Well I got my Ford OE tranny cooler put on the H-D Supercrewzer yesterday at the dealer. Will be doing some towing soon and want to protect that thing. It was a leisurley drive home (about 20 miles) and when I arrived home I thought I would just check for leaks just to make sure. There were no leaks, but I just thought I'd check the surface temp of the SS supply/return lines. Let me tell you...those things were hotter than hell. You couldn't touch them for even a second! And this was just purring home on the freeway. That confirms to me that there IS substancial heat generated in these trannys. I would like to install a tranny temp gauge, but I don't really know were to connect sender.

Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Reid

 

Any other time I'd bust the tranny line loose coming out of the cooler, put in a T and sender, run the wire back to the cab. The sender typically goes to ground, and the increased resistance is what operates the gage. Since this is the first new vehicle I've had in 20 years, the technology has passed me by. I'd be curious...

 

How much was the stock Ford unit installed. I checked and the cost of the cooler itself was around $80. Lines were extra and they couldn't give me part numbers for the lines, they said it was bulk. Do you have the 70 or 100 tranny in your HD. Since my dealer was kind of jacking me around on the cooler I was considering an aftermarket unit.

 

Does a tranny cooler come with the truck or is it an aftermarket product that helps keep the transmission cooler for better shifting?

 

I recently installed a B&M supercooler on my 1999 Supercab 4x4. I have the 4R70W, which I also installed a B&M Shiftimprover kit, and changed the fluid to synthetic amsoil. The cooler i installed hangs down with the supplied brackets neatly; i feel it's better then poking holes through the radiator with the zip ties they also provide. I have checked several times by hand the temperature of those lines, and before the cooler, both are extremely hot. But leaving the B&M cooler, it is noticeably cooler. How much is a guess, but it is cooler. One problem, Fords unfortunately need a deep female flared fitting to make it a perfectly clean installation; which i couldn't find around here. So i pulled the fitting back and installed the reinforced rubber hose over the flared part of the transmission return line and put a clamp on that. So far, no problems with that. It cost me about 45 minutes time and around $50 bucks from Jegs.

*HEAT kills trasmissions more then any other item* KEEP IT KOOL

 

Thanks msujon71 going to have to look into that.

 

Yo PhillyRube, that is what I was anticipating doing. I guess I will come off of the "supply" side to the cooler with the tee, so I will have a pre-cooler indication of tranny-juice temps.

I would like to set-up a compliment of three gauges. Tranny Temp, Water Temp, and Oil Temp. I feel my OE in-dash gauge is sufficient and accurate enough for Oil Presssure. I plan on just keeping everything (gauges) electrical, and not go overboard with this. I know mechanical gauges are more accurate, but technology has come a long way. AutoMeter makes some nice elec. gauges. I need to do a little more homework as to where to tie into Radiator for water, and the engine block for oil.

If anyone has already done this.... let us hear from you.

 

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Irutt,

The cooler was $79.00 and the lines cost about $50.00.

I know what you mean about the bozos at the parts counter not wanting to give info. Have found many to be very lazy. Others are quite helpfull. I am assuming you meant over the phone.

I went there in person and tied the guy down untill he came-up with all the right parts for the job. Labor was right at $100.00.