How to know if your transmission cooler is bad?

[1992fordgreen]

What will happen? Will the tranny leak? Should it be hot to the touch?

 

[1992fordgreen]

Bump

 

[BrooklynBay]

They tend to get clogged if the fluid & filter are never replaced. This will cause a delayed shift or no shift if it's completely clogged. Later models transmissions have a thermostatic valve built into the valve body to bypass the cooler when it's cold, and open when it's hot. There is a cooler cleaner in a pressurized can for cleaning the cooler.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Thanks for the reply Brooklyn Bay. Would the trans leak if there was an EPC solenoid failure, or a trans cooler failure? I'm trying to track my tranny problems down

My trans was rebuilt and I put it in. Filter and fluid all new. Dipstick reads overfull but I'm still 0.2 quarts low.

This is on a 96 Explorer 4wd

 

[BrooklynBay]

The front seal is known to blow out under certain driving conditions when the transmission is running hot under a load. Sometimes fluid could leak out of the overflow vent on the top rear of the case if it's overfilled or filled while the engine is off.

 

[Napu(StrongWave)]

delayed shift

Could you just use compressed air to clear it out? I have already changed the trans fluid and filter a year ago. I'm having delay and clunk problems going from park to reverse. I've read you can change the solenoid pack ($255)and this takes care of it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could use compressed air, but using a flush chemical is more effective while trying to loosen dirt caught in the passage ways. Use compressed air with a cleaning solution.

 

[1992fordgreen]

The front seal is known to blow out under certain driving conditions when the transmission is running hot under a load. Sometimes fluid could leak out of the overflow vent on the top rear of the case if it's overfilled or filled while the engine is off.

Just read this and it goes per my problem. The overflow vent tubes never leaked the past 2 times I filled the tranny, engine off. The third time, as you know, the ATF leaked all over the place from the overflow. This is because the engine must be on to fill, correct?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Always fill & check the fluid level of the transmission with the engine running.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Always fill & check the fluid level of the transmission with the engine running.

I know now...but why didn't the fluid leak out the overflow the first two times?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The fluid level was probably very low when you added fluid the first 2 times.