I know what you mean about the crap in the pan, they always seem to have that black "dust" all around the pan and magnet. The Explorer was MUCH cleaner at the regular interval after I did the aux filter. I look at it this way, I know it didn't hurt my Explorer, and if there is anything at all in the filter when I cut it open, it was worth it to me to know it isn't running around inside the tranny over and over.

I looked and the guy I bought the filter adapter is still selling them. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sand-...mZ290209564620 If that doesn't work, let me know.
I bought the one for the Explorer at a parts store, and it was $60 as I recall, so this is a steal at $10. One thing I did, only because I hate leaks and ATF is thin, is I JB welded the fittings into the adapter. I got the 1/2" pipe to 3/8" barbed fittings at Lowes. And you can get 4' of oil/tranny hose anywhere. I replaced all the soft lines, figured, why not. And if you don't have them around like I do at the hangar, you'll need a couple extra 1/2" worm clamps. That brace I mounted mine to is probably 1/8" thick, so it's plenty strong to mount the thing to. The adapter has 3 holes, but the brace is skinny so I used 2.
I also dug around, and it's Perma-cool, not Hayden that sells something similar. They didn't show prices on their page. Although the one with the temp gauge would be nice too. http://www.perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page25.html I don't know if anything about their filter element is special, but my guess is, it's probably a rebadged oil filter.
I have more pictures, but it's pretty self explanantory. Just make sure you get the flow right through the filter.

 

Mine is just a standard filter adapter they sell.

. with the extra ports I could add a temp or pressure gauge. I already have a trans temp gauge, so the adapter works out to be the most cost effective since of hose and fitting choice.

 

I used the exact same setup you installed in my 84 F250 with a C6. I put it before the cooler, mounted high behind the battery, and it did it's job just fine. I only put 8k on the truck before I wrecked and parted it, but 3500 miles of that was at a combined weight of 11,500lbs up mountains and through cities, several hundred were off road, etc. I was not nice to it, and the fluid was still as clean as the day I put it in.
I'm going to do this mod to my wife's rig, but I'm done with automatics for my own use for now.

 

I'm in favor of adding a cooler, and I have no problem with a filter installed on the return line to the transmission provided it has a way to bypass if it becomes plugged. Don't get me wrong but if that would happen the thing is on the way out anyway. The plugged filter will cut the cooling and that is perhaps more important than picking up the bits and pieces that these things produce. Keeping them out of the valve body is the job of the pickup filter in the pan, the add on filter gets oil which has alteady been filtered by it. kotzy

 

Here is an interesting study on oil filters:

http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar...ers/index.html

 

If we, like PT17Pilot, use a FL-1A filter, which has a bypass valve built into it's base & then mount it inverted, to take advantage of that feature, seems to me we'd be ok.

I believe the tranny fluid going through the lines, radiator & cooler is not directly from the internal tranny filter, but already used by the tranny & is contaminated with debris & thats why we'd like the inline fiter , so we can keep those things out of the lines, cooler, tranny pan & it's filter.

The aux inline FL-1A filter can do a better job than the internal in pan one, can be easier to get at to change, will cost less & imo likely to do away wih some of the deposit related problems, so many trannies seem to have.
It'll also increase the system capacity by nearly one qt!!!!

I really like this idea, the more I think about it.

 

It is good. Quality oil filters take out particles a small as ten microns. That is much smaller than most trans filters.

 

The paper type pickup filters I believe are as effective as an engine oil filter. Now the old c6 filter which was steel mesh you are right as to it not being as good. I saw them all brass, steel, paper and a few I never found out what they were. kotzy

 

My 99 Rangers 5R55E & 94 Taurus AXOD trannies get a Motorcraft tranny filter, made by SPX Filtran & it's filtering media is a pressed polyester felt construction.