I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find a transmission cooler for an automatic transmission for a 2007 Ranger with a 4.0L.

 

Do a web search for "automatic transmission coolers" and you will come up with lots of sources. Or try searching some of the FTE sponsor sites.

 

I will be honest, using a search like that confounds me even more, because I have a hard time telling what is going to fit my Ranger and whether the coolers are auxiliary coolers or not.

 

IIRC your cooler and the rest of them use standard hose and hose clamp hookups...meaning you can use almost any aftermarket tranny cooler you can come across as long as you can figure out a way to mount it. I got rid of my stock one and mounted one of the so called "auxiliary" coolers.

 

Yea, I am wondering because my uncle had talked about how he had to get one when he owned his 2007 F-150, because he was cooking the transmission every time he towed his camper. I am looking for one because I do like to stomp it once in a while.

 

If you want to do it easy, just add a fan to pull air across the stock one, the positive (as opposed to passive) flow will help a bunch. Or you could add another "supplemental" one in series with the stock one. I had a wrecked tranny and was not sure I could get mine to flow right, so I replaced it with a much bigger unit.

 

Also know, towing (big stuff) builds up a lot of heat in a tranny. Really never can be too cool, but you probably dont need it. How about looking into an auxilery fan with a relay hooked into the radiator fans?

 

What should I look for then if I want to just add a fan to help create positive airflow?

 

i dont know about the space you have since mine is no longer stock. You can put fan on front or on back, rear fan has to pull, front fan would push. You might be able to even find something in a junkyard.

 

Does your Ranger already have the OEM tranny cooler installed????
If so, it's already sized for the vehicles tow rating.

The vehicles foward speed, or the Rangers fan at a stop, is always flowing, or pulling air through the OEM tranny cooler.

Just as we don't want to overheat our tranny fluid & tranny, we don't want to over cool them either, as they have a designed for operating temp range.

So if the Ranger doesn't already have an OEM cooler in place, but you want to add one for off roadng, towing, hauling heavy loads, or you drive mostly in stop & go traffic where it's hot in summer, but cold in winter, maybe consider a properly sized thermostatically controlled, stacked/flat plate type cooler.

This design type has lower fluid flow restriction, is more efficient at removing heat than the tube & fin type cooler, so it can be smaller in size to fit in restricted spaces & still have the same, or greater btu heat removal rating.

Selecting a thermostatically cotrolled one, prevents over cooling in winter, as the fluid bypasses the cooler when cooling isn't needed.
Over cooling the tranny fluid in winter can cause shifting, wear, mpg & other problems.

If you opt for a cooler from the salvage yard, be sure to also add an inline fluid filter like a "Magnefine" or other like design, in the tranny return line, so it'll trap any debris coming from the slavaged cooler & not pump it into your tranny to cause mischief.!!!!

More thoughts for pondering.

 

I am not sure if I have the OEM cooler. I am assuming that is the stock cooler.

 

It would be in the grill where I mounted the replacement one. Just open the hood

 

If you have the OEM tow package, you likely have the stock aux tranny cooler.

Look behind the grill, low down & in front of the A/C condenser.

If there, you'll find two tranny rubber lines on the passenger side, coming out from behind a black plastic housing/cover, betwen the bumper & ac condenser. One line runs back to the tranny, the other goes to the radiator.

That cover helps channel & direct air flow over the tranny & power steering coolers.

So if you see two coolers back there behind the grill, you likely have an OEM tranny cooler. One will be for the power steering fluid, the other for the tranny fluid.

 

You might try getting factory cooler and lines from an online Ford dealer, I think they run about $75 + you will know they will be sized correctly

 

Pawpaw, while I usually respect your opinion, please don't take this the wrong way, but the stock cooler is woefully inadequate. It can adequately cool the trans when you are not towing, but if you tow a lot, the stock cooler repeatedly allows the trans fluid to overheat. A good stacked plate type cooler is the best alternative. The stock cooler is usually some marginally rated tube and fine cooler.

On my Aerostar, which has the factory tow package, the stock cooler could maintain a trans temp between 180 and 200 during regular driving. When towing, the temp would shoot up to as high as 320, and was routinely over 260. My van basically uses the same cooler that is found on the Ranger of the same time period. You never want to go over 220. The B&M plate cooler I replaced it with maintains a temperature between 140 to 180. When I tow, it will sometimes reach 200.

Now maybe the stock coolers have improved since then, even so, I'm sure factory uses a tube and fin cooler, which is not nearly as efficient as a plate cooler. If you don't already have, one, I would go for an aftermarket auxillary cooler. I'm partial to the B&M design, They are very compact, very efficient, and they usually have the internal thermal bypass that prevents them from overcooling.