Engine Oil and Transmission Fluid Combination Cooer for a 2006 Chevy Avalanche

Question:

Hello, I just purchased a 2006 Chevy Avalanche and plan to tow a small/medium travel trailer with it. I am interested in cooling my engine oil as well as my trans oil. I am leaning toward a Derale dual fluid cooler with a fan that may be mounted in an area other than in front of the radiator. I need some help with regard to the following: Can I install a thermostatic switch on the fan? If I can, would it be better to use Trans temp or oil temp? Which switch unit would you recommend? Is there a unit other than Derale that you might recommend? While the main target here is to make towing a safer bet for the motor and trans, I am just looking to extend the life of my drivetrain during everyday driving. Thanks in advance for any information you can offer.

asked by: Jim D

Expert Reply:

for a remote combination oil and transmission fluid cooler I recommend # D15230. You will also need installation kit # D13006 and oil cooler kit # D15752. This is a thermostatic oil cooler kit so the thermostat will be associated with the engine oil temperature and it will activate once the temperature reaches 180 degrees so it will be perfect for your application.

To make installation of the transmission cooler part I recommend adding fitting # D13035 for the 5.3 liter motor or # D13018 for the 8.1 liter motor. The fittings allow you to avoid having to cut and flare metal transmission lines.

Derale makes good stuff so I would not recommend something over them for this application.