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Jul 6, 2019 | 10:36 PM

davcad

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quick question

Is it possible to use a radiator as a cooler for the transmission fluid?

Jul 7, 2019 | 06:39 AM

seville009

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Doubt it, as I’m not sure how you’d run the fluid through it.

The tranny cooler is usually a tiny radiator sitting in front of the coolant radiator

Jul 7, 2019 | 07:37 AM

davcad

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tranny cooler

I just realized that the transmission in my 93 areostar is being cooled by the cooler alone since the radiator started leaking in the transmission fluid. I am seeking alternatives. Cut and repurpose the leaking radiator to use as a cooler, would that work. I thought of this from information I read about using a deeper pan, and I saw coolers being sold online that seems to be the size of the AC condenser.

Jul 7, 2019 | 12:09 PM

xlt4wd90

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From: SoCal

You can get one of those plate type coolers to replace the leaking one in the radiator. Get the biggest one that will fit in front of the AC condenser. The plate/fin type coolers work much better than the tube/fin type, like the one in the bumper of the Aerostar. Some owners are able to bypass both stock coolers with a single large plate cooler. They usually re-purpose the stock tube/fin cooler for the power steering fluid cooler, and remove the stock PS cooler loop so they can install the big plate cooler for the transmission.

If coolant is getting into your transmission line through the stock transmission cooler, you must have some pretty serious corrosion going on in there, and it may be time to replace the radiator.

Jul 7, 2019 | 02:01 PM

sittinguy

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Radiators are only $100

Jul 7, 2019 | 04:37 PM

xlt4wd90

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From: SoCal

A new radiator can be gotten with the in-tank transmission cooler. But it's still a good idea to replace that external tube/fin transmission cooler with a plate/fin cooler.

Jul 8, 2019 | 06:54 AM

davcad

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A\C condenser.

Could a condenser be repurpose? I want to reuse the parts I got from the 90 Areostar. Radiator may just be $100, I am not living in the US so conversion is $ 12,000 +shipping. I rather use that money buy parts I cannot repurpose.