I still dont understand how transmission fluid gets into the radiator. Does the tranny fluid go through the radiator through one of those hard lines?.....
The radiator end tank contains a tubular capsule, a heat exchanger, through which the trans. fluid flows, entering from one tube from the trans. and returning to it through the other.
The effectiveness of this set-up is only good when the trans. fluid temperature is
higher than the coolant temperature in the radiator, so the trans. fluid temp. is usually
at least 195` or so, depending on how hard the torque converter is working.
When trans. fluid is found in the engine coolant, it means the in-tank heat exchanger has sprung a leak, which requires replacement of the radiator.
Later model Explorers, I think beginning with Gen. 3, not sure on that, do not use the in-radiator cooling method for the trans. fluid, but rather a little "radiator" of their own, stuck in front of the main engine radiator. This means the in-coming air does the cooling, and it's
never as hot as the normal running engine coolant temp.! imp