installing trans cooler

[spinfisher]

I just spent 2000.00 on a tranny for my 98 ex. It only had 58,000 mi on it! I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening again. i have a cooler,will get a filter but my question is .... on my 98 i have two lines going into the radiator 1 upper 1 lower which is the supply and which is the return?? Also where would be the better place to install the cooler , infront of the radiator or behind the radiator, Thanks guys you all have been alot of help!. Bill

 

[RiverRat]

I forget which is the return. You could open it up and see. Put the cooler in front of the rad where it will get plenty of airflow. I used a B&M race one. It's pretty big.

 

[Glacier991]

If you go back to the transmission under the vehicle, in the A4LD and 4R series the top most line is the return line from the cooler. Assuming the 5R55E is the same, follow that line to the radiator connections and you will have your answer.

 

[MONMIX]

I took two sanwhich bags and two zip ties.
Opened both lines and attached the bags with zip ties.
Started and ran the truck two or three seconds at most.
It was then obvious which was send and which was return.

 

[mikeh]

Top line is the send line and the bottom line is the return. Just makes sense as it uses gravity to run it through the radiator and back to the transmission.

Mikeh

 

[stubborn1]

You mentioned you already had a tranny cooler. Are you talking about the in-radiator cooler or do you have a factory cooler mounted in front of the radiator?

If you are installing an aftermarket cooler, I would suggest buying the brass fittings that screw into the radiator and the factory tranny line. They were around $18, but it saved me a bunch of time on the install.