Aftermarket Transmission Oil Cooler
 

I have a 1999 dodge ram 1500 that is getting the transmission rebuilt. When I dropped the pan the ATF was silver and full of metal debris. I need to replace the entire radiator as the trans cooling lines are an integrated part of the radiator and i suspect the radiator is full of debris (and i was told to get it replaced before i get the rebuilt one back). My question was, is there and aftermarket transmission oil cooler that is on the market meant for my truck? Any advice would be awesome.

And transmission cooler will work. Even the one from Advance Auto, just takes a little bit of time to install.

When you say a bit of time do you mean just getting the lines to fit for the aftermarket oil cooler? I suppose you could run some sort of extension from the oil cooler to the lines themselves and it would work that way?

Just have the shop install one of theres or recommended.Much easier plus a warranty.Just a thought.................

That would be the route to go... however the transmission is being rebuilt as we speak and I have no way of getting the entire truck to a shop at this point.

If you decide to install one yourself let me know I'll help you through the process :)

I've done them before on vehicles. They all will work for you. You just need a decent sized one since it's a truck.

Right, It also needs to clear the the gap, so it needs to fit between where the hood comes down and the radiator

https://www.partsgeek.com/kw66z5h-do...ion+Oil+Cooler
Would something like this work for my truck?

If you have A/C the cooler goes between the radiator and Condenser. So you need to take measurements and one you have those measurements then just find one that fits those dimensions

I just realized something, the cooler lines go through the radiator, then through the trans cooler radiator. I just need to replace the trans cooler radiator, I think ill just bypass the radiator itself as I dont want to buy a whole other radiator, as mine is more than likely full of gunk from when my tranny kicked the bucket. So I just need to find a bigger aftermarket trans cooler for the truck itself.

I may not understand completely. The lines should go through the radiator and then to a cooler (if factory equipped) and then to the trans. If you live in a cold state you need the radiator cooler.

Get the stacked plate style, not the tube in fin style.
When my transmission was rebuilt the tube in fin style couldn't keep the fluid cool enough, swapped it for the stacked plate style and it stays dead on 176º.
The lines are rubber and are clamped to the transmission lines.
I believe the transmission cooler (the little one in front of the radiator) was part of the tow package from Dodge, mine was built into the radiator.

The cooler in the trans is really just to heat up the fluid. That's why you need it in colder climates. You can over cool your transmission as it has to be at a certain degree before you get overdrive. Just remember placement of the cooler is important but will also affect other things and how well it is cooled. The best place is in front of everything but may affect your A/C. I upgraded my cooler kept it in the factory spot and installed a temp gauge before and after the cooler to monitor the temps. I also installed an electric helper fan out front to push air through everything (like the later 1st gen Durango's had). I actually used the Durango fan.

Yes it heats it up for you to get O/D. If you live in colder climates you can't bypass it. Test it out. On a cool night (we are into the 30s in PA) start the truck up and drive you'll notice you don't have 4th until the truck warms up. Now if you lived in Texas you could easily bypass the radiator. A tranny can be overcooled just like an engine. When an engine is overcooled you lose heat, with a tranny you lose O/D.

The B&M is the same (and only) cooler I have. It's mounted in the front so it's the first thing to catch air. It is connected directly to the transmission lines with the check ball removed from them. The transmission guy is the one that put it on my truck.
The only issue I have is that I have to put my truck in neutral for about 10 seconds on a cold start because without the check ball the fluid drains out and I have a no/sluggish go for the first take off if I don't wait.
I live in NC where nights average high 20's and low 30's in the coldest part of winter.

Do you still have the radiator "cooler?"

The radiator cooler isn't hooked up.

That's really odd as you shouldn't have O/D. I know when I had my 46re rebuilt for my Durango they told me that bypassing the radiator cooler will void the warranty, as it will cause the transmission to overcool which can cause damage.

It's been 7 years now and it's shifting like it did before all those 7k to 10k pound pulls that burned up my old transmission. The guy that rebuilt mine said that he wouldn't warranty a 2nd gen ram transmission rebuild if the owner insisted that the check ball stay on the lines but he said that he thought it was best for me to have the aftermarket cooler.
If overcooling knocking out overdrive were a concern then you wouldn't have overdrive in a factory setup until you got about 10 minutes down the road in winter because the radiator doesn't warm up until the thermostat opens up. I've had mine warming up long enough for me to scrape the ice off the windows (probably 20º) then hopped in and booked it down the road with no overdrive issues and no heat until I was half way to work.

Yeah, according to theory, (and the FSM) the PCM won't go into O/D until trans temp reaches 108 degrees. However, I don't think that is correct, as my truck will shift into overdrive within a mile of my house, even on the coldest days. (sub-zero temps..... sometimes double digit sub-zero temps.....) Unless trans fluids heats up REAL fast, there is no way that it gets to 108 degrees in less than 500 feet. (I don't let my truck sit and idle to warm up, can't afford the gas for that.... it already gets horrible gas mileage.) And that goes for both my 96 with the 5.9 gas, and also my 98 with the 8.0.

Also, given that most 95 and older trucks, the PCM doesn't have a clue what trans temp is...... I am quite sure it doesn't wait. :D

My truck reaches 108 within 3 minutes of starting that's in 32° weather

Hhhhmmmm...... If I had a scanner that would tell me that info, I would be REAL curious to monitor it some morning. :) I hit 45 mph or so within about a minute, minute and a half, of startup.

I would always let my truck warm up for a minute at least, and I had OD all the time... but even when I didnt let my truck warm up I still seemed to have OD, I couldnt give a reliable answer.

Now that going 15mph and starting her up and going. But I always assumed without the radiator cooler it wouldn't warm up with the engine

My engine most certainly does not hit 108 in 60-90 seconds on those truly cold michigan winter days...... :D

Can't attest to the really cold days yet :)