Forum Discussion

McGruff38's avatar
McGruff38
Explorer
Nov 27, 2017

What is involved in adding a trans cooler?

I have a 1990 Fleetwood Flair 26 footer with a Ford 460 and 3 speed auto trans. The motorhome is rated at 3500lbs towing capacity, and I am right about there with my trailer and sandrail. My concern is my check engine light comes on periodically, and when Im climbing hills it stays on. Once im not climbing, it will turn off after 30 sec - 2min or so. Sometimes my engine temperature doesnt even have a chance to start climbing before it goes on, so Im assuming my transmission is getting hot. I dont have a temperature gauge for the trans, so im relying on the check engine light. So my question is, can I add a transmission cooler/gauge to this motorhome? if so, how much should I be expecting to pay for something like that?
Class A
  • DSDP_Don's avatar
    DSDP_Don
    Explorer
    Nov 29, 2017
    "McGruff38"......I had the same engine/trans combo on my 1990 Class C many years ago. I added this style trans cooler, as I was towing a 5K boat behind my 27 Class C. I changed the trans fluid every 30K miles and never had an issue, even living out west and constantly climbing many grades.

    Adding the below trans pan is a pretty easy job ad you can change fluid at the same time.

    Trans cooler
  • RLS7201's avatar
    RLS7201
    Explorer II
    Nov 28, 2017
    ScottG wrote:
    I would install a real temp gauge for the trans temp. You might find there's on trans heating issues at all.
    Light could be many things, 02 sensor acting up, random miss, fuel cap, etc. (That eng IS EFI and computer managed)


    That 460 3 speed C6 transmission is in an Oshkosh chassis. Not a Ford F53 chassis.
    It is carbed with no computer. Do your research.

    Richard
  • RLS7201's avatar
    RLS7201
    Explorer II
    Nov 28, 2017
    gutfelt wrote:
    RLS7201 wrote:
    No computer and no codes on the OPs chassis. He has an Oshkosh chassis with 460, carburetor & C6 transmission.

    Richard


    he has a system of some sort because he has either a service engine or check engine
    so definitely has a ecm type deal of some sort sending signals from sensors etc

    if its a 1990 and its not efi as u say its not then its about a 1986 or earlier engine system

    I believe its powered by a 460 EFI system if its a 1990 MH
    but anythings possible so if it is carbed its a 86/87 engine series


    Well you are wrong. He does NOT have a Ford built chassis. He has an Oshkosh MH chassis with a Ford 460 engine and transmission. Oshkosh used a carbed 460 and C6 transmission up to 1990. Then for one year, in 1991, they built a MH chassis with 460 EFI and C6 transmission.
    All Ford built F53 MH chassis with 460 are EFI and E4OD transmissions. 1988-1997.
    The clue to what the OP has was in his first post. He said 3 speed transmission with 460.
    NOW YOU KNOW............

    Richard
  • McGruff38's avatar
    McGruff38
    Explorer
    Nov 28, 2017
    If the computer doesnt monitor the transmission at all, and doesnt monitor oil level or pressure, could it be the actual burning of oil under load that is triggering it? As in, when climbing a hill, it starts burning more oil and maybe an O2 sensor or something is picking up the burnt oil? The light does go off after I stop climbing, or sometimes even if I let off the throttle a little.
  • theoldwizard1's avatar
    theoldwizard1
    Explorer II
    Nov 28, 2017
    SidecarFlip wrote:

    Sounds to me like low oil pressure, low oil level, clogged pickup strainer or a failing sender unit. Idiot lights work on the principle of continuity. I'd install an oil pressure gauge and a trans temp gauge if I owned the unit.

    For that vintage Ford, the engine control computer does not know anything about oil level or oil pressure (I actually wrote some of that software).

    If it really the "Check Engine" light that is coming on it could be on of over 100 different issues ! If the engine seems to continue to run "normal" and the light goes out by itself, don't worry about it.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Nov 27, 2017
    I would install a real temp gauge for the trans temp. You might find there's on trans heating issues at all.
    Light could be many things, 02 sensor acting up, random miss, fuel cap, etc. (That eng IS EFI and computer managed)
  • gutfelt's avatar
    gutfelt
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2017
    RLS7201 wrote:
    No computer and no codes on the OPs chassis. He has an Oshkosh chassis with 460, carburetor & C6 transmission.

    Richard


    he has a system of some sort because he has either a service engine or check engine
    so definitely has a ecm type deal of some sort sending signals from sensors etc

    if its a 1990 and its not efi as u say its not then its about a 1986 or earlier engine system

    I believe its powered by a 460 EFI system if its a 1990 MH
    but anythings possible so if it is carbed its a 86/87 engine series
  • RLS7201's avatar
    RLS7201
    Explorer II
    Nov 27, 2017
    No computer and no codes on the OPs chassis. He has an Oshkosh chassis with 460, carburetor & C6 transmission.

    Richard
  • gutfelt's avatar
    gutfelt
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2017
    check engine or service engine ?? lots of mid late 80-90,s had both depending on the problems
  • McGruff38's avatar
    McGruff38
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2017
    old guy wrote:
    I would first take it in to have the codes read to see what is causing the light to come on, I've put them on pickups before, not that hard if you are mechanically inclined, just need to find a place to put it in front of radiator and then find out which one is the oil flow from tranny to large radiator and reroute it


    How do we read the codes on these? I had a 1990 Ford mustang that I had to read codes on once. Something like turning the key off and on a few times then counting the sweeps of the gauges. Is there something like that I can do on the motorhome or using a multimeter?

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