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I have a 1999 F250 200K V10 radiator for the first time needs to be replaced. I ordered one, a 2 core from rockauto and it came with trans cooling. My old original trans cooler is behind the front bumper and it quite small in size. My question is what is going to work better, the tiny little external trans cooler or the one that built into the radiator? I do tow with my 24ft travel trailer here and there. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks. Attached are a photo of the original external trans cooler and a photo of my new radiator.
When I replaced my transmission earlier this year, I upgraded to a transmission cooler from a 6.0 diesel. From reading other forum posts, the one from the 6.0 is more efficient. So far it’s been working well for me.
For years Ford trucks had BOTH the cooler in the radiator and an external cooler. In 1999 someone saw an opportunity to save money and deleted the cooler in the radiator. Warranty costs for heat damaged transmissions went through the roof! Ford added it back mid year 2000. It didn't replace the external cooler, it is in addition to the external cooler. That small cooler inside the radiator does a spectacular job of cooling the ATF. You really want to have both coolers.
The line from the front of the trans goes to the radiator, from the radiator to the external cooler, and from the external cooler to the rear of the trans.
yup. that one is for the power steering. the one above it (in front of the radiator, behind the ac condenser) would be for your trans. Other than going aftermarket, a lot of people put in the factory trans cooler from the 6.0 as it is bigger. I haven't done it yet so I'm not positive what all it entails, but i would imagine it would be a direct bolt in.
It is a direct bolt in except for the cooler lines. Your truck has 3/8" lines, to 6.0L cooler has 1/2" lines. You can get adapters at a hardware store to adapt between the two sizes.
There is a link on this site that outlines an install and the parts needed as well as a trans cooler lines diagram. Just use the search tab for v10 trans cooler. Lots of info. I used it to install a 6.0l Trans cooler in my V10 powered truck. Before install towing my camper, trans temps would climb into the 220's in ambient temps of 80-90 degrees. Since install, I have not seen a trans temp over 198 in 115 ambient while towing.
thanks for all the info, one more question. The new radiator I purchased has 2 of these brass inserts where it looks to me a transmission coolant oil lines would attach to. But the original radiator in my 1999 F250 V10 does not have these brass inserts near the bottom. These will not be used so I'm hoping I won't run into any problem with nothing being hooked up to those?
You can just leave those connections alone and it will be fine.
You would be making a big improvement to your transmission cooling if you installed lines to use that cooler in the radiator to help cool your transmission.
thanks, will do that later but for now just not going to use them and will continue using the transmission cooler behind the condenser like I have for 21 years no that truck.
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