I have a 93 f150 5.0 aod trans. I picked up a rad and a cooler from the junk yard yesterday. I was wondering if using the bottom line on the radiator would be the one I need? I was going to use some 3/8" rubber hose and come off the hard line on the bottom, through the cooler and then back to the bottom of the rad. Sound correct?

 

Just found out the rad I picked up was the HD cooling package? My rad was about 1" thick and the new to me rad is about 2" thick. I didn't install the cooler because I want to get a barb fitting instead of cutting the factory hard line.

 

I'd find a way to flush the trans cooler before hooking it up. For all you know the truck it came from cooked the fluid or the torque convertor blew up and sent crap all through the system. Be careful. I'd go from the trans to the radiator, then the external cooler and back to the trans. Then the fluid has been cooled before returning to the pan.

 

I think thats the way it's supposed to be, fluid goes through the rad first, then the aux cooler. The directions that come with a new aux cooler will tell you. (download from manufacures' site?)
To tell which way it flows you could start it for a second with the line disconnected. Obviously you could make a big mess doing this if you dont attach some hoses and route to a drain/catch pan.

 

I already flushed the rad and cooler out and they were both very clean. I need to know which line is the return to the trans. I have heard of people running it through the cooler then the rad then back to trans. Under normal driving the cooler will keep the trans fluid too cold and cause shifting issues.

 

The fluid leaves the transmission and goes through the radiator FIRST, then through the transmission cooler.

The liquid to liquid cooling through the radiator is going to be the best method to help regulate transmission oil temperatures. The air to liquid cooler will offer additional cooling and should be connected after the radiator.

 

Ok, reviving an old thread because I'm confused about my set up. I'm installing a new radiator because mine is cracked. I know I have a transmission cooler so I was checking to see what kind of shape the fittings were in. Well come to find out the transmission lines go in and out of the transmission cooler only. They do not go into the radiator at all. Now I've never had any problems with the transmission, but aren't they supposed to go into the radiator? I've been driving it for 5years or so.

 

I decided to leave it as is. Figured if it ain't broke, don't fix it.