NaroEscape

I know there are not a lot of 914 racers on this site, but have any of you installed a transmission cooler on your car?

With nearly 300 rwhp to a stock 901 transmission, i really need a good way to cool the oil. I have a Tilton pump and a cooler, I'm just looking for ideas on how and where to install everything.

thoughts?? Better yet, pictures??

skl

I think most with big engines use a 915 gearbox flipped upside down don't they?? Always thougth the mainshaft couldn't take the power no matterhow "cool" the oil is… just a thought.

Matt Romanowski

Patrick Motorsports has a picture on their site. Looks like they add a spray port to the side cover and a couple to spray the gears themselves. You can pickup out of the drain.

NaroEscape

OK, I finally started the trans cooler project. I'll post pictures soon.
After consulting with just about every 914 guy that has a trans cooler on the planet, plus a few Nascar and Grand Am engineers and fabricators, I've decided on the simple approach: pull the oil out at the drain plug, go through a scavenge filter to a pump, out to a cooler, and back in at a newly tapped port above the R&P. Simple plumbing. clean design.

We mounted the cooler in the center at the rear bumper, behind the trans. Cut holes in the rear bumper to allow good air flow.

Oh, and we've installed a billet intermediate plate.

Pictures soon...I'm not at the shop today, possibly tomorrow...

skl

Taped a show on the Targa that was on Speed a while back- one of these days I 'll make the time to watch it. Looks like you haven't been for a couple years though so I won't see Huey…

NaroEscape

Yeah, we haven't been since 2007....money and time (not enough of either). Would like to go back again, though.
We're thinking of doing One Lap of America next year...

GTgears

Didn't see this thread the first time around, but how you are doing it is pretty much right in line with how we advise our customers to do it...

rsscotty

Something to look out for. Just did the same thing you are doing only to have gear lube vent out of the top vent fitting on the gearbox and get on the clutch. After two times.... and not wanting to clean the clutch again, we installed a clear vinyl hose to a breather tank in the rear trunk. All is well now.

NaroEscape

Yep, we ran the vent up into the trunk, just put a vent filter on it. Will see if it dumps oil into the trunk.

I can't upload a file from my iPad, Go here on 914world for pics of the beginning of the install and holes tapped in the trans

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.p...c=177277&st=20

racing916

Hey Bob,

I saw you posted this in the 914 forum about what gear oil to use. I have a 901 with a limited slip. I spoke with GT gears and he recommended swepco. I raced 6 races this year on the new box and it worked great. I need to install a tranny cooler like yours as near the end of a race I would have trouble catching a low gear (3rd) when the trans got hot. When it was cool there was no problem. I like your simple setup. Thanks for posting.

Steve

NaroEscape

Steve,
We ran just a standard cheap gear oil for the DE this weekend, just to make sure there were no leaks, the trans was working fine, etc. Good thing as I learned something.... if you do the whole cooler/pump thing, you MUST run the pump when you're on track. In order to fill the trans, cooling lines, pump and cooler, you have to overfill the trans with oil. So...if you don't run the pump, you have an overfilled case that spits oil out the vent...and all over the rear trunk of the car!! Learned that the hard way.

I suspect part of the problem is that standard oil tends to foam a lot, so when I go to synthetic, it should be better...but it seemed fine when we kept the pump on while on track.

racing916

Thanks for the info. Did you piece the setup together yourself or is that the Patrick motorpsorts kit? Thanks in advance!

NaroEscape

Pieced it together myself.
I had the cooler and pump, so we just worked the rest out for what fit.