Where to splice in Tranny Cooler?

[m4dc0w]

In recent weeks I started considering a tranny cooler for my 4.0.

Upon inspection, I find it does not have the tow package, nor the secondary tranny cooler. The Tranny lines go directly to the Radiator.

My dillemma is, I recently have a cooler on order, just need to know exactly where is the best place to incorporate it into the truck. Before the rad? after the rad? etc...

Searched the forums, and most responses talk about putting it in with a tow package, but there are minimal information on an install with an EX with no cooler already.

Any help would be appreciated...

Ken

 

[coombs]

cooler

i also have a 97 X with a tranny cooler and mine is located in front of the rad on the passenger side more to the middle of the rad

 

[wood1]

The transmission cooler goes in front of the rad where it will get the coldest air. Your cooler should come with directions and a mounting kit as well.

 

[Willard]

I believe the factory cooler goes inline before the radiator if that helps any....

 

[m4dc0w]

I was looking at a factory cooler on a first gen. It looks like the lower hose on the rad is connected to the right side of the cooler, then the right right hose to tranny.

On the rad, is the top connection or bottom one the output?

 

[Willard]

On mine, it goes from the right side of the cooler to the top connection on the radiator. The bottom connection goes back to the tranny. I believe it flows through the cooler, up to the top of the radiator, then out the bottom and back to the transmission.

 

[m4dc0w]

hmmm, I'll have to check into it a bit. maybe put the temp gun to see which line is hotter to find the exact input.

SHould matter though, regardless a second cooler is better than none at all. Even if it's before or after the rad I bet.

 

[studd469]

Ken, I ran mine in series with the OEM cooler. I mounted the aux cooler beside the OEM cooler, Fluid flows through the Aux cooler out to the OEM cooler. It maybe wrong, but I haven't had any problems with it.

 

[MarT]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127283&highlight=tranny+filter+relocation

 

[CDW6212R]

The radiator gets the fluid first, and if a filter is added try to add it before the radiator.

Place the coolers after the radiator, OEM aux coolers receive the ATF last.

 

[m4dc0w]

So the question still is....

Which is the input and which is the output, top/bottom connections on the rad?

I'm guessing that how the OEM was set up on a 1st gen, the top connection on the rad is the input, and the bottom is the output.

So attaching the cooler from the bottom of the rad to the cooler then tranny would be it then.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes do connect the trans cooler to the lower radiator line, that is the output back to the trans. I just looked at my 99 lines, I added a filter to the hot line going to the top of the radiator.

 

[m4dc0w]

Yes do connect the trans cooler to the lower radiator line, that is the output back to the trans. I just looked at my 99 lines, I added a filter to the hot line going to the top of the radiator.

I thought that would be the best spot, I was thinking of the gauge on the top line.

Forgot about the filter! I HATE YOU ALL! :

 

[Cobraguy]

CDW...you have a 4R70W don't you? The OP does not. I'm not sure our 5.0 set ups have the same oil flow path. You are right on the money with a 5.0 with a 4R70W. I'm just not sure the 4.0 trans is the same. Maybe it is?

And ALWAYS place the cooler AFTER the radiator. No use cooling the oil with your aux cooler then heating it back up with the radiator. And I place my aux filters on the outlet side of the aux cooler. That way it picks up anything the oil might pick up in one of the coolers.

 

[m4dc0w]

Looks like the input is the top of the rad, and out is on the bottom.

Major storm today, or I'd put it in today. Think I'll flush out the fluid before I put in the filter too.

Now just to decide if I wanna do the flush myseld (Al's method) or take it in.

 

[CDW6212R]

I have both, my 99 Explorer is the SOHC/5R55E, and the picture I looked at was my 99 truck.

The filter is best to add in front of everything if you know that no issues have occurred before. That saves all of those lines and coolers in the future if a trans fails. If the vehicle has had trans problems, then place the filter after the existing coolers, to keep out old debris.

My 99 truck is likely to be obsolete for me in a week or so, the USPS has assigned me a POS big white box for my route. Here is my trans filter though, can you tell how well I hid it? It's right in front of the body mount behind the bumper. Regards,

 

[m4dc0w]

CW: I was thinking of the filter before my rad, where I was going to put in the temp sensor.

Thanks for the help all.

As my timing sucks lately, I recently had my whole front end removed and that would have been the best time to do it. Since this was an afterthought, I will be doing this with the bumper and winch intact (doh!).

Should still be accessible though.

Thanks again.

Ken

 

[CDW6212R]

Ken, most filter adapters have a 1/8" NPT port on them, perfect for a temperature sensor. I just took the bumper off to do mine.