[Land-speed] Making your Tow Truck Automatic live a long life. PART 2

Bryan Savage b.a.savage at wildblue.net
Sun Jun 28 12:03:40 MDT 2009


B) Oil to water or air heat exchangers big enough to do the job well.
The method I like the best bypasses the production cooler in the radiator
because if you are going to use the inefficient torque converter for gear
reduction, you will really be working the engine hard.

Back in the '60's when Ed Tradup  was running a digger, he had an old
International tow truck that he had stuffed a big GM V-8 with TH-400 into.
For a cooler he put a big AC condenser from the same car between the
frame rail's. It worked like a champ, not the best location but it was 
so big
it didn't matter.
If you live where it gets real cold, below zero, I would install a 
thermostatic
cooler bypass valve in the system.

As far as ATF, I believe that standard petroleum ATF is fine for normal, 
average,
production automatics. one exception, in my opinion, is very hot or cold 
weather.
When it's zero or below, Real PAO Synthetic flows so much better at very low
temperatures it would be worth the significant expense. When it's your 
towing
in 110 heat, the Synthetic is happy as a clam at 275-300 degrees.


The above are MY thoughts, ideas and OPINIONS based on being interested
in this problem for over 40 years.
Caution!! There may be new, modern and far better whys of doing some of 
these
things today, so look around.

Stay cool folks,
Bryan


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