Transmission Cooler

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Aug 4, 2003 | 07:22 PM

oregon250

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Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 116

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From: USA

Transmission Cooler

1993 F250 4X4 460/E4OD

I have an aftermarket cooler installed and I think the shop did it wrong. The totally took my radiator cooler out of the loop. I want to install it through the radiator to the aftermarket cooler then back to the transmission.

My question is which line is the "out" line from the radiator and is there an "in" and "out" lines into the aftermarket cooler. I have all the fittings I need but I am questioning the above, I don't want to destroy my new tranny.

Also, Ford informed me the other day that I can actually keep my transmission too cool. Is this one true?

Thanks,
Geoff

Aug 4, 2003 | 08:04 PM

steve83

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Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 9,987

Likes: 7

From: Memphis, TN

Transmission Cooler

If a transmission works properly in Alaska, I don't think an extra cooler in Oregon is gonna damage it.

There's not a specific direction of flow to a cooler, and you'll just have to pull a hose off & hang it in a bucket to find out which way is "out" from the radiator cooler. When you bump the starter relay, you'll see which way the fluid is moving and that will tell you which line to put the new cooler on.

Aug 4, 2003 | 08:30 PM

oregon250

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Joined: Jan 2002

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From: USA

Transmission Cooler

Thanks Steve, I have one more question. Which line is the hot out of the transmission? I was once told it is the one farthest back but I am not sure.

Aug 4, 2003 | 10:16 PM

steve83

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Joined: Nov 2002

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From: Memphis, TN

Transmission Cooler

That's what I was telling you to use the bucket trick for - when the engine turns, you'll see where the fluid pumps out of, and that will tell you which way it's flowing.

Aug 4, 2003 | 10:31 PM

90f150moneypit

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Joined: Jan 2003

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From: Still under the hood in O

Transmission Cooler

>>>>>>>A transmission cooler can, sometimes, cause slow or harsh shifting in the transmission during cold weather, until the fluid has a chance to come up to normal operating temperature. Some coolers can be purchased with or retrofitted with a temperature bypass valve which will allow fluid flow through the cooler only when the fluid has reached operating temperature, or above.<<<<<<<<<

Usually only one cooler is more than adequate. With it running through just the aftermarket cooler it will cool it more than if it were to run through the much hotter cooler in the radiator tank.

I would leave it the way it is as long as the aftermarket cooler is located in front of the radiator.

Aug 5, 2003 | 12:55 AM

Ponyracer

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Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 1,942

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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Transmission Cooler

Hey Oregon 250, Hows it going?

The line coming out of the front of the trans behind the bellhousing is the feed\out line to the cooler and the rear is the return/in line from the cooler. Mine is factory and goes from the front of the trans to the upper radiator then out the lower rad to through cooler then to the back of the trans.
Hope this helps,
Jim

Last edited by Ponyracer; Aug 5, 2003 at 12:57 AM.

Aug 5, 2003 | 10:34 AM

jim henderson

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Joined: Mar 2001

Posts: 4,968

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From: So Cal

Transmission Cooler

Depending on the size of your aftermatket cooler and how cold it gets where you live, you can over cool the tranny. i was told this by the owner of a tranny shop who was an old racing buddy of my boss when I had some work done in the 70s. I have also read the same advice in truck and trailering magazines.

The tranny has a temperature range it likes to run in for best shifting and durability. The radiator cooler helps to warm the fluid up when it is cold and adds a little cooling capacity when it gets too hot.

My 94 F250 came from the factory with the auxilliary cooler and the radiator cooler both hooked up. Since Ford likes to save pennies, why would they use both a radiator cooler and an auxilliary cooler? Because it saves them money in warranty work for the reasons mentioned above.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

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Aug 5, 2003 | 06:50 PM

Ponyracer

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Joined: Mar 2002

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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Transmission Cooler

So what you are saying is that my F-150 5.8 E4OD 4X4 SC with 3.5" exhaust K&N filter 4:11 gears 5" lift 128,000 miles on it and up til 79000 it was a sheriffs chase truck and after that I have only pulled a 5000 pound trailer the rest of the time with the factory double cooler set up should have blown up by now? Oh, come on! I think that some of you guys have had bad luck with your transmissions, but that does not mean that they are all bad or that the Ford mother ship SETS THEM UP TO FAIL!!!!!!

As an ex-Ford Master Technician that specialized in transmissions, I mostly worked on transmissions that had excessive add-ons, were mostly abused and even, and this is the shops record, had not ever been serviced in 81000 miles and that customer raised you know what because they thought that they did not have to do anything but that it should all be cover under warranty not to mention the fact that they didi not even change the oil which looked like coffee.

Sorry for the rant, but it gets to me when somethings are said that could not possibly be true. Believe me I have heard a lot of bull from customers about what is and is not.