Guys, the Fluidyne is the best one I seen out there like F-trucks said. I got the same one with tranny temp hooked up in the Autometer pod. The tempature never reach past 140 after 4 hours of driving IN THE CITY. I thought something was wrong with the sender and I took it apart and dip it in boiling water and it shot past 250 in a second. So the 140 reading was accurate. It will keep the tranny fluid cool for real and you won't regret it. Get it at Autozone. steve

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1997 XLT Supercab emerald green,4.6 auto superchip, MSD 8.5 wires and Bosch plat4 plugs, rear dual exhaust, Atlas wheels w HP 275/60/17 tires, P/F Z pads, Lund steps and quarter window shades, Outland grille guard w KC daylighters (for sale cheap), piaa 1000 in bumpers openings, Trenz billet grille, edlebrock ISA shocks, Powerslider, stainless steel fender trim, Fluidyne tranny cooler, Airaid kit, Gentex electronic compass dimming mirror,Downey SST tonneau cover(for sale cheap),A.R.E. lid, Steeda sway bar(at least it doesn't make noises like the Hellwig), newly installed B&M cast aluminum xtra 3 qt tranny pan, Firestone Sport-Rite airbags system with remote pressure gauge mounted on Autometer dual pod with Autometer tranny temp gauge. Just installed Ground Force 2/4 kit.

 

F-trucks...Go to www.uhaul.com/hitches/transmission_coolers.htm. The auxillary cooler is hooked in series with the factory cooler built into the radiator. In extremely cold weather the factory cooler helps the fluid warm up sooner, as the trucks gets up to full operating temperature it actually cools the hot transmission fluid leaving the transmission and the auxillary cooler cools it further. The factory cooler (nothing more than some tubes without fins) is located at the lower part of the radiator where the radiator coolant is coolest. Look at a truck from ford with the factory towing package and auxillary cooler. My 2000 is hooked in series with the one inside the radiator. The hot fluid coming from the transmission is directed into the top of the radiator on the drivers side, exits the bottom of the radiator on the drivers side, then routes through the auxillary cooler and returns to the transmission. The Ford engineers know what they are doing and use the same principle as shown on the Uhaul web page. B&M recommends on their installation instructions (I have a B&M Supercooler in front of me) quote " We recommend mounting your cooler in series with your present OEM cooler in the radiator tank. This method utilizes the existing cooling system for maximum efficiency and complies with all new car warranties", end quote. I have never had a transmission problem with a vehicle hooked up in this fashion and wouldn't intentionally steer anyone wrong. Sorry for the long post but want to give a thorough answer.

[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-23-1999).]

[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-23-1999).]

[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-24-1999).]

 

Thank you to all that responded to my inquiry. I decided to go with the Fluidyne 18,000 lb, as a couple of you recommended (plus Autozone is right around the corner from me). Who me impulsive? You kidding! LOL! Haven't had a chance to put it in, yet. But, I'm pretty clear on install. Thanks again everyone. Have a good Turkey Day!

 

Sorry sport 2000? i am not saying you are trying to steer someone wrong! i was just going by what some old timers told me.I bypassed the radiator on mine and hooked it direct to the cooler. i do have a temp gauge on my tranny. the coldest morning yet we have had here was 28 degress. i let my truck run for about 10 minutes the tranny temp gauge was showing about 150 degress dont no what it will read when it gets below 0 but i am real happy with this temp and the tranny sure does shift a lot smoother now and then it did before! also when i tromp the accelaretor it felt like it had a little bit of slippage? but that is all gone now! i guess the only thing to do is go by the directions that comes with your cooler.

 

From my experience on cold days the water in the radiator is ice cold till the engine warms up completely and the thermostat opens to allow hot water into the radiator.
So as far as preheating the tranny fluid, it doesn't matter how it's hooked up because the water in the radiator is ice cold anyway.
In fact running it through the ice cold water probably would cool the tranny fluid more than anything.
BTW are tranny coolers helpful if no towing is involved ?

 

F-trucks....I'm sure it's not a big deal bypassing the factory radiator cooler, you can monitor your tranny temp since you have a gauge. I've never used a tranny temp guage and just feel more comfortable hooking an auxillary cooler in series like the factory does on their tow packages. I'm sure you're better off to have the auxillary cooler only rather than the factory radiator cooler only. I just know that all the factory towing packages I've seen run them both in series.
54regcab....If you were to never tow and drive easy, I'm sure the cooler built into the radiator would be okay. However, it's cheap insurance to add an auxillary cooler if your truck, or car for that matter, didn't come with a factory towing package. Heat is what kills over 90% of transmissions that have to be rebuilt. If you drive hard, even when not towing, dipping deep into that torque curve, you definitely can heat up a transmission in a hurry. I burned up a few automatics street racing back in the 60's & 70's before I learned my lesson. Now eveything I drive with an automatic will have an auxillary tranny cooler. It's easy on a truck, just order the towing package. Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-24-1999).]

 

Alright guys,

I looked this up just now. This is a direct copy of the Transmission Cooling section from the factory manual, pg.307-02-2:

"All vehicles with automatic transmissions are equiped with an intregal transmission cooler. The intregal transmisson fluid cooler is contained inside of the radiator outlet tank and cannot be repaired seperately. Some vehicles are equiped with an optional auxiliary transmission fluid cooler that is mounted in front of the radiator. In operation, transmission fluid travels from the transmission to the auxiliary transmission cooler, if equiped, to the intregal transmission cooler then back to the transmission...."

According to Ford the auxiliary (extra one) cooler should be first to recieve the hot fluid then the intregal (inside radiator one) second then back to the tranny. Comments?

One more thing. On the back of the radiator on the drivers side these two fluid lines go in and out. The top one is the return to transmission (cooled) one and the bottom one is the one coming from the transmission (hot) one. Is this right? hard to confirm in the manual just want to make sure I have it right.

[This message has been edited by cphilip (edited 11-25-1999).]

[This message has been edited by cphilip (edited 11-25-1999).]

 

cphilip...I just went out to my truck and checked. I couldn't tell which line coming out of the transmission was fluid out and which was fluid in. So I started the truck with the engine cold, one line started to warm immediately (fluid out line). The fluid out line routed to the top of the radiator drivers side. The line out of the bottom of the radiator drivers side routed to the auxillary cooler then back to the transmission. So, at least on my truck, the fluid goes from transmission, to radiator, to auxillary cooler, back to transmission.




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Mine: 2000 F-150 4X2 XLT Sport Pkg, Ext Cab Flareside (Black Clearcoat w/dark graphite interior), 5.4L, Auto, 3.55 Limited Slip, Remote Keyless Entry, Trailer Towing Group, 40/60 Pwr Seat, Autolamp, Premium AM/FM W/CD.

Hers: 1999 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4X2, 5.0L, Auto, Tropic Green/Tan, Trailer Tow, 3.73 Limited Slip, AM/FM/Cassette/CD, CD Changer, Remote Keyless, Power moonroof, Autolamp, Electronic Air, Keyless Entry Pad, Mach Audio System, HomeLink, Overhead Console, Rear Air & Stereo, 16" factory polished aluminum wheels.

Toy: 1997 Harley Davidson, Springer Heritage.

 

Interesting test and thanks. But are you sure the fluid that was warmed was not so because it was being warmed by the radiator? If you did not run (shift and such) and use the tranny this might be the case? This would be consistent with the need to warm the tranny fluid some for good operating temp. in cold weather. I am begining to think it needs to be kept to some minimum operating temp at least and excessive cooling would be a problem. maybe not as much as excessive heat but still a problem none the less. Anyone know what the "optimum" fluid temp should be?

 

cphilip...Had to be the fluid out line. It was only a matter of seconds and the thermostat didn't have time to open meaning the radiator coolant would have still been cold.
P.S. I have installation instructions from a B&M Supercooler. It says to run the fluid through the radiator, then the auxillary cooler and back to the transmission. It also says to check for which line is which by using the method I used. I can fax these instructions to you or scan them to a file and e-mail them to you if you give me your e-mail address.

[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-26-1999).]

 

I am really confused now! Ho Boy. Well all I can do is scratch my head now. Seems to contradict the manuals logic and mine as well. Hmmmmm? Well... wait a minute, yours already has the factory auxiliary cooler right? Mine does not. So maybe I should duplicate this test and see if it is due to that. Crazy but worth a try huh? Mine is hot from running now but I will try it and post.

[This message has been edited by cphilip (edited 11-26-1999).]

 

cphilip...Yes my truck has a factory tow package with factory auxillary cooler. The instructions from the B&M Supercooler I was referring to was from a truck I installed a cooler on a few years ago.
Do you want me to e-mail the install instructions to you?

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Mine: 2000 F-150 4X2 XLT Sport Pkg, Ext Cab Flareside (Black Clearcoat w/dark graphite interior), 5.4L, Auto, 3.55 Limited Slip, Remote Keyless Entry, Trailer Towing Group, 40/60 Pwr Seat, Autolamp, Premium AM/FM W/CD.

Hers: 1999 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4X2, 5.0L, Auto, Tropic Green/Tan, Trailer Tow, 3.73 Limited Slip, AM/FM/Cassette/CD, CD Changer, Remote Keyless, Power moonroof, Autolamp, Electronic Air, Keyless Entry Pad, Mach Audio System, HomeLink, Overhead Console, Rear Air & Stereo, 16" factory polished aluminum wheels.

Toy: 1997 Harley Davidson, Springer Heritage.



[This message has been edited by SPORT2000 (edited 11-26-1999).]

 

If you did this from a cold start remember the water in the raditor is cold until the engine warms up and the thermostat opens.

 

54regcab...That's why I said of the two fluid lines coming from the transmission, the one that started to warm immediately was the fluid out line from the transmission. The other line coming from the auxillary cooler returning to the transmission warmed up much slower.

 

Ohh I see the light.