Hey has anyone run dual coolers? I just got a new transmission not too long ago and want it to last. Was looking at this mishimoto with fan. That way in the winter i can deactivate it and use it while towing or summer. Also the way I see it if I leave the stock cooler in place it's one less thing to mess with.

 

Yes, but not in the way your doing it. Had to replace my transmission when it blew out towing from TX to CO. The guys in CO in my home town just tacked an additional cooler higher up on the radiator so now my transfluid goes through two coolers. I believe you can just swap for the 6.0 cooler and you'll never have issues from what I've read. Those with more experience than me will chime in I'm sure.

 

You don't need it. My tranny with a 6.0 cooler never runs higher than 170 degrees towing up a steep grade with our fifth wheel on the back.

Steve

 

I hear ya usually running 170-185 unloaded over here durning summer. As of late 130-145unloaded and 175-185 loaded. If I can find a used 6.0 cooler that was also an option; the price for a new one seems too much to justify with the need for a redhead gear box in the very near future. Good to know that 6.0 cooler can handle the load on these trucks.

 

If You go used,make sure there is no contamination in it,the only way to know would having health history of the trany that was connected to it.

 

Don't stack coolers and don't install a used cooler.
For the "savings" of a used cooler that is probably contaminated you will (in time) need to rebuild your transmission and then you won't have the money for a new cooler or the redhead.

^^^ See above. ^^^

 

I don't understand how a used one couldn't be cleaned (really big on cleaning the trucks and boat my house is harder to clean for some reason lol) are you suggesting it the old fluid could be burned on like sticky tack on the inside and no amount of brake clean could strip it than that stuff would get into the transmission.
Also will go for the new 6.0 larger version as the mishimoto seemed appealing due to the small size w fan if keeping the stock cooler.
10,000 miles on the ford transmission so I'll wait and buy a new cooler in June when I could use it after the gearbox.
I'm not against rebuilding but if your not doing some
major upgrades aka spending more money than a new ford transmission then just go pick up the new part and slap her on in. A local Trans jockey was insisting I pay him 2100 to rebuild and makes"necessary upgrades" he showed me the price for parts 300 plus 450 for a TC and 700 for a new top cover for the transmission and I laughed how can you send me of upgraded for only 300 in parts I said.(he really wanted the labor money in his pocket) did some negotiating at Ford paid around 2100 than got a 150 mail in rebate++++saved over 100 on fluid as they come topped off.

 

The passageways in the cooler are tiny and debris could get trapped, no way to know for sure if you got it 100% clean. Definitely would not want the gamble with a new tranny.

 

10-4 seemed like a simple small tube from the outside looking in clearly that's not the case. Just need to follow my own advice full replacement and new quality parts instead of looking to weasel out lol These rigs are pay to play and one mistake can double up real quick.
Thanks everyone for helping out

 

Buying used is always a gamble, but for me it worked out. I bought a used 6.0 trans cooler about 6 or 7 years ago, flush some new/clean fluid through it first, blew out with compressed air, a can or two of brake cleaning fluid, more compressed air, and then another flush with new/clean trans fluid, then installed it. She's been keeping my trans cool for many, many reliable miles.

Ideally, you know the history of the truck/trans, but that's not likely. Sometimes what you save isn't worth it, but I've been very picky and I guess also a bit lucky in the 10+ years I've had my 7.3.

 

Have you looked into the Dorman 6.0 tranny cooler? Not a bad price and a lot of members have had great luck with them....

 

As everyone already has said, the 6.0 cooler is the way to go. I live in So. Cal and even it the summer, my trans temps are lower than what I would like. I have the 26 row version so unless you live somewhere VERY hot, I would suggest not going bigger than the 26 row version. I tow ~17k trailer and even on a VERY steep grade, I am lucky to see 180* at the top if it even gets that high.

 

Have you looked at the Mishimoto prices?

They cost a lot more than the 6.0 Dorman OEM replacement coolers at Rock Auto.

Stewart

 

Yea I've seen the prices the mishimoto one in the pic is only 145. It gets pretty hot in Florida but the 26 row seems like the right size for me I either running a 60-80 hp tune or stock towing. Idk about doorman I'll take your word their coolers are alright but not much else from that company based on my person experience/what I've seen some guys run. Rock auto is great the best brands are usually the same price as some of the worst ones on that site. Only some of my penny pincher firends hate that site...wonder why lolol

 

It may be the case with the specific Mishimoto cooler that you posted a photo of in the beginning of this thread. THAT type of cooler is a simple small tube... aka a fin and tube type of cooler... that typically responds well to flushing. However, there are three types of common transmission coolers:

1. Fin and Tube

2. Stacked Plate

3. Plate and Fin

The Ford OEM stock, V10, and 6.0L transmission coolers are of the third type... Plate and Fin. The plates used in these coolers have extremely tiny passages, and Ford has determined, through testing, that these passages cannot be flushed or back flushed successfully with any sort of consistent reliability.

When it comes to warranty repairs, Ford will spend ONLY what Ford deems NECESSARY to fix the concern. Ford won't reimburse dealers for any additional parts that would be "ideal" or "nice to have." With this in mind, Ford has stated that it is NECESSARY to REPLACE the oil to air coolers on a warranty transmission repair. Not flush. Replace.

This doesn't mean that all coolers are plugged up, nor does it mean that you can't get lucky and find a used one from a truck that never had a transmission problem... but Ford's policy, against the backdrop of Ford's frugality, speaks volumes as to the statistical reliability of flushing used transmission coolers of the fin and plate variety.

Even a fin and plate cooler can have larger bypass channels built into some of the plates. This is part of the "self regulating" design that Long Manufacturing, the division of Dana that was the OEM supplier to the Ford OEM transmission coolers of the 99-03 era, incorporated into the plate flow. When the transmission fluid gets hot, it gets thinner, and is thus able to flow through smaller passages in the cooler than when the fluid is colder and more viscous.

The smaller passages enable quicker heat transfer to the cooling fins as it flows across the plates. If these tiny passages clog up, it doesn't necessarily mean that fluid won't flow from one end of the cooler to the other. It may just mean that the fluid will only flow through the larger bypass passages, or through the trunk passage within each plate, depending on how the "turbulators" inside each plate are designed.

Obviously, if the fluid is only flowing through the larger passages, or the larger diameter portions of each plate, then the heat transfer efficiency becomes less than optimal. Also, the flow capacity becomes less than originally designed. Return FLOW through the cooler is the most important check we can make when installing ANY type of trans cooler. For the 4R100, we need 1 gallon per minute minimum return flow. This can be measured by flowing a quart in 15 seconds or less.

Therefore, while it is possible to check if a used cooler meets the minimum return flow specification, it is NOT possible to determine if the used cooler is as efficient at cooling than it otherwise would be when new, because it is not possible to determine how clogged or unclogged the tiniest, tortuous passages are within each plate.

Normally, flow tests are conducted with the transmission fluid relatively cold (say, room temperature and touchable), after a service is done. Flow tests are not typically done when the fluid temp is burning hand hot at 200 degrees. Yet some passages in some designs of coolers made by Long Manufacturing will not flow fluid unless the fluid temperature is at least at some elevated temperature level, so that the fluid can become thin enough to fit inside the passage. So how can even a flow test determine if the cooler is completely clear? It can't. Hence it is understandable why Ford REQUIRES, not just recommends, an oil to air cooler REPLACEMENT, not just a flush.

But all that is applies to Fin and Plate coolers, and some Stacked Plate coolers as well. Yet, the cooler you showed a photo of, being a fin and tube cooler, has a serial flow path tube of a constant (large) diameter. That kind of cooler can be flushed. But that kind of cooler is not as efficient at cooling as the parallel flowing plate variety.

The electric fan on the Mishimoto, however, can add some benefits, including stabilizing rapid transmission temperature rise when backing up a heavy trailer in reverse up an incline, when the torque converter is unlocked, and the engine fan is at low speed just off idle, the engine fan clutch is not engaged, and there is no natural convection from any forward movement of the truck. Instead of a second oil to air transmission cooler, which could restrict the return flow, I added electric fans to my existing (upgraded) Ford OTA transmission cooler....














This was all done 17 years ago, before the 6.0L coolers existed. Since the 6.0L cooler has been proven to be adequate and effective, that would be a simpler way to protect your new transmission. Installing a used cooler, however, has risks that are impossible to truly ascertain. Why risk it?