Added transmission cooler (I thought)

[Tyandkate]

I brought my truck in for a oil change and transmission service. While in I decided to have them add a external transmission cooler. So I got the call it was ready. The shop installed a NAPA rapid cool transmission cooler I’ll post a link to it at the bottom of the post here’s my concern.
The cooler was installed in the front of the radiator with a direct path of air. But they bypassed the transmission cooler built in to the radiator. Is this okay or is this going to be a issue while towing? Seeking advice from someone that has more knowledge on the subject. Thanks so much for the advice in advance.

The cooler is 11” wide by 9 1/2” tall 3/4” thick
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ATP17510

[JIMNLIN]

Sometime back in the '90s era Ford sent a warning through their dealers, to those of us that towed/worked our truck in cold weather warning NOT to bypass ATF through the radiator. They were supposedly having lots of AT work done under warranty caused by too cold ATF temps running down the road under load.

I always run the ATF back to the radiator....two sensors and one gage with a on/off/on switch so I could see what fluid temp were going into the tranny vs out of the aux radiator. Interesting to watch the difference in all operating scenarios. You learn a lot what makes heat and how to get rid of it and what didn't make heat with a particular engine/tranny pulling different loads.

Years ago before ATF was ran through the radiator in those big slusha'matics and TC lockup clutch, we ran big out front coolers. However in the winter gauges showed fluid temps were too cool especially single digit and colder ....so we added a front bra with flaps. Hot weather with 100-115 temps we simply had to slow it down.

Their is no silver bullet answer. Outside ambient temps.....tranny size .....load being pulled....and a host of other scenarios inter into the subject.

[lawrosa]

Whats crazy is I want to do bluetooth on my factory radio. I added better speakers and a sub and like the factory look... I now see they have a bluetooth upgrade available.... Nuts.....

Its a very good company IMO...I found this in a separate search but cant find the link to get to this radio from their home page... Odd

https://www.fixmygauges.com/2003-2006-blutooth-radio.html

[lawrosa]

babock wrote:

lawrosa wrote:
To the OP. I couldnt find anyone to put in a trans gauge for under 2003.

I have a 1999 and found a shop to do it.

EDIT: Looked it up and I used the same guy you did, Carl Cowles at fixmygauges.com. Mine was more money since it was in the older trucks.

Hmmm I guess he does all years... I guess to the OP call them if your interested...

https://www.fixmygauges.com/conversions-and-upgrades.html

[babock]

lawrosa wrote:
To the OP. I couldnt find anyone to put in a trans gauge for under 2003.

I have a 1999 and found a shop to do it.

EDIT: Looked it up and I used the same guy you did, Carl Cowles at fixmygauges.com. Mine was more money since it was in the older trucks.

[lawrosa]

To the OP. I couldnt find anyone to put in a trans gauge for under 2003... But what you would need to do is find a 2500 series 2001 truck or dash from junk yard or e bay. Then swap it and take to speddo shop to have milage corrected...

About $200 bucks...

See here...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Speedometer-Instrument-Cluster-01-02-Silverado-Sierra-2500-3500-105-821-Mil...

And here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2HbnsrRHFw

[time2roll]

Tyandkate wrote:
Also to add to the topic this is my mechanics reply to the question as of why the other was bypassed “having two coolers will cause the transmission to operate too cold therefore increasing the odds of transmission wear.”

That is strike two. Find a new shop.

My preference is same as OEM adds auxiliary coolers.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

To answer a previous post...

The hot side water out of the block to the top of the radiator is to make sure any trapped air is removed from the block and is in the top of the rad where it belongs. Thermostat should be at the highest point to be sure it’s not in an air pocket or it won’t work correctly.
The bottom of the cold side is there to insure you don’t suck air if the radiator is not completely full as in always primed.

That 1-2 liter of coolant won’t be in the tank for more than 10 seconds at 3000 rpm climbing a hill or shifting through the gears before it gets pushed through the core. It has absolutely no time to “cool and drop” before being recirculated.

Oil and trans heat exchangers in the tanks are usually near the mid or bottom because air will be at the top and coolant will always be at the bottom. It won’t work unless it’s submerged. Even with a half full radiator, at higher rpms the hot side tank will fill most of the way with most of the core flowing, the cold side will be really low....back at idle it will be about half way on both sides and core.

[badsix]

SidecarFlip wrote:
4 pages of popcorn opinions. I like that. 15 years ago I deleted the plate cooler in the radiator and went external. never had an issue, trans temps never higher than 190. Fluid always looks and smells good on every annual change (with filter) and the pan is always clean... I happen to change mine every year.

What works for me, may not for you, but for me, I'm happy.

Sidecar, that's the way I want to do mine. some coolers are available with fans attached, might be a good thing. getting that heat out of the radiator sure can't hurt anything.
I had old Pontiac one time and the plate cooler in the radiator leaked I just took the two lines from the trans to the cooler and coupled them together with a short piece of copper tubing ran that car for almost a year and never had any problems.
Jay D.

[SidecarFlip]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
4 pages of popcorn opinions. I like that. 15 years ago I deleted the plate cooler in the radiator and went external. never had an issue, trans temps never higher than 190. Fluid always looks and smells good on every annual change (with filter) and the pan is always clean... I happen to change mine every year.

What works for me, may not for you, but for me, I'm happy.

LOL....you like what? The 4 pages of opinions or the popcorn?

A close friend who has rebuilt transmissions as his livelihood for 30 years in addition to butchering deer during the seasons, is of the opinion you can not get one too cool. I'll take his advice, both on the transmission and how I should have the deer chopped up. I like being able to drop off the carcass, have a beer or two, and get the fluid changed all with one trip.

Ralph... I read the posts for the humor and I do enjoy the popcorn. Costo brand buttered.

I cut my own up, I love the smell of fresh meat.

This summer, you will most likely get to see us, the camper and the 'vintage truck' too.

[SidecarFlip]

LarryJM wrote:
WOW talk about a bunch of loose cannons and shade tree/arm chair engineers throwing that jello on the wall and hoping some of it will stick. I would highly recommend those that actually care about the truth and facts here on what the best and correct routing of the coolers is and this bunk about warming the tranny fluid by way of any of the coolers read THIS THREAD and the link there in my first or second post in that thread where I quoted the actual real authority on these tranny questions Mark Kovalsky who actually was a tranny engineer at FORD and knows what he is talking about.

Nuf Said;)

Larry

Internet 'authorities' are only as good as the article they post. I believe about 10% of what I read on the net, maybe.


Like I said, over a decade now on my truck with no issues but then I change my juice every year too. Most people ignore the slush box until it pukes then scratch their heads. Slush boxes are like crankcases, they need fresh fluid and filter changes regularly.

I ignore nothing and maintain everything. Maybe thats why my ancient 97 F350 runs like a top, gets good fuel mileage and is reliable as my wife. No rust anywhere either. I Fluid Film the underside yearly.

More popcorn... Without a doubt.

Maybe I should add that I did no modifications to the mechanicals on my 97. Ford SVO in Dearborn did everything, including the transmission cooler and radiator cooler bypass, the front and rear lockers (ARB front, Detroit True Trak in the back), the high output turbo, free air intake, total transmission rebuild with metal clutch plates and all that stuff, deep sump cast aluminum trans pan and a reprogram of the slush box (E4OD). Everything is greaseable from the upper and lower ball joints to all the universals and slip splines so all the suspension pivots, tie rod ends, drag link and pittman arm.

I did nothing but 'loan' the truck for a couple weeks to my BIL who is a design engineer at Special Vehicle Operations at Fords. You see, we are a Ford family and always have been. I'm sure they ran the bags out of it, I knew they would. They used it for a test horse in 98.

I'm just charged with maintenance and I maintain it according to the instructions I received from SVO and have for years.

Did my wife's old Ranger pickup with the V6 too. Turned it into a rocket ship. Only V6 I ever drove that in 4wd could smoke the tires on dry pavement and top 100 mph on an on ramp.

No, I don't buy into so called 'authorities' on the net. All phooey far as I'm concerned. You believe what you want to. I take credence in SVO and my BIL who is now the lead designer in the powertrain division. He was instrumental in developing the new 10 speed ford sludh box.

Keep the popcorn posts coming, I'll nuke up another bag.....:B

[LarryJM]

WOW talk about a bunch of loose cannons and shade tree/arm chair engineers throwing that jello on the wall and hoping some of it will stick. I would highly recommend those that actually care about the truth and facts here on what the best and correct routing of the coolers is and this bunk about warming the tranny fluid by way of any of the coolers read THIS THREAD and the link there in my first or second post in that thread where I quoted the actual real authority on these tranny questions Mark Kovalsky who actually was a tranny engineer at FORD and knows what he is talking about.

Nuf Said;)

Larry

[babock]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
Actually my version is the most sensible. The new aftermarket external cooler will lower any excessive fluid temperature without adding a heat load to the radiator. Then the factory radiator cooler will ensure the fluid temperature is consistently at the proper temperature.

Then why does every aftermarket external transmission cooler say to do it the other way?

You know more than the engineers that design them?

[DownTheAvenue]

SidecarFlip wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
The hot fluid should go to the external after market cooler first, and then to the factory cooler built into the radiator. That way the fluid will be kept at a desirable temperature. The way it is plumbed now, the fluid cold stay way too cold, especially during cold ambient temperatures not towing.

Why would you run thye fluid through the external cooler, cool it down and then run it through the plate heat exchanger in the radiator to heat it back up to engine temperature and then run it to the transmission. Counter productive.

Moat external cooler have built in flow thermostats anyway.

I totally bypassed my radiator plate heat exchanger when I added a pair of Hayden Swirl Cool coolers and plugged the fittings. I did that 12 years ago. My tans temperature is always below 210 degrees and the cooler they run the longer they last. Internal plate coolers on trucks with automatics are basically an afterthought by manufacturers anyway.

That my view and I'm sticking to it. Heat kills slush boxes. Always has.

Actually my version is the most sensible. The new aftermarket external cooler will lower any excessive fluid temperature without adding a heat load to the radiator. Then the factory radiator cooler will ensure the fluid temperature is consistently at the proper temperature.

[Ralph_Cramden]

SidecarFlip wrote:
4 pages of popcorn opinions. I like that. 15 years ago I deleted the plate cooler in the radiator and went external. never had an issue, trans temps never higher than 190. Fluid always looks and smells good on every annual change (with filter) and the pan is always clean... I happen to change mine every year.

What works for me, may not for you, but for me, I'm happy.

LOL....you like what? The 4 pages of opinions or the popcorn?

A close friend who has rebuilt transmissions as his livelihood for 30 years in addition to butchering deer during the seasons, is of the opinion you can not get one too cool. I'll take his advice, both on the transmission and how I should have the deer chopped up. I like being able to drop off the carcass, have a beer or two, and get the fluid changed all with one trip.