This article describes an experimental investigation to study the effect of guide vanes on the heat transfer coefficient over the unfinned frame of an externally cooled induction motor. Guide vanes with various heights and spacings have been tested. In general, the guide vanes modify the air flow over the frame, hence increasing the heat transfer coefficient. An optimum heat transfer case is found, for which the average heat transfer coefficient is 70% higher than for the case without guide vanes. The velocity distributions of the air flow are measured for comparison with the heat transfer coefficient fields. The location of the terminal box is optimized, resulting in a 1° drop in the average temperature rise of the coil motor. Finally, the results of this research are applied to a real induction motor and its average coil temperature becomes 9° lower than that of a commercial motor.