I am interested in a trans cooler for 02 F250 SDCC V10 to help with towing. i have been searching and reading and I see allot about the 6.0 ford cooler but why it????

1:Is it a direct bolt in for my truck?

2:Is it hard line plumbed?

3: is it that much better than say a tru cool or other aftermarket unit?

help me understand why? and justify the larger cost.

thanks for your feedback,

 

1: Pretty much a direct bolt in, here is a write-up that is better explained. https://b7445ba3-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites....attredirects=0

2: See write-up

3: The Tru-cool Max, and the Derale actually have pretty good recommendations as well, but are not as bolt in as a 6.0 cooler. You have to be careful about the flow on other aftermarket ones, as they may restrict the flow more than not adding a cooler at all.

Even though the v-10 cooler is larger than the 7.3 the 6.0 cooler is enormous in comparison.

 

picture for reference

 

I as well wondered about the aftermarket coolers compared to the 6.0 cooler.

Also isn't the trans cooler mounted between the radiator and AC condenser? When/if I do a upgrade I would like to move it up front.

 

Mark highly recommends the 6.0 cooler. I'm planning on doing something too, just comes down to $$.

Currently I'm running from the trans to the radiator, then to a Tru-cool 40k (in the grill), and back to the trans. The stock 7.3 cooler has been taken out of service by the PO due to contamination. I'd like to install a 6.0 cooler in it's place.

 

Your AC won't be as cool then if you do that.

 

But by how much? I have never needed MAX AC yet, if I lost a few degrees because of the trans cooler I wouldn't notice.

 

Even if you wouldn't notice the difference you would be reducing the efficiency of the system. You would run your A/C longer for the same temp drop and that would cost gas. Probably not enough to notice on a tank to tank basis, but it adds up. Why would you want to? You don't want the trans as cold as possible, but as close to optimal temp as you can get. Not sure exactly what that is, but IIRC it's around 170-200°.

 

I disagreed on that one. Tran shop mount on front top by hood since I request.

I remove old one that was on bottom so more air flow that one.

Mileage never change maybe improve little due fan reduce spin due bottom more air flow.

AC still blow like ice with nearby 230K miles now.

 

If I got a trans cooler and did mount it before the AC I would leave a good gap between the two so air flow threw the AC wouldn't be "blocked off".

Plus I did the 05-07 upgrade of bigger grill so that should make up for the air flow.

 

That will prevent the engine fan from drawing any air through the trans cooler.

Why do you people think you can engineer this system better than people that do it for a living? And test, test, test, collect data, analyze data, revise and retest, etc.

 

Well if the people who are engineering the system for a living are like the people who engineered the 6.0l engine oil cooler/egr cooler system, then yes I would say some one else could do better.

I'm sure the Bullet proof diesel egr cooler and engine oil cooler system that they developed was started by some truck owner who wasn't satisfied with taking the mainstream answers and approaches to the problem.

Simply changing the cooler for a different one without imperical data or a phyisical problem with fluid temperature, or repositioning the cooler, might be a waste of engery and time. If you're stock cooler has failed, your tranny is over heating then yes I would recomend upgrading. Before you did that though, I would recomend a tranny temp gauge that actually shows a temp value, instead of a cold to hot range. That way you can determine an actual value to the hopeful gains from this mod.

 

If the thin trans cooler is out in front of all the other cooler the air will just flow threw it when at speed. Much like an intercooler on a car.

Mark I know you know more on the transmission cooling system in these trucks than any of us. But if it was tried and tested over and over again why did the 7.3 get an undersized inadequate cooler? Why do ford gas engines still get 1960's taper seat plugs? Why did the 6.0 fail so bad? If all this stuff was tested to the extremes all fords should be problem free for the first 200K miles. But thats not the case. While working on vehicles I see over and over and over again engineering fails. Engineers aren't "all knowing gods", I know because I know engineers.


Recalls and TSB's ARE engineering fails.

 

Within the company not all decisions are made by Engineers alone. Accounting, purchasing, and marketing all have influence that, at times, restricts what engineers have to work with. Maybe the reason the 7.3L diesel got the inadequate cooler was because accounting or purchasing did not want the additional cost. They may even have received a bonus for cutting cost. The use of that cooler did not make it not driveable, just not as durable as if you put the V10 cooler. Not putting in the drain plug for the torque convertor was probably an accounting decision to save a buck or two in parts and labor on each vehicle.

 

Oh I know all this as well. I was just replying to Marks reply of "why mess around with stuff that has been tested and proven". I didn't want to get into the whole mountain of people that are involved. I was trying to state that tested or not EVERYTHING can be improved.