Has anyone with a 99-03 7.3 installed a larger transmission cooler from the 04-05 6.0? If so, was it a direct bolt in except adapting from 1/2" to 3/8" cooler lines?

 

Yes.......and Yes.

 

Touchofgrey, did you remove the grill or bumper? What needs to be done to make it easier to get to the stock cooler and install the larger one? Thanks.

 

Didn't remove either.
Look at the grill.......see the semi-round holes on either side? Now take a look with a flashlight through those holes........you will see one 8mm bolt head on either side. Those are the mounting bolts for the cooler. You can get to them by using a 1/4" drive 8mm socket and some extensions. The socket will fit through the holes, so you can get to the bolts.
The cooler will slide out the bottom of the truck once you take out the two bottom bolts. Then you can unscrew the hose connections.
I had to remove the two bottom mounts for the AC condensor, and tilt it forward to allow enough room for the new cooler to be installed. The condensor is real fragile, so treat it with kid gloves. The fluid connections point straight down on the new cooler. I removed all of the stock hoses, and put new hose in with the adaptors. That way I've got the hard connectors and hoses for the old cooler, should I come up with a use for it. When you buy the hose......be sure to specify that it is for automatic transmission fluid. You won't like the price.....but it is special in construction. Be sure to use the heavy duty hose clamps that are a full 1/2" wide. The lighter, narrow clamps won't take the tightness required for the pressures. As for the 3/8" to 1/2" adaptors......I went with 1/4" pipe thread right angles with a 3/8" barb on one end, and a 1/2" barb on the other......then a short piece of 1/2" hose to the cooler connectors. Then I ran 3/8" hose back to the hard lines coming from the transmission just behind the radiator along the frame. I had one line that was contacting the radiator header, so I put a piece of wire loom over that area. The top hard line from the transmission should be the output. It will be the line closest to the bell housing, on the side of the transmission. It should go the the driver's side connection of the cooler. I think that's it....as far as I remember.

 

I would like to do a similar thing to my 95. Think it will mount up?

 

I don't know about the 04......you'd have to eyeball it to see what you have versus the NBS header where the coolers are mounted.

 

Touchofgrey, my truck is a 2003. It has a large support bar behind the plastic valance that is connected on each side with 3 bolts and nuts to the leaf spring brackets. There is about a 1/2" clearance between this bar and the bottom of the radiator support. I can't see the bottom bolts on the factory cooler or get to them with out removing the support bar or bumper. What year truck is yours and did your truck have the support bar behind the plastic valance at the bottom of the bumper? Thanks.

 

Have any of you checked into a Tru-Cool?

 

My truck is a 2000. Also my stock bumper,valance, along with any other structures are gone. I have a big wench bumper installed......so I guess the valance will have to be removed to get to them.

Heat, he has a cooler from a 04 that he is trying to install. Just having some trouble getting to everything to unbolt the old one. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

Remove the bottom bar and remove the stock cooler. Mount the aftermarket cooler (04 cooler or Tru-cool) in front of the radiator. Two bolt holes will line up with the vertical plastic struts. You'll need to fab a horizontal flat stock bar and mount it to the vertical plastic braces so the other two holes of the cooler will mount to the cross stock.

Plumb the new lines.