360 Challenge Transmission Cooler Update

Wow! some nice handy work there mate, keep them pics and updates comin.

Cheers

 

Rob,

Good work... There are a couple of interesting pointers here for others interested in following a similar path..

The 360 Challenge factory fitted 16 Row Setrab oil cooler doesn't necessarily need to be located in the same position as on the 360 Challenge cars. Some people whom have removed their original unreliable factory oil cooler have re-relocated them to near the wheel well location. See pics of one that Hakankuy did (hope he doesn't mind me posting them here). Instead of trying to source an expensive Challenge part you can get something better and much less pricey, a 19 row Mocal cooler from uk.
Mocal Oil Coolers : Oil cooling products for automotive, aviation, marine and industrial applications.

Also the rear Lexan window from factory is originally manufactured from ClimaCool in Italy. There are a few manufacturers whom do equally good quality for less than 1/10th of the price of official dealers or by having to resort to going to Imola Racing whom I think also have silly prices to be honest. Plastics4Performance (again in the UK - We have a lot of racing and F1 going on here so it makes it easier to source good stuff and reasonable prices!)
Lexan Windows Webshop FERRARI - 360 - Lexan rear screen Lexan Windows Webshop

One of my friends got them to make him a version of this rear screen without the air scoop in it which makes it identical to a 360CS one then (minus the Ferrari tax). They will also do custom scoops/air vents if you wanted something similar to the Imola one, again for a tiny fraction of their pricing.

Cannot wait to see where you go next with your project! If you need any help sources parts let me know.
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Guys, thank you for this! If my oil intercooler ever goes I am thinking about converting to the challenge setup and was wondering about the fender location versus to the left or right side of the challenge grill. 360Trev, did they cut a hole in the rear gravel guard/fender with a screen for the oil cooler?

 

I was under the impression that the purpose of the Tx H\E was to heat the transmission oil as much as for cooling it. Is that definitely not the case?

 

Sheeze, you'd think with that location!

 

Mike, I don't believe its a requirement to accelerate cold start warm up of fluid. The Shell transmission oils are designed to work well from cold (from a viscosity point of view) as well as hot temps too so I don't see any reason why it would be required, obviously when warmer shifting quality improves and wear rates are reduced so its quite clever really (if it worked 100% reliably which it does not). Certainly warming up cycle times are reduces but its not an absolute requirement. The race cars don't do it because it was deemed a weak spot when driving the cars hard on a track.

The valves in the exhaust are another example which helps to warm up the engine oil quicker but many people get rid of them too with aftermarket exhausts with no real ill effects other than annoying the locals!

 

Curt, I'll ask. I believe they must have, need to check but isn't that location where the vented slats are for the air in the wheel well area?

 

360 Trev, I just checked my car, it seems in the photos it was mounted higher than the vented slats. When I look in the slats I see my tailpipes. In the pic it looks like he has that section removed. I would hate to cut the inner fender, but what a great modification ... I just may do it when my number comes up..

 

Oh ya, how about the cooler lines? any pics of how they were routed?

 

THINKFAST thanks for looking! 360Trev, I'd be inclined to do a smaller install modelling it after the oil cooler on the other side. Perhaps even with a relay driven fan that takes power in my euro from the rear fog lights.. You know when you think about it boxsters and caymen have a sealed transmission. Overheat would seem to be a bigger issue on the track at least than warmup. Thermal breakdown I presume.

Looks like routed to in front of airbox to tranny.

 

Hi there,
Thanks Trev for mentioning this project (actually 10 mm manifold spacers and cancelling the EGR system was his idea ()).
I wanted to cancel H/Exchanger because I really don't trust that system although I always kept cooling water 50/50 antifreezed and replaced that exchanger just 2 years ago just for pre-caution. It is defintely a ticking bomb.
Beyond that when electro thermostat lets the (open the valve) cooler water coming from front radiators above 82 celcius and closes at 79 in oem ( i ve changed my thermostat to 80/75 celcius one from BEHR brand from MB cars) that water firstly cools down the transmission oil and than the engine. I wanted to cool down engine directly.
Curt and Thinkfast asked for additional holes/vented slats; yes we added 2 original size slats to the upside and with that addition we have 4 vented slats above the level of exhaust tail pipe shield (part no 176 374). Rest of the holes on the fender below that shield belong to the exhaust tail pipe.And it is looking good and it is easy and cheapto change the guard gravel again to original one in the future.
We did not modify any chassis part (just opened 2 holes for screws for the supports of cooler). Although 19 rows fitted nicely I believe that 16 rows one will fit nicer.And matrix width is standart in that industry (235 mm) heights are changing depending on the number of rows (19=147, 16=124 mm) but I thought that I may want to install a electrofan on the cooler in the future and I went for 19 rows as it will be easy to install a fan on it.
And the cooling lines, as i did not go for Setrab cooler becaue of its cost and supply problem here we could not benefit from its OEM matching bonjo fitting advantage (22 M thread) so we produced new lines with one side bonjo OEM fitting (gearbox side) and other side 19 NPT 1/2 fitting. The lines passed between the removable frame and the air filter box easily and fixed to the frame with two clamps, far from the heat effect of exhausts. To be honest hardest job was producing the line/hoses again. the rest was simple.

 

Thank you! Hakankuy! Excellent information. I will be considering this mod for my replacement cooler... Job well done.

 

Thank you Hakankuy! Very interesting!

 

Any more updates on this would love to no more about it. Love everything about it

 

I don’t believe I would change the trans fluid heat exchanger on a street car. It takes my modena 20 min to warm up…. I’d hate to wait longer for trans temps and smooth shifting to begin.

 

So many cars don't have the heat exchange part. I would trust on driving normal to just bring Temps up. One less thing to go wrong