Adding an external rad fan/cooler to the driver side framerail. The lines coming out of the trans are steel. What does everybody do? Splice one line so fluid goes through both coolers, or cut both lines and only use 1 cooler? You have to flange the steel tubing to make it clamp tight to the rubber hose, yes?

 

I don't think its necessary to flare them, but i did just for a little extra security. My Trans cooler came with rubber hose so I'm running it straight off of my steel lines. Been like that for almost a year now with out a leak. Make sure you don't use regular rubber hose it will deteriorate. Napa sells stuff called 101 hose. That's what i used.


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use ONLY steel break lines. the factory uses it only for a reason. but its your trans.

 

I don't know if it was a good idea, but when I opted for an trans cooler, I just bumped up to 1/2" fittings with oil-resistant rubber line all the way up to the cooler with the radiator bypassed. It's a little sketchy around the exhaust but everything is held out of the way. On a 4x4, I don't think it would fly for long.

 

I'm going to a deep aluminum pan w/ temp gauge when I have my trans guy look at it and go to lucas fluid, and while the pan is off, do the cooler lines (I'll have mounted it already).

Baron, what did you do with the factory lines? Just cap them off, or connect them together?

 

the 1/2 hoses is fine. but use high pressure hose. if you have hose from the cooler maker you will be fine.

 

I decided I'll save the $$ on the pan and gauge. As I seen elsewhere 'Without cooling, all you're doing is adding more hot fluid. You're better off putting more money to cooling it with a bigger/better cooler, rather than spending a gob of money adding more fluid, and nickel/diming the cooling efforts'. And it makes sense.

$174 (kit w/ fan) 15-3/4" x 11-1/2" x 5" link

It comes with it's own thermostat, so I won't even need a trans temp gauge (the stat kicks on at 180 and off at 160). I plan to mount it inside the frame rail, between the gas tank and charcoal can, so the supplied hose is more than enough. Just a shame they don't list BTU or decibel levels. I can't see a 650 CFM 10" fan being very quiet, not that the Mk8 fan out front is, either.

$250 pan + $100 gauge + $60 fanless plate cooler vs $174 16 pass cooler w/ fan.

You tell me which is better....haha. $410 vs $174....I don't think that's even anything close to fair, but $$ is $$. With this, a $275 meth injection system, and Sean's $100 custom tuning upgrade, that's $550 in upgrades. And to be fair, I'm still in the bolt-on category.

 

Yeah that was a wise and financially sound choice. Deeper oil pans are helpful after you get the cooling part down and decide to abuse your truck more than usual either on or off-road.

As for my 1/2" lines, I bypassed and capped the ports altogether on the rad, but it is always at least 75high/35low where I live and hits 100s in summer so not worried about over-cooling or warming up quick enough.

 

I have the lincoln Mark 8 radiator fan (tuned to come on at 190 and off at 185, and I have a dash override switch), and the Derale has it's own 650CFM fan that comes on at 180 and off at 160.

My worry was more if something in the radiator failed, and the stock lines were left open, the coolant would start pouring out. I figure I'll just link them together.

Since you didn't flare the steel lines, did you just double clamp them and call it good? I'm assuming the steel line didn't try to buckle when you got it tight?