screen saver for months at the office, before I took the plunge and ordered my roller package for my black coupe. I miss his posts, but he sold the car and hasn't been around for a long time..... Christmas 2019.

I guess I had forgot he sold that hot rod. I really liked that car. I've had a lot of friends use these heat transfer coolers so I figured I'd give it a try. On the no heat exchanger on trans cooler systems, I was advised by a few diesel performance trans building shops to remove the heat exchangers on the trucks that were extremely high horse power, or would be towing a lot especially heavy and at distance. Their thoughts were this. They want the trans fluid to be 160* optimally. If you have a heat exchanger type cooler in the system, the trans fluid will always be as hot as the coolant temp is. Most times that's 195* or higher on these new emissions trucks. They would recommend to tell the cold weather truck owners to not expect the over drive and lock up to come on as soon in cold weather. BD Diesel did have a kit that had a bypass valve to bypass coolers on dodges but they were expensive and prone to fail so they discontinued them.

[rspears]

I guess I had forgot he sold that hot rod. I really liked that car.

Yeah, Jack's '34 was super cool, and very well done! He never posted about selling it, but told me in an email back in 2020 that he was at a neighborhood gathering and started talking cars with a guy in his 40's. After a bit the guy said "...if you ever decided to sell it what would you ask and came to see it the next day. I sent Jack a note today, as it's been far too long between catch-ups. Hope to hear back....
I hadn't thought about the higher coolant temps vs optimum tranny fluid temps, but you're right. For a high HP engine or one that tows a lot, having the base at 195F to 210F isn't optimum, is it. That kind of makes a case for the B&M unit that Jack used. The fan is controlled by a dedicated thermal switch, on at 175 and off around 160F. Not saying that you need one in your application, but thinking those guys who are bypassing their radiator HX might like the B&M unit, but it's not cheap!!