Here are also detailed instructions on how I did it.
I would guess you could do it with any cooler, they all have an inlet and an outlet. You want to put the cooler in after the fluid goes through the cooler in the radiator (factory standard), so the idea is to splice it in the return line. I don't know if a Durango has the exact same setup or not - look at the pics and compare. Some factory tranny coolers are mounted in between the rad and condenser, so check that out before you buy one. Here's the instructions for a Ram. Some people sandwich the tranny cooler between the radiator and the condenser - I thought about that but to get enough room to work behind the condenser requires removing it - which requires unhooking the A.C. lines and an A.C recharge. Sorry - I'm not doing that. Attaching the cooler on the outside as I did requires removal of the two top bolts that hold the condenser on in order to get your arm behind it to attach the plastic mounting nuts. No biggie. You need a "quick disconnect tool", $6 at Auto Zone, to unhook the "hard line" at the joint. The return line is the one that attaches to the top of the radiator....see pic. There will be some drainage from the line, so have a pan and rags handy. An 11/16 wrench removes the fitting at the radiator. I used a tubing cutter to cut the line about 1/2 way down, leaving enough of the line to still catch in the holder on the radiator after being bent. Use a tubing bender to bend the ends of the line forward - be careful not to kink it. Mine started to kink even with the bender - so watch carefully as you bend. If it starts to kink, stop, a perfect 90 degree bend isn't necessary. I used a flaring tool to flare the cut ends of the line a little bit - enough to help hold the hose in place better - and filed the edges smooth so the hose would not cut through over time. Blow compressed air through the hard line pieces to clean out any metal filings. Reattach the ends to the radiator and tranny line. I ran the bottom line out through a precut place in the rubber next to the radiator, I cut a hole for the other line. Cut cooler hose to length, attach top to top, bottom to bottom with clamps provided with cooler. Don't overtighten. I left the bottom hose off and had my son start the truck up in neutral to make sure I had good fluid flow before I buttoned it up. Have a clean container to catch the fluid that comes out. You won't have to run it long to get fluid out - so this is best done with two people. You can put the fluid back in the tranny if you use a clean container. I cut two pieces of old radiator hose to use as a buffer between the cooler lines and the A.C. condenser lines and zip tied the lines loosely together. Probably didn't have to - but I didn't want them rubbing. Depending on how much fluid drained from the lines, and how much the cooler holds, you may have to add some tranny fluid, so check the level after installation. That's pretty much it. If you can find the "hard line" at a salvage yard - I would suggest getting one and doing your cutting and bending on it, that way you have an extra. If you screw up the original - you'll be needing another ride to go find one! The tools I used can be rented at Auto Zone if you don't have them. I hope this is clear enough......Good Luck!
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I just acquired a 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD 5.2 5-speed. It starts great, idles a little rough when cold, a little less rough when warm, will quite often stall just off idle when engaging the clutch, and has an intermittant/occasional dead spot out on the road. When cruising, the power will go "flat", like a dead spot, but if you let off on the gas then step back down on it it'll come right out of it. The PO told me that it will sometimes back fire through the exhaust as well. It blew off the back end of the muffler in fact.The fuel gauge always reads toolow and generally "wonky", but the fuel pump was replaced recently along with the plugs, cap, and rotor. The PO said none of this made a difference in how it ran.Otherwise, the truck is very driveable, and has normal power I would say. After reading abouthalf of the total number of posts in "2nd generation", I haven't run across this particular symptom that I recall, butI'll be cleaning the TB and sensors next opportunity since they have so many dirt/carbon issues. The vehicle has 157K, but only about 40K since an engine rebuild.I'm sure I'll find plenty to do. Any suggestions about whythe vehicle runs the way it does? I hope my question belongs here. Thank you for any help.What a great site, glad to be here. Scott
Hey guys I'm new to the whole forum but I have a question. I'm replacing my track bar and steering damper my troubles is with the steering damper. I can get the passenger side off but not the driver side. It's not just a nut and bolt it goes throught the tie rod bar and then theres a bolt which i can get off but how do you get the damper off. Because at the other end it is just flat and no nut or bolt. I hope I made sence but I just need help please. Thanks.
Requesting amplifcation on the Following: surging in overdrive at hiway speeds: (Racinfan83)
tps is noisy and needs to be replaced. the signal a noisy tps sends back to the pcm tells it that the throttle is open farther than it really is and the pcm unlocks the torque converter. the surging is about 200 rpms as the TC locks and un-locks. Is TPS Noise a Rattle like? I have this problem on my 01 4x4 5.2. No one has ever been able to tell me what the nproblem is.
the surging problem is most likely the TPS being noisey as you mentioned... the rattle however could be a leaky plenum gasket. with your truck being so new, that might not be the case. leaky plenums are generally showing up in the older trucks. the newer ones have an updated gasket (still can leak) which holds up much better.
RE: Dodge Ram FAQ
