do all f150s have transmission coolers cause today i looked under my f150 and i saw a little radiator type thing with lines runnig to it from near the transmission, and its in front of the engine radiator so i guess tht is a transmission cooler. i never new it had one but its good cause i tow a camper and boat and drive on the beach. but can anyone verify for me tht is a tranny cooler.

 

There is a good possibility you have 2 coolers, as my 01 had. If looking underneath from the front and you see a cooler, it is the power steering cooler. If looking after opening up the hood, but in front of the radiator, that would be the transmission cooler.

 

Yes, your truck should have a tranny cooler. It is on the right side in front of the radiator as you mentioned. The lines run down the right side of the motor to the tranny.

Over on the left how ever, there is also a smaller radiator looking item. This is the power steering cooler. It is much much smaller. Trucks without a tranny cooler still have this, so you should see both.

Don't get too excited about that cooler...it is very inefficient except during the simplest of jobs. It does a good job of keeping operating temps where they should be under normal conditions, but that's about it.

On a side note...just reading your signature there, if you plan on getting 33" tires, you absolutely need to budget at the same time for new gears. 33's with those 3.31 gears will suck butt trying to tow ANYTHING.

 

thanks guys but i only see one cooller and its on the drivers side in front of the radiator, is this the tranny or power sterrin? and yea i know what u mean about the 3.31s with 33s i will upgrade the gears problyt to 4.10s or 4.56 and posi in the rear cause ill be able to do it all my self once i become a mechanic

 

Your tranny only has a cooler in the radiator because you don't have the factory towing package. The 3.31 gears were only available without the towing package, and your max tow rating is very low, probably around 3000# or so. If you are going to tow anything bigger than a utility trailer, you need a frame mounted hitch, another tranny cooler, and better gears.

 

yea i have a frame mounted hitch and i only tow a pop up camper tht is about 2500#s and a bass tracker thts about 1500#s but any way the truck gets the job done with no issues. it pulls them both fine. but we have pulled the camper on a 6 hour trip to myrtle beach and the truck was loaded down in the bed of the truck and the people inside and the truck barely squated. probly close to 4000#s tht trip and the truck did wonderfully and some of tht was stop and go due to traffic. i have never had problems with power on my truck. but i will change the gears eventually.

 

I would also add a tranny cooler. Get one from an F250 Super Duty (or something like it) and your trans will be way better off.

 

Any chance do those 2 lines run into some sort of module. ( 2 lines into what looks like a 2 inch by 2 inch by 1 inch alluminum block with 2 stainless lines leaving it.) or does this have someting to do with brake lines. Because mine are leaking at the fittings on this module block.

 

The module you are talking about is a thermostatic bypass. It puts most of the fluid straight back into the transmission without putting it through the cooler when the fluid temp is below the set point.

Try tightening the fittings on the lines to see if that stops the leaks.

Darrin

 

Thanks

 

I have a 2002 ford f-150 5.4 4x4 the tranny (i thought)went out on me but I let it set for a few minutes and it drove normal for about an 8th of a mile and went out again so it's just sitting behind my house and I go out and drive it one a week and it seems as soon as the fluid heats up it goes out again until it cools off then drives till warm again and so forth so does anyone know if it's my tranny or maybe a coolant or vacuum pressure I'm not a transmission expert by any means so if anyone has an idea please let me know thanks

 

G'Day guys, it's been a while since I put any posts up. I hope you are all well and enjoying your F trucks. I have a 2010 F150 Platinum with the tow haul mode. I see the transmission cooler goes to the radiator as well as to another small radiator mounted in front of the main radiator. This means the transmission cooler uses water. I thought they would be an oil type cooler. Has anyone had problems with water getting into the transmission? Would it be better to use a separate oil type cooler and if so what is recommended? Our Ford vehicles fitted with the ZF auto have had a lot of trouble with water getting onto the transmission.

 

well on my 04 f150 there's one lays on car radiator that's a ac condenser my tyranny cooler is in front on that and is 3times smaller

 

Per at least my 10th Gen '01 5.4 4x4; (3.31 gears?)
Ahead of the radiator is a smaller cooler on the left, (left is DRV's side,) for PS. On the Rt is an almost square one for the AT. Note, following hoses it also goes through the Lt side of the *radiator, (in series.) Yes, it* can help cool "too hot" 300+° ATF, a little bit, but it ALSO functions as an ATF warmer. These trannys do best w a medium temp. Cold or Hot is no good. The *radiator portion warms the tranny to "normal" via the ATF, quicker. Before you toss the main cooler, study up. There are a few types, and while the oem may look small, it is also the most air-to-fluid efficient type, due to fin and fluid passage style.

 

If your ATF is measuring at 300 degree Fahrenheit, something is wrong.


The idea of the radiator with ATF going through is that it's a heat exchanger. As 200 to 225 degree ATF is coming out of the transmission, the radiator fluid at 180 - 200, and the fan pulling heat away, helps to dissipate the heat and bring the ATF temperature down.

The truck has a cooler bypass valve. By the time the cooler bypass valve opens, the ATF is already at or above 180 degree Fahrenheit.

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