Is This the Tranny Cooler?
 

Hey Folks -

In front of my radiator, on the passenger side, is a smaller device...looks like a small radiator. It has some numbers on top of it: 703-4524, then F4TH-7A095-FA below that. I tried keying this into a Ford parts website, but came up empty. I think this may be a transmission fluid cooler, but would like the definitive answer from those who know. So, is it a tranny cooler?

The info on the truck is in my sig line below. It has a 4R70W transmission.

Thanks!

pass side near the top..i'd say yes it is..if there's one same place drivers side then thats the oil cooler and the little one drivers side low is for the power steering...zap!

The best way is to go to the passenger's side of the transmission and follow the cooler lines. If they go to that cooler, then it's the trans cooler.

It is near the top, passenger side of the radiator. I suppose I could follow the "plumbing" and see where it goes. It looks like it has 2 lines attached to the bottom - which I assume would be in and out fluid lines.

I plan on pulling a small popup camper with the truck and a tranny cooler, while not required for such a small towing application, would be a nice little advantage. This is especially true on a truck with so many miles and still running the original tranny.

Casey - don't the fluid lines also go through the main radiator as well as the tranny cooler. At least, that's what I have picked up from studying this topic on this forum. Although there is some swirl about whether the main radiator should be bypassed and the fluid sent only to the tranny cooler. If it goes to the main radiator, then I may have a little trouble ID-ing the lines.

Thanks,
John

The lines will go to the radiator. They are there to cool the trans, not heat it, so don't bypass the radiator.

You should have no problem following the lines to the radiator and then on to the cooler.

The feed line runs from the tranny to the radiator cooler inlet, then you have a line from the radiator cooler outlet to the external transmission cooler and finally the return line from the external trans cooler back to the tranny.

Even if your not towing a pop-up, a trans cooler will extend the life of the trans, in any vehicle. See the chart below for the expected life/milage a tranny will get from different temps.
http://www.txchange.com/heatchrt.jpg

My Dakota temp is 140F without towing, and run about 180-190 while towing. I have a HUGE trans cooler on it.

Jim -

Thanks for the handy chart! Do you have a temp gauge permanently installed on the Dakota? I wonder how much those cost to install? I have seen some pillar mounted guages, and have wondered how much $$$ and how to install them.

Thanks!
John