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Was kinda difficult with the shrouding in place, but I was able to see a line running from the radiator to the cooler. It attaches to the cooler where the green arrow indicates, loops around to the back and enters the radiator just over the bottom hose. So this confirms that the radiator's heat exchanger is being used in series with the cooler. If you have the ability, go ahead and hook it up the heat exchanger, but if not, HeyYou's idea of a thermal bypass is a good one too. I had forgotten about those. They won't allow coolant to flow into the cooler till it reaches a certain temp. Another route is that most coolers come with plastic zip anchors that allow you to anchor it directly to the radiator, so the heat transfers right to it. Don't think that's possible in your case though.
I wouldn't use two universal coolers. Too many failure points to spring a leak and toast your tranny... and there is such a thing as overkill. Just find one decent sized ATF cooler and make damn sure there are no leaks when you're done.
I'm going to order today, once I get it I'll install and run lines as you've described, using the radiator as well. I'm going to order the thermal bypass as well, and install it. I guess I would install it after the radiator but before the cooler?
I wonder why the radiator is bypassed in this truck... Here's a pic of where the lines go in and out. They've been capped. I do have the radiator from the 02, which I know trans lines ran through because they did when I removed it. So if there's a problem with this radiator, I do have a backup.
Thank you HeyYou, and everyone else that has replied. Once I've done this I'll post pics, results etc, so I can add my help to the forum.
1 more question though.... I'd like to add a trans fluid temp Guage. I'm reading different things about where to install it, pressure port, etc. Any advice on this or a recommendation on good Guage? I'm going to look for the 3 Guage pillar that installs on drivers side left of windshield, where the "oh ****" handle is currently.
Thank you HeyYou, and everyone else that has replied. Once I've done this I'll post pics, results etc, so I can add my help to the forum.
1 more question though.... I'd like to add a trans fluid temp Guage. I'm reading different things about where to install it, pressure port, etc. Any advice on this or a recommendation on good Guage? I'm going to look for the 3 Guage pillar that installs on drivers side left of windshield, where the "oh ****" handle is currently.
Never installed one, but drilling the pan is the most accurate method....according to this, anyway.
They make various adapters to install them. Some just clamp to the cooler line heading out to the coolers. (tend to read temps cooler than what it really is.) Some have a fitting that you splice into the line, so the sensor is in direct contact with the fluid. (little more accurate.) Others plumb into the pan, but, seems to me, the fluid in the pan isn't going to be really all that accurate, as that is where the return from the cooler dumps it..... Screwing it into the pressure port only gives an accurate reading when there is actually fluid at that particular pressure port..... which isn't always the case. (depends on which one you use.) I would be tempted to go for the style that you splice into the outgoing cooler line.... I think that would give you the best idea of what your trans temp is. Either that, of get one of the bluetooth gauges, that gets its cue from the data bus, and shows you what the PCM sees. (most accurate.)
They make various adapters to install them. Some just clamp to the cooler line heading out to the coolers. (tend to read temps cooler than what it really is.) Some have a fitting that you splice into the line, so the sensor is in direct contact with the fluid. (little more accurate.) Others plumb into the pan, but, seems to me, the fluid in the pan isn't going to be really all that accurate, as that is where the return from the cooler dumps it..... Screwing it into the pressure port only gives an accurate reading when there is actually fluid at that particular pressure port..... which isn't always the case. (depends on which one you use.) I would be tempted to go for the style that you splice into the outgoing cooler line.... I think that would give you the best idea of what your trans temp is. Either that, of get one of the bluetooth gauges, that gets its cue from the data bus, and shows you what the PCM sees. (most accurate.)
JTEC doesn't report trans temp.
OP, call ISSPRO Gauges and ask for Michael Pliska. Tell him the orange dragster referred you and that you want a ClipSense(c) mount trans temp gauge that matches the factory gauge cluster. He can pull the P/N off my order from several years ago. It matches PERFECTLY to the black-over-green of the stock dash lamps.
He might knock a small percent off the price for my referral, and it's a pain-free installation good to within 5 degrees of actual fluid temp, per their copyright (which is co-authored by Mike himself as the product engineer).
OP, call ISSPRO Gauges and ask for Michael Pliska. Tell him the orange dragster referred you and that you want a ClipSense(c) mount trans temp gauge that matches the factory gauge cluster. He can pull the P/N off my order from several years ago. It matches PERFECTLY to the black-over-green of the stock dash lamps.
He might knock a small percent off the price for my referral, and it's a pain-free installation good to within 5 degrees of actual fluid temp, per their copyright (which is co-authored by Mike himself as the product engineer).
Thank you for this offer! Very nice of you.
After reading everyone's recommendations and looking around the internets, I'm going to go with plumbing in the temp sensor on the transmission line from the tranny to the radiator. Also will install a thermal bypass in between the radiator and cooler...(unless there's a better location?) Will do more research but I'm assuming there will have to be more additional lines because the bypass redirects the atf back to the tranny if it's not hot enough.?.?
Going to purchase the replacement oem cooler as well, and will go with a trans temp gauge on the a-pillar.
OP, call ISSPRO Gauges and ask for Michael Pliska. Tell him the orange dragster referred you and that you want a ClipSense(c) mount trans temp gauge that matches the factory gauge cluster. He can pull the P/N off my order from several years ago. It matches PERFECTLY to the black-over-green of the stock dash lamps.
He might knock a small percent off the price for my referral, and it's a pain-free installation good to within 5 degrees of actual fluid temp, per their copyright (which is co-authored by Mike himself as the product engineer).
Thanks for this info, very nice of you.
So I'm going to install the oem cooler once I have it, and include the radiator. Also a trans temp gauge and thermal bypass.
Will go like this:
Trans temp sensor plumbed into the line from tranny to radiator. Thermal bypass installed in line between radiator and cooler. I'm assuming another line or something will have to be installed, because where does the atf go if the bypass won't allow it to go to the cooler? I'll do some research tho. Also wondering if this setup will increase engine temp or extra strain on the engine cooling system, from the hot atf fluid flowing through the radiator.
Will install the temp gauge on a pillar. Just need to find a triple gauge thingamajig.
Will definitely post pics of process and completed project. Thank you all for the recommendations, advice, and knowledge!
Engine cooling system is designed with an in-radiator trans cooler in mind.
There IS going to be some plumbing involved. A lot depends on which bypass valve you get. (most are four port, so, just get plumbed in-line with the existing coolers, and uses the same return line.)
I would suggest putting the aux cooler between the trans output and radiator cooler with the bypass only on the aux cooler. It will cool the fluid more before it hits the radiator, alleviating your concern about adding extra heat to the coolant, plus it will let the radiator stabilize the temperature of the fluid headed back to the trans. Transmissions like a steady temperature range, not varying temperatures, otherwise the bypass wouldn't be needed. I wouldn't put a bypass on the radiator cooler, nor would I bypass both coolers. If the bypass were to seize closed, the transmission would burn up in a huge hurry.
A lot depends on which bypass valve you get. (most are four port, so, just get plumbed in-line with the existing coolers, and uses the same return line.)
