I recently purchased a 6300 GVWR travel trailer and I'm pulling it with my '00 F150 5.4L 4x4 Ext Cab - first question is do I need a tranny cooler (I think that will be a resounding yes, but I had to ask) and secondly, can anyone suggest one? I've looked around and I've seen "light", "medium" and "heavy" duty, as well as "passive" and "active" cooling units.

I'm planning a cross country trip this summer and I just wnat to cover all bases to ensure that we do not have any problems when traveling.

And while we are on the subject - what about oil coolers? And auxillary radiator fans?

Gas mileage is a concern, but I don't want to fry anything on the trip.

Thanks for any and all advice,
Mark

 

If you have an auto tranny then yes you need a cooler. I just put one on my 97 F150 last week. Before the cooler I would see temps of 120-125* with ambient temps of about 30*. After the cooler went on I was seeing temps of about 100* with same air conditions. This was just during normal driving. This last weekend I pulled an 18' trailer with an 86 Ranger on it, and while on the road the temps don't move off 125* with air temps up to 40-50*. I didn't pull the trailer previous to the cooler so I have no basis for comparison on pulling. While I was in stop and go traffic my temps got up around 150*-165*, but cooled back down after I got back on the road. I would strongly suggest the cooler and temp guage so you can watch the temps. I got both of those from summitracing.com. I got the B&M super racing cooler. Its a 28,000 GVWR cooler part number 70266. It helped me out ALOT, and with coolers usually the bigger the better. I wouldn't really worry about oil coolers or auxilliary fans too much unless you're going to be pulling through very hot areas on a regular basis.

 

I installed the very same one in my 97 and it fits the grill opening perfectly. I dont have a temperture gauge but just by touching the inbound /outbound lines last summer I was able to tell a noticeable difference.

Powerstroke, what kind of fittings and hardware did you use since this particular cooler does not include that stuff?

Here's a crappy pic from my gallery.

 

Do you have the towing package?

ALL auto trans vechicles have a transmission cooler. It runs through the engine radiator. Towing package (or adding it your self) adds the seperate cooler for the tranny.

Trans cooler is the KEY to long life. I put them on all my trucks even if I do not tow. It makes a world of difference with long life.

Check if you have the towing package or look behind or around your radiator. You may see a small radiator or 2. Mine also has a power steering cooler from the factory.

 

All 5.4 equiped F150's get an aux trans cooler. If you also get the "tow package", it's just a little bigger. No aux cooler on the 4.6 unless you get the "tow package".

 

I used fitting similar to what you have pictured. I use 5/16 flexible fuel line for the lines. I had a few leaks after it was installed, but I retightened the fittings and that stopped it for a while. Its got another leak somewhere. I need to recheck the fittings again. Trying to get wrenchs on them down at the bottom of the engine compartment isn't super easy so I think those are still a little loose.

 

Low and behold - there is a tranny cooler. I've been so busy looking around for mods, that I never really took the time to crawl around under the truck and see what was already there.

Now with my idiocy out in the open - is the stock cooler sufficient to cool the tranny while pulling a ~6000 lbs trailer? I also noticed that with the location of the cooler, it does not really seem to get a whole lot of air - would a air ducting system of some kind be beneficial? I was thinking that I could either by an aftermarket or fashion one that would focus the air coming thru the bumper hole directly on to the tranny cooler.

This is my first F150 and my first travel trailer - so I really want to make sure that I cover all bases to ensure trouble free travel.

Thanks,

 

Make sure that what you're looking at is not the power steering cooler. For a long time I thought that was a tranny cooler on my truck. I never bothered to trace the lines, but when I did I found out where they went and a week later I had a tranny cooler in there with it.

 

True, the p/s cooler is usually on the lower driver's side and the tranny cooler on the passenger side.

 

I have identified both the tranny cooler and the p/s cooler (they were easyt o distinguish b/c of size and the type of lines runing to them - the p/s cooler does not have fittings, only clamps).

But I'm still concerned about air folw around the tranny cooler.

 

Mark,

The stock cooler should be fine for a #6000 trailer IMO..... You really should get a tranny temp gauge just to be sure.... While you are at it, get a "real" water temp gauge too. I've got mine in a dual pod mount on the A piller. Those two gauges will tell you more about how your truck is doing then any of the other "idiot" gauges.

As far as the location of the cooler, you should be able to look through the opening in the bumper to the side of the license plate and clearly see the cooler. When you are moving, there will be pleanty of air going through that opening. At least that's the way it is on my '97.... An '00 might be a bit different however??

I was surprised that my tranny temps don't change a whole lot either running empty or towing.... For the most part, my tranny temps are in the 150* range. Most it's been was 180* on a 90* day. (again, empty or towing....)

 

I wish this was the case. I have a 98 F150 XLT 5.4 that has no auxillary transmission cooler. (It did come with a block heater though. ) I'm in the process of trying to remedy that situation. I purchased the lines to add the Ford aux unit. The problem I have is I think I got the wrong oil cooler. (XL3Z-7A095-CB) The fittings on the lines are too small to connect to the oil cooler. I need this thing back together and soon. I'm moving to AZ this coming week.

 

I went on a 3,200 mile trip this summer and my fuel mileage went from 18 at 70 mph with no trailer to 11 at 70 mph pulling a 5X10ft. enclosed trailer with a harley and a few odds and ends

 

No kidding. I have made this trek a couple of times. This time though, I'm not just traveling for work, I'm taking my Mustang on an 18' car hauler. So lets see......

2500 miles
$2.00 gallon
10 miles/gallon
25 gallon tank
=
10 tanks
$500.00

I believe last time I drove from Phoenix to Syracuse, it cost around $350.00. That was in 2000 and no trailer. Deffinitly going to have to keep my foot out of it this time too.