I have a '99 Durango that met a deer last week in a rather unfortunate way. The truck fared better than the deer, but my grille is gone, the A/C condenser is dented badly (but the A/C didn't really work anyway and it's too cold to run it now anyway) and the radiator needs to be replaced - brackets broke and the radiator went back into the fan, so there's a nice ring of destruction on the engine side.

Anyway, the point. I see there are two radiators - a cheap one w/o the auxiliary transmission cooler, and a much much more expensive one with it. The question is which one do I need? I have two lines going into the bottom center of the radiator that I assume come from the tranny for the internal cooler, and I have no external cooler. Now I'm inclined to believe a radiator with a transmission cooler inside would be more expensive than having an external cooler, but from what I've seen, the external cooler is referred to as the auxiliary. Pictures I've seen of them haven't helped at all - they all look the same. So really, I just need to know if I'm correct in believing that I have the less expensive radiator.

Rob~

 

It sounds to me like it could be 2 different brands. Although, I have a "aluminum radiator" and I can say the difference is night and day. The aluminum stays much cooler and has a cleaner appearance as well as it being much lighter in weight.

Check to see what the radiators are made of.

Is this an online website you saw them at? Part numbers and/or websites would help us figure out what the main difference is.

 

if you have the towing package on the truck then you have the MORE expensive unit, if not chances are you have the LESS expensive one (the axillary trans cooler was part of the tow package IIRC)

 

Okay, that's what I was kind of thinking reading around, but couldn't find anything definite anywhere. Thanks a lot.

Now to take my car with the locked up caliper up to the corner to get a radiator...

 

If you had the tow package installed then you need the $250 dollar radiator that has the auxiliary transmission cooler attached. Look between the condenser and the radiator and see if you have a small transmission cooler between them. This is what we are talking about. If you open the hood on the front clip there is a small (about 3" X 22") rubber strip that sits between the front clip and flows over the top of the radiator. Lift this rubber and you can see there is room between the radiator and the condenser, enough for a small transmission cooler.

If there is no small transmission cooler between them then all you need is the $140 dollar special.

You will need to replace your fan, clutch, water pump, bypass hose and lower radiator hose (trust me), radiator, condenser, and anything else. I would turn it in to your insurance if you have full coverage.