B&M 70274 cooler into 5th gen (with 4L80)

[DietCoke]

Basic install of trans cooler into my car, with all braided -6AN lines. This is to my 4L80, but the cooler to a factory 6L80 is the same install, the lines just go to a different place on the transmission. The install can be just as easily done with an engine/transmission installed, but having them out helps with the clarity of my photos for the guide/walkthrough.

These are all summit racing part numbers you need, and are the same whether you have a 6L80 or a 4L80. This install completely deletes the factory trans cooler/heater, no it is NOT better to run them both. This is the proper way to put a trans cooler into a 5th gen, not some barb-ended rubber hosed bullshit.

AER-FBM4412 -06AN FITTING-BLACK * 2ea (6 AN Hose to Trans cooler)
AER-FBM4422 -06AN FITTING 45 DEG BLACK * 2ea (6 AN Hose to Trans)
AER-FBM5013 -06AN ADAPTER BLACK * 2ea (Adapter to 6AN for cooler)
RUS-640520 TRANSMISSION FITTINGS PAIR * 1ea (Trans case to 6AN, 2 included in box)
BMM-70274 SUPERCOOLER (Cooler)
SUM-230620 S.S. HOSE -6AN 20FT (20 feet of stainless braided -6an hose)

Alright, today's work was mounting the transmission cooler and running the braided transmission lines in such a way that they will never be in the way of anything, and arent cluttering up the engine bay. Thankfully, the camaro has heat shields in ideal locations to make this possible, and I took lots of pictures of the process.

These are the holes I will be using to mount the trans cooler. They're threaded already (but unused), and it seemed like the ideal spot to put the trans cooler as it will see airflow from both the upper grille, and the lower grille.

One bolt in, as you can see, the holes that come in the cooler dont necessarily line up with these two holes on the chassis.

That's fine, just drill a hole in the mounting flange in the right spot (cooler metal is very soft and easy to drill)

And mounted with both bolts, with rubber washers behind.

What it looks like from a few feet back, you can see how it gets airflow from the upper grille, and really appreciate just how big it is.


Assembling the -6 AN hose. A lot of people are intimidated by stainless braid and making hoses. It is VERY simple. The fittings unscrew, as seen here. Slide the braided part into the fitting end, as far as it will go. Use silicone lube/grease (same grease you use on suspension parts) to assist in sliding the hose into the -AN fitting end. also use grease on the threads, and other part of the fitting. The grease helps everything go together nicely, and will make sure you don't gall any of the threads on the fittings.

The -AN end on the hose


Once you get the hose all the way into the end, you screw the male end into the end. You'll need two wrenches (3/4 and 11/16, or 3/4 and 3/4 depending on which fitting you're doing). Screw it in until it is flush and tight.

Tada, you've done your first end

At this point, you'll have one -AN fitting on the hose, and 20 feet of hose hanging off of it. (Well, that's how I did it because I had to start from scratch, but you can save time and use my measurements if you'd like.)
I put the end onto the far side of the trans cooler, with all the hose hanging off of it, so I could run the line, and see where I needed to cut it

A view from the bottom side of the trans cooler

I sat the radiator in place, to see how I could possible run the hose to the back of the car. Thankfully, there's a cutout in the lower radiator shroud which just happens to be the PERFECT size for two -6an transmission lines.

This is a rough idea of how I wanted to run the lines. Along the frame rail, close to the wiring harness, where they can tuck behind the head shield (pulled up in this photo) and be 95% hidden and completely out of the way.

I mocked up the trans (not pictured) and measured where I needed to cut the lines under the tunnel, to have the proper length.

But how do you cut braided lines? Not with cutters, lest you fray your stainless braid and try for hours to get the ends onto the cut hose. You use a large (3lb) sledgehammer or deadblow hammer and a chisel, or any large tool, and a chisel. I didn't have a large hammer handy, but I had a four pound brass pipe wrench, which functions just as well as a sledge, if not as sophisticated

Put the chisel where you want to cut the hose, and tap it a few times lightly, this will flatten the braid and hose. You have to use a hard surface that has no give. A metal block, vise, bench is preferred, but I don't have that in my garage. I used the concrete floor, works just as well.

This is the type of CLEAN cut a chisel and hammer gets you. Zero frays

Now that I cut the first line, I put the angle fitting on the transmission side of the line to fully assemble line #1. I then removed it from the car/trans cooler, and laid the remaining line next to it. The second line needs to be roughly 5-6 inches shorter then the first line, because it has roughly 5-6 inches less to travel (left vs right side output on the trans cooler). I laid the lines side by side, and trimmed the second line to 6 inches shorter, with the hammer/chisel.
The long line is 88 inches, the short line is 82 inches, not counting the fittings on the end. You can cut to these lengths beforehand to save yourself a lot of measuring, which I've done on my end already.

And just like that, you now have your burst and leak-proof transmission cooler lines. Doesnt this look better and sturdier then a shitty rubber hose, barb, and hose clamp?

I ran both lines into the engine bay through the lower radiator shroud pictured earlier. Here is what they look like with the heat shield reinstalled, completely out of the way. I also have the heater hoses behind the heat shield, for an extra clean engine bay.

The hoses come out just above the rear heat shield bolt.

And they go this far back into the tunnel, right in front of where the transmission cooler holes are, in an early 4L80e.

And finally, what it looks like behind the front bumper through the upper and lower grilles (finished)



If you have a late-core 4L80e or a 6L80e, your line lengths will be different then mine (slightly longer). The early 4L80 cases have the cooler lines at the front of the case, instead of split like the later 4L80 cases. Since the early core cases fit better because of the cooler line locations, going with an early case is a no brainer.

All I have left to do is make some supports for the lower mount on the trans cooler, I'll probably use/bend some cheap steel straps from home depot or walmart, and use those. Its not 100% necessary, but it will add extra strength and robustness to the cooler mounting. Hopefully this guide helps someone out there.

[acowherd]

Great write up!! This is going to be very useful in many 4l80 swaps!

[Kenji]

Looks great!

One thing that I would caution you on is the hard mounting to the chassis. These coolers are brazed together. Vibrations and hard jolts through the frame can cause the cooler to prematurely start to crack and eventually fail over time. Just like the radiator which is "soft mounted" (for the exact same reason)... you should try and do the same with the B&M cooler. Maybe some thick rubber pads between the chassis and the cooler. And then place some large washers at the head of the bolts and some thick rubber pads between the cooler and washers.

[DietCoke]

There are 1/4" rubber washers behind the cooler, you can't see them in the photos

[The Blue Ox]

Good write up and pics DietCoke! Going to be checking into this! Thanks for Sharing!

[rdono]

B&M strongly suggest not mounting cooler with fittings on the bottom due to possible air lock issues. FYI

[IneedAZ]

Originally Posted by rdono

B&M strongly suggest not mounting cooler with fittings on the bottom due to possible air lock issues. FYI

True, i had mine that way for a short time and it ran hot a couple times and realized my issue. Now its turned with the fittings to the side and has been ok since.

[UNRIVALED SS]

Great write up! Let me run something by you for an opinion or idea. I would like to mount a trans cooler with independent fan remotely, away from the front of the car. I have enough things up there trying to cool as it is. My question is. Based on what you know about the underside of the vehicle . Where might be a good spot to tuck that cooler away from other sources if heat and possible damage. Thanks in advance for thoughts and ideas