Subaru WRX CVT Transmission Cooler 2015+

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Mishimoto Subaru WRX CVT Transmission Cooler

For our third prototype unit for the CVT cooler, we decided to take a more traditional approach. We would place the cooler in a location that would guarantee airflow. The main concern was fitting our large 19-row cooler in a position that would not leave any space for other aftermarket components. First, we mocked-up the cooler and developed some basic brackets that would place the cooler in an angled position behind the upper grille area. Check out a few shots of the mounted cooler!

Prototype 3 cooler mounted

Prototype 3 cooler mounted

Prototype 3 cooler mounted

As you can see above,the cooler is mounted at a slight angle, with two brackets supporting the cooler from the upper mounting points. We added an additional bracket to one of the lower mounting points, which you will see in the renderings later in this blog.

During this product design

Interested in purchasing our WRX transmission cooler? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX CVT Transmission Cooler

After we witnessed reasonable performance gains with our first prototype, we decided to evaluate what we liked and didn't like with the design.

Pros

• Short line lengths
• Efficient cooling
• Compact design and packaging

Cons

• Did not achieve the temperature decreases we wanted to see
• Requires wiring of the electric fan
• Airflow was not as sufficient as it could be

This first design was efficient but not ideal for what we wanted out of the project. To obtain the desired cooling benefits, the addition of an electric fan was necessary. However, the fan would add complexity and wiring to the product, which we would like to avoid. So we hit the drawing board to work on a second design. We would attempt to keep the cooler in the same location; however, we would work to improve airflow through the cooler. Dan set about to fabricate a new scoop that would

Interested in purchasing our WRX transmission cooler? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Subaru WRX CVT Transmission Cooler

Welcome back! The quest for low transmission fluid temperatures continues. Once we developed our goals and plan of action for this project, our engineering team went to work, grinding, welding, bending, and cutting. Our first prototype design was quite unique. We mounted one of our 19-row, stacked-plate fluid coolers next to the liquid-to-liquid transfer unit. This is the same location as the turbocharger on the previous generation of EJ engines. Check out the beginning of the mock-up below!

Prototype 1 mock-up

The primary concern with this location is airflow. This cooler utilizes external fins to promote the exchange of heat with the liquid running through the cooler. Without airflow, the effectiveness of this cooler is significantly diminished. The primary benefit of this location is packaging. Our lines will be short, which will alleviate