Volvo Penta MS4A

WhisperQuiet

Recruit
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
3
My ms4a transmission has an oil cooler that is no longer made and not one can be found to replacing it , I have it at a very skilled and experienced shop and they tell me because it was fluted together or crimped it can not be repaired or soldered, he has offered to sell me a different Trans ms4a together for 800 $ but this is a budget build and I'm looking for someone who might have been through the same situation , also my idea is to delete the internal cooler and use a remote cooler have it draw from the drain and input through the fill ? Using a 12 v gear pump and maybe a smaller water cooler that draws through the sea water system, hoping to build for under 400 $ , can someone tell me if I'm out to lunch or if this sounds like a good idea
 

Saline Marina

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
162
Whats exactly wrong with it? Leaking?

Its not out of the question to use something like a shell and tube heat exchanger (GM has a radiator end-tank trans cooler in the RH plastic endcap of most trucks that have a HD cooling package which is a similar concept but long and flat and not circular, oil flows thru it slowly and coolant circulates around it, a reverse of the VP design) The bigger problem as I see is how to arrive at the expected heat transfer and the required flows. You have to be really careful with external oil lines as a leak there can ruin the day by pumping out all the lube unexpectedly. A leak can also happen internally and cause havoc as well. You are embarking on sort of an engineering development project to monitor temperatures and play with pump speeds or restrictor orifices (or a ball valve opening). It might be worth looking at someone like Modine who I think still has a heat exchanger division, they made some automotive oil coolers along the way.
 
Last edited:

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
17,923
No Title

They've been using external oil coolers for years.
The PS pumps and the trans have external coolers.
 

Attachments

  • photo211028.jpg
    photo211028.jpg
    11.6 KB · Views: 0

WhisperQuiet

Recruit
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
3
The oil cooler was leaking and contaminating the oil , Seaman you seem to be right on point with the concerns I'm having also troubles like having no oil galley maybe a small remote sump with a heater ? I'm going to take your advice and look at Modine maybe there is an easy solution from them ,
Thank you for the insight.
 
Top