Hi Guys,
in preparation for my transmission upgrades, I was trying to determine if I already had a tranny cooler on my truck. It appears I do, right in front of the radiator. There is a cooling device with an inlet & outlet connecting aluminized tubing. I can see it through the front bumper. Is this the stock tranny cooler?

If so, I was wanting to upgrade to a fan equipped unit. Would I need to install the new cooler in place of the stock cooler?

Thanks in advance.
- Jay

 

There's a power steering cooler on the drivers side. If you have the tranny cooler, it should be on the passenger side, in front of the A/C condenser.

You can also follow the transmission return line and see where it goes. The return line is the bottom line, exiting the radiator.

 

Don't know what truck you have, but, If there are two coolers, the one on the drivers side is a cooler for the power steering and the one on the passenger side is for the tranny. If you only have one cooler on the driver side its for the power steering. In my opinion it would be a good thing to replace the stock tranny cooler with an after market unit of larger capacity.

 

Thanks guys.. Do people replace these or install additional coolers?

 

i know to allow it the fluid to pass through the stock radiator first then through the outside cooler i,m installing. my question is this; which line on the radiator is the supply and return. i was going to tie a rag around both and crank the engine and trans. for a second and see which one pumped oil out. but if some one can tell me which one it is,it will sure save me some unnecessary work...Thanks

 

HI!... The "TOP" line to the rad is coming from the tranny and the "BOTTOM" line is the return line to the tranny. I replaced the stock "CRAP" tranny cooler with a very large PERMA-COOL 10" X 14" aluminum cooler with a 10" electric fan mounted to it. Here's a pic of just the cooler.

https://www.f150online.com/galleries...4-793-7167.jpg

 

i,m going with a hayden...one size up for what they call for...should help with this heat

 

TexforD / f150intally,
I started with the factory "Super Cooling" package, that includes the extra plate and frame trans cooler on the passenger side. In the AZ heat, I found it inadequate, >190F with the truck empty!

I then tried the Hayden 10x10 plate and frame. It was better, but only a 15F drop.

I then got my hands on a large (~12x18) cooler from a 200 F250SD. Now the trans rarely sees 180F: Usually when I'm putting the boat or the flatbed away & have to maeuver a lot. Last weekend, moving my brother (70 cougar & truck bed full of the last of the crap), the trans ran about 165F in city driving, 150F on the freeway.

Look up previous posts, by my id for more details.

Hope this helps.

Tony

 

When replacing the OE cooler with an aftermarket do I need to watch what types of fiitings are on the cooler? I know Ford likes to use special connectors and need to know if I would have to buy a hardware adapter type kit.
Second is the stock brackety strong enough to hold a large cooler? What about a large cooler and fan combo like Neal talks about? Just figured it might need a little extra support.
Thanks guys.

 

KYFordFreak,
1) There are aftermarket fittings available from Hayden (available at Pep Boys & others) that adapt the OEM fittings to hose barbs. Mine have been installed for over 2 years now w/out failure.
2) I have all the tools & made my own brakets. I would not try to reuse the factory bracket, as you suspect, it may not support the larger cooler.

I have the first hayden cooler out of the truck, in favor of the SD 250 cooler.

Whe I get home, I'll take pictures & post them for both coolers.

Tony

 

F150Tony
Thanks for the help. Is the SD cooler that much better than a aftermarket unit, maybe that's what I should get. Did you buys yours new or salvaged and how much was it? I imagine that way you wouldn't have to convert over any fittings.
I knew there were kits out there but I am not for sure what kit I needed or what kind and size the OE fittings were.

 

KYFordFreak,
I got mine free from a freind at a salvage yard. Due to the dimensions and location of the larger cooper, you will need to convert the fittings for it.

The SD cooler I have measures ~12" tall, ~20" wide, ~1.5" thick.

Had to work late last night...couldn't post any pic's. I'll get to it over the weekend.

Tony

 

Thanks for the help, I'll be waiting for the pics but take your time I'm in no rush.
I'll think about trying to find one of those SD coolers, I'll call some slavage yards. I can get a large 30000lb cooler from work for under $50, so a SD will need to be cheaper to compete. I also looked in Summit last night at there fan equipped units. Seems like a nice idea but is a fan really needed, I don't think so. I mean if I do two main electric fans then a cooler fan there's not much juice left over for lights or a stereo upgrades without a bigger ALT.

 

KYFordFreak,
What I found is that just because a Co. says the cooler is good to 30000lb, doesn't mean it is true. Their ratings are generic, and not specifically applicable to your vehicle or towing needs. My opinion: You would be better off with the SD cooler, than the Hayden. I don't have anything against Hayden, their products are fine. Don't be afariad to spend more money for the SD cooler. Do it right the first time. In my experience, it is the best solution. Generally, my trans runs 50-60F over ambient temp. i.e. when outseide temps are 115, the trans runs 165-175F, whether I'm empty or towing 8000lb!

Anyway, here are some of thepics I've got to let the wife get on the PC & do some reseach....More photos of the Hayden & the SD cooler will be posted tomorrow night.

Tony

 

f150tony
Thanks for the great pics on the Hayden unit. I see now that your Hayden unit had a electric fan installed on the Hayden. I can't beleive that it only produced a 15F drop, I know your in AZ, but still.
So is the SD cooler you have fan equipped as well, if not then that SD cooler is one good unit. That thing must take up at least half of the condensor. Is there such a thing as over cooling the tranny? I mean I'm sure it needs to reach a certain temp to work right. It does get down below 0F here in the winters but as hot as 120 with the heat index in summers. That's some good looking braket work too, I can rig a few things but I do not have a decent welder or the stock to create what you have there. That part I will work on when I get closer to installing it.
I took a look at the two biggest and best units at work today and thought the same thing. My thought was damn this thing looks small and thin to be rated for 30,000lb(tube and fin type), then the biggest stacked plate one we have is like 11 3/4 by 11 and rated for like 22-25K lb. Both had jsut standard 3/8 type slip on hose fittings. Then they do list the seperate Ford install kits.
I then looked at fordpartsonline at the 00 F250SD cooler, I didn't find specs but you can tell me if I'm looking at the right thing and if those brackets will work or if they need to be chopped of somehow. It's about double than just a regular cooler or about the same as a regular cooler with a fan. Why would they list a cheaper one for the 7.3 PSD than the 5.4 or 6.8 gasser's, $94.30 vs $88.54
Here's the link to the listings:
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...&siteid=213671
Direct link to schematic:
http://www.trademotion.com/schematic.../M/Me99150.gif
Once again thanks for the pics. Sorry about this, I need to just stop bothering you. I get to into this whole truck thing and do way too much research before I do anything. So far it's payed off good.