all stock auto setup's have a cooler in the radiator. an external cooler can be placed inline or used to bypass the stock 1.

 

Like RacinLT1 said, its for the tranny cooler. I put in a cooler after the stock cooler. It was cheap ($45) and doesn't take that long. Good time to do it is when you are changing the ATF.

BTW, if you ever see ATF in your radiator, its from the stock cooler. It happened to me a while back. It is a must fix ASAP and don't drive the car. If ATF can get in the radiator, anti-freeze can get into the tranny. Water is very bad for transmissions.

 

Auto isn't a must in a city...I like driving my manual it doesn't bother me but everyone is different.

The key to the auto's is changing the fluid. If you keep new fluid in it every 20k miles you'll be much better off then never changing it or changing it every 50-60k. They will hold up to some power for a while but doing intake, exhaust, headwork and a 100 shot I wouldn't expect it to last long at all. Generally the 4L60E is good to 350 or so rwhp reliably in stock form. After that I think you're pressing your luck. My dads caprice had a little over 400 and he went through 3 or 4 trannies all that was done to them was a pretty stout shiftkit...but he drove the pooh outta that car.

 

I just did my rebuild after only 78K it started slipping. Everwhere I called quoted me about 1800 to 1900. I ended upspending 2500 but added a custom corq. convt., beast plate and a shift kit. The transcooler is a must. I would put one in right away its only 50 bucks and worth it in piece of mind alone. Especially if you do a lot of city driving.

Good luck.

 

Trans Cooler is definately worth it.....2500 for a rebuild? Thats pretty expensive unless you had some extras done to it.

 

Yeah they made my corq. convt. to specs (custom) so if you think about it right there is like 500. and a shift kit plus a Beast Plate.

 

my tranny went out at 90k with much abuse. I was pretty happy with that. I worked great until I took it to the track and did about 10 runs on it. Got it rebuilt for $1300 + beefed up. Get that cooler and a 2800 stall and you'll hang with any lt M6.

 

Thats an aweful price to pay for a tranny rebuild. My friend had to rebuild her corvette tranny before I moved out of California and she only paid a bit over 700 dollars. They replaced the clutches solenoids and the Converter. Did a good Job too. She abuses that car. At one time she tryed to sell it to me but I passed cause I know how much she abuses it. That tranny is holding good nowadays and I moved out of Cali two years ago.

Honestly I am thinking I would probably buy a new tranny than pay 2000 to rebuild it. Unless I am going to modify it. Then I would defenetely bite the bullet.

Thanks for the Info... I will check out the tranny coolers around here...

Marvin

 

if your planning to mod the car. PLAN on a GOOD rebuild to the stock 4l60E, and plan on putting a GOOD clutch in the T56.

my stock A4 with 77K lasted until my heads/cam broke it
no wait it wasnt my heads/cam it was my right foot
i guess the question is what power level do you want the car?