Oil cooler Definition? Is it really needed or is it not?

[Brettb72]

Im putting a 2010 4.0L SOHC used engine in my 2008 Eddie Bauer cause my 4.0 broke timing chains. The new engine coming has an oil cooler. Im trying to understand how it works. I cant find any diagrams of the entire thing so I can see how its laid out. My truck obviously does not have one. So I have no idea how its laid out or works. Ive found itf an inlet and outlet above the oil filter. But is it oil being sent to a small radiator to be cooled then sent back into the engine. Or is it antifreeze that cools the oil as it goes thru the filter and the oil cooler lines are run into and out of the radiator? The way I look at it all of these 4.0 engines are the same. This is my 5th explorer and Ive never had one with an oil cooler. So is the oil cooler really needed. If It helps prolong the life of the engine, engine oil or will cause a check engine light if I dont put it on my truck then fine. Most of all I have nothing to go buy how its run and how it functions in orter to put it back any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tripplec]

Well if it doesn't have one (every other Explorer I see had one already). I would say yes as it improves longevity of the transmission. Even with the high tow rating some transmissioin are working hard and getting quite hot. The flat fin type are not expensive and easy to drop in series with the rad.

 

[Brettb72]

So it's a tranny and oil cooler? I thought it just cooled the oil. So it doesn't hook to the radiator it just hooks to a small air cooled aluminum radiator? So the stock oil pump is pushing oil another 5 feet out of the engine to a small cooler in front of the other radiator is that the deal? I have to install it in my truck when I get the 92nd engine and I've never seen how it's laid out.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

no it should be 2 tranny coolers one on the rad and another inline..... just make sure the aux cooler is before the transmissions cooler and not after ..... ive never owned a vehicle yet that had an actual engine oil cooler from the factory

 

[boominXplorer]

He is talking about the oil cooler that attaches to the oil filter housing. It comes standard with the 2" tow package. It can be removed by a large hex key and you can use your outlet or you can just swap complete oil filter housings. I wouldn't try to add it in without having all the other heater hoses from the same truck.

 

[Brettb72]

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I only bought the engine from the 2010 nothing else. I am glad to finally get an explanation on why some engines have oil coolers and some don't. Since only some of them had oil coolers I couldn't figure out why or if it was a necessity. But thank you for the explanation I don't have a 2" tow package, there for I'll gladly get rid of it. Thank you so much for the help, I greatly appreciate it.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

I have the 2" receiver and I have no oil cooler .... cooler oil is better but many engines just rely on the oil not getting that hot

 

[boominXplorer]

Unless you tow a trailer in an area with many hills or mountains you don't need an oil cooler. Even if you do and are halfway easy on it you will be just fine. If you have a 2" hitch and no oil cooler on the 4.0 then there is a good chance that 2" hitch didn't come factory.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Learning something new every day.
I knew about auxiliary tranny coolers on Explorers with tow package (v6 and v8), but never seen engine oil cooler on those.
Was it just v6's ?
I have v8 with tow package and v6 without.

The v8 does not have an engine oil cooler.

 

[boominXplorer]

The only oil cooler I have seen is on a 4.6 is intercepter models or E250/F150 trucks.

 

[08EddieCA]

I have a 2008 ford exp EB A4X4 with a trans cooler. When I had my trans replaced they installed a larger oil cooler. They had to modify the front of my truck to make it fit. Heat kills these trans. I live in the heat and driver to the desert all the time. The added security makes me feels better.

 

[tripplec]

Few engines have an oil cooler (for the engines oil). Those that do are usually because there isn't enough air around the engine to keep the temperature from getting out of hand. As above a transmission cooler externally is a big plus to have to keep the fluid from getting too hot. Hot tranny fluid degrades and results in bad things happening in the transmission. I can see one installed in the 2009 looking in the grill as most do. When I have put one on a vehicle without one its on the Return path back to the tranny. Easy to figure out in a cold engine. Just locate both line coming from the rad underneath. Once you can access them start the engine and slide back under. and grab the line(s). The one getting warm then hot first is the output and the one colder is the return line which is the one you'd want routed through an flat plate cooler.

 

[08EddieCA]

Here's mine with a 10 inch cooler w thermostat.

 

[Explorer_PL]

So you have a cooler and aux fan as well. Where is the thermostat for the fan tapped into ?

 

[tripplec]

Lucky to have the room but a smaller flat fin will out perform that large configuration. They are a lot more efficient cooler then the tube and fin type.

See it here although I have the fluid go through the plate and fin cooler last. so that its coolest returning. The hot Radiator will heat the fluid back up which is not what I want.

http://transmissionrepairguy.com/transmission-cooler/

 

[08EddieCA]

I'll have to check the plumbing but that was one of my questions. It's a puller fan set up. There's an inch or two between the cooler and the radiator. I wanted to go with the B&M but couldn't afford it plus the one I wanted required too much cutting and rigging.

The adjustable thermostat is in the engine bay. I set it to 170f. There is a probe in the cooler. New fan clutch has been working very very well. I've been watching temps as I'm going about town.

If the plumbing is backwards I can move the pipes.

 

[tripplec]

Most engine and their subsequent rad are running 180-200F temp as per the thermostats. Now the rads theoretically are cooler than that but at their high pressure and temperature (grab the upper rad hose) its not going to bring the fluid down enough. Tranny fluid above 200F is very hot and not the desired temp therefore when I do the installation and have a few. I always put it after the rads cooler which takes the bulk of the heat and then the flat fin drops it further. They do have a thermo control supposedly in to bypass if its too cool. I mount them using straps and bolted to the frame in one corner or near the top where ever works for the hoses as well. Never use the supplied ties which go through fins. They'll cause damage and the cooler needs to be space from the AC or Rad behind it for air all around.

 

[08EddieCA]

The cooler lines cross behind the scenes. I think it's correct. It's always cool except after a long drive. The tranny shop is used to working on 4x4's, not to say they don't make mistakes. I'm going to try to put a sensor on the trans but I'm afraid to punch a hole in the oil pan. I'm not outside but I'm assuming the metal pipe coming out of the trans on top of the two is hot and the bottom is cool...?

 

[tripplec]

Many transmissions have a sensor port for monitor and some already have one. ODB programs can access the computer data and display it to you. So hold off on the drill.

 

[08EddieCA]

Do you know if the upper and lower fittings for the radiator, which is the hot, 55R5s 2008 4.0 4x4.