Defender TD5 R380 Oil Cooler

[djam1]

This may help someone out there in Land Rover land.
For some time I have been looking at the temperature that the R380 runs at when traveling in the Pilbara and found the following solution.

I bought a single pass 12 inch oil cooler
12" FINNED TRANS COOLER HOLDEN FORD CHEV TORANA DRAG | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-FINNED-TRANS-COOLER-HOLDEN-FORD-CHEV-TORANA-DRAG-/110485590929?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D 18%26pmod%3D160856379302%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D22160 53394364213671)

I then cut the loop off of the normal oil cooling pipe on the TD5 Defender

Then run some good quality hydraulic hose from Pirtek from the pipes to the cooler mounted on the front of the chassis.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6roiqqt5d1lwe3/Oil%20Cooler.jpg

Another view

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zz1kt99mngzfpyy/Oil%20Cooler%202.jpg

The results are impressive its not hot today probably only about 32 Degrees C but after 1/2 hour running at 120 Km/h on the open road I cant hold my hand on the oil cooler without discomfort.

The other plus is it increases the oil capacity by about 500 ml

[130man]

Hi Djam1, great idea. How did you connect the new Pirtek pipes to the original cooler pipes? Thank you. 130man.

[djam1]

Just used 2 hose clamps on each pipe did them up very tight.
I understand that there would be minimal pressure

[130man]

Hi Djam1, thanks for that reply. It is a sensitive issue with me as my previous gearbox pumped all its oil out after a union where the cooler meets the box came apart. I don't want to run the risk of that sort of thing happening again. Cheers, 130man.

[goingbush]

what are the before and after temps ??

[djam1]

Goingbush it seemed difficult to draw any conclusions from my observations but this is what I observed.
Temp of gearbox after running about 85 Degrees
The differentiation between the 2 ends of the cooler was about 6 degrees but this was when the car was stopped.
Temp at the entry of the cooler was around 55 Degrees but the cooler was very hot to touch.
I presume with the airflow over the cooler things changed
I was happy on the basis of the amount of heat that was being radiated from the cooler.

I did no pre post tests though

[rick130]

On a non-cooled R380 'box (300Tdi) I've had 75* within 7km of home,just cruising down the highway.

They really do need a decent cooler, similar to the ones fitted to the UK army 110's.

[Rimmer]

Here's one.

Ashcroft Transmissions (http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=73)

[wrinklearthur]

How would the transmission cooler from a D1 auto V8 go?

[ThorneGator]

I found out that the Disco TD5/R380 has an oil cooler up front with the rest of the coolers. I had that installed and has been noticably better in city traffic. That being said, I don't have a temp guage that would give numerical values....just the good'ol standard deefer temp guage.

[goingbush]

I just got my Oil Cooler in the post, Same unit as djam1 but 18"

Im going to silversolder some olives to over pipes and push the hose over just for a bit of extra peace of mind

one thing im unsure of, do you need to bleed the air out of the cooler, if you just connect it and let the oil run thru i cant see how it would fill higher than the hose entry & exit , its just a finned cylinder with ends welded on.

will it be an issue if its got 1/2 air in there or should i drill a hole, tap and bung at a high point ??

[rainman]

Is it possible to retro fit a cooler to an early R380?

Does anyone have any pictures of the fittings on the gearbox?

Thanks,
James.

[djam1]

I just filled mine after mounting it, certainly isn't an air block after driving it.
No idea what pressure it runs at I figured even if it was full it would drain back to the box when stopped??


I just got my Oil Cooler in the post, Same unit as djam1 but 18"

Im going to silversolder some olives to over pipes and push the hose over just for a bit of extra peace of mind

one thing im unsure of, do you need to bleed the air out of the cooler, if you just connect it and let the oil run thru i cant see how it would fill higher than the hose entry & exit , its just a finned cylinder with ends welded on.

will it be an issue if its got 1/2 air in there or should i drill a hole, tap and bung at a high point ??

[goingbush]

Is it possible to retro fit a cooler to an early R380?

Does anyone have any pictures of the fittings on the gearbox?

Thanks,
James.

will take some when I get under there.


.

[goingbush]

Heres a pic of the pipes going into the R380,
they cross over under the gearbox and go in at the rear on the left side . not much room to play there.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/531.jpg

[goingbush]

I fitted my r380 cooler today.
because I was going to silversolder the pipes insitu I drained the gearbox as I didnt want an oil fed fire under the car. (The Syntrans is only about 5000 klm old and looking quite brassy, a lot more so than the previous drain after 40,000 , will have to keep an eye on it.)

I first cut the loop in the center because my small pipe cutter would not fit thru the gap between the pipes, then cut the loop away.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/527.jpg


standard 1/2 brass olives for copper pipe fit perfectly, clean up the pipe and chamfer the front so that it does not cut into the oil hose. I used a gas torch and soft silver solder.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/528.jpg

plenty of slack in the hoses because the Td5 moves a lot on its supple mounts.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/529.jpg

job done
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/530.jpg

Filling up took 600ml more than drained out .
took it for a 15klm drive and the cooler was still bone cold, will have to see after a long run.

[Xtreme]

Transmission cooling on the Defender has been a concern of mine for some time so thanks for this very interesting thread.

You both appear to have fitted a 'single pass' cooler (inlet & outlet on opposite ends) yet I notice on the linked suppliers website that I can only see 'dual pass' coolers (inlet & outlet on same end). Is there a reason why you chose the single pass units?

I had heard some time ago that the R380 pump would not be powerful enough to handle the extra restriction of a cooler. However, it seems from your experience and from what Ashcrofts have on offer, that this is another of those urban (or rural, in the case of Landys :D) myths. I'd be interested in your comments re this aspect.

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

[rick130]

[snip]
I had heard some time ago that the R380 pump would not be powerful enough to handle the extra restriction of a cooler. However, it seems from your experience and from what Ashcrofts have on offer, that this is another of those urban (or rural, in the case of Landys :D) myths. I'd be interested in your comments re this aspect.

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

Absolute myth.

Have you seen the cooler used on the UK Army Wolf ? (or the RRC or Disco V8 dunny brush style ? or the more conventional cooler that sits between the rad and crossmember)

The Wolf one is bloody huge, and sits right where the air con condenser normally would.

Another g/box cooler thread http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/76106-r380-oil-cooler.html and the Wolf pic I was after. That's the cooler sitting front and centre.

http://www.freewebs.com/wolfie110ffr/HPIM0308.JPG

[Xtreme]

Thanks rick130 for dispelling the myth and supplying the link to another interesting, informative thread.

I think I'll be doing some shopping soon and reduce the heat generated around the handbrake this summer.

I appreciate the prompt response, especially from an AULROian who knows oils. :thumbsup:

[goingbush]

<snip>
You both appear to have fitted a 'single pass' cooler (inlet & outlet on opposite ends) yet I notice on the linked suppliers website that I can only see 'dual pass' coolers (inlet & outlet on same end). Is there a reason why you chose the single pass units?

I had heard some time ago that the R380 pump would not be powerful enough to handle the extra restriction of a cooler. However, it seems from your experience and from what Ashcrofts have on offer, that this is another of those urban (or rural, in the case of Landys :D) myths. I'd be interested in your comments re this aspect.

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

I think a dual pass may be more elegant with both hoses coming into one side, but not knowing what was inside the dual pass type I wanted to keep any internal restriction to a minimum (which on the strength of the previous posts will be a non issue)

Also I thought it might be problem putting two 1/2 right angle barbs on one end, ( straight barbs may be ok )

whatever the cooler is nice and chunky, and I think djam1 is onto a winner with the cooler type & mounting location, well protected, good airflow and not obstructing any other radiator . intercooler or condenser and nice & close to the existing Td5 cooler loop.

this seller has the Single Pass coolers eBay Australia: trans cooler (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251070212044'ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2564wt_893)


.

[djam1]

To be honest the reason I used a single pass cooler of only 12 inches is I intended to run it parallel to the engine.
Once I started playing I come up with the current idea, the cooler will get hot enough for you not to hold your hand on it so I presume it is doing some good.

[djam1]

For further reference on this thread I did some work on an R380 today and the oil pump is much better than I thought
https://www.dropbox.com/s/navucu8ax6mrgrz/photo.JPG
Well designed but small I think it would be more than capable of pumping syntrans through a cooler.

[goingbush]

Thanks Duane

Thats a chunky oil pump, Looks like a Falcon 6 cylinder engine oil pump.
You didnt happen to see where the thermostat was.

Rainman, I just found a link to the hose housing you need which should also fit a earlier R380
Land Rover Parts - 18: TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER THERMOSTAT & HOSE HOUSING - R380 MANUAL GEARBOX (http://www.roverparts.com.au/inc/sdetail/14460)

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[djam1]

Don
No the box I was working on was a 2005 Defender box so it had no cooler

Duane