Ok, so for some time now I've been wanting a transmission cooler on my truck... well, just because, and to keep the transmision temp down (Here in Nashville I drive downtown a LOT and its stop and go, and i keep O/D off). It doesnt have a stock transmission cooler on it and was wondering if there was any way to add one. Here is the specs for my truck:

2001 Ram 5.2 V8
46RE Auto Transmission

Is it possible to add one? How hard is it? Please note i also want one because I plan on towing a 26 foot boat to and from FL and i know that its gonna be hell on the tranny...

Help? Thanks!

 

Course its possible You can go to any parts store and buy any generic one. Then just take the trans lines that go into and out of your radiator and put them on the aftermarket one. Its REALLY easy to do. You'll probably have to add some tranny fluid since you'll loose a bit swaping the lines.

 

oh, I didnt know that the transmission lines were already cooled off in the radiator, I figured it was a closed system that didnt have any cooling at all =/

I would go out to my truck right now, but i promised my significant other that I would detail her honda [:'(]... so shes got to take the truck to work... When i heard her peeling tires out at the intersection not 50 feet from the house, i immediately called her and bitched her out... "Those are new MICHILENS ON THERE honey... please dont do that" and from 3 blocks away i hear my truck revving... yeah, shes having fun with the truck as we speak...

So yeah, if indeed it is connected to the radiator (Didnt know it was, my chevy didnt have it =/) would i need to cap the radiator where the lines were? Would this be a bigger improvement than just leaving it in the radiator?

 

You can buy a line fitting kit that allows you to change the lines going into/out of the radiator into fittings for the hoses that you run to your cooler. You need to decide if you want to bypass the radiator complelety and us only your cooler, or use botyh the radiator and your aux cooler. Do a search for "trans cooler" on this site. I have posted tons of stuff about coolers over the last couple of years because I have tried several different types. Right now I am running a Flex-a-lite 4232, and really like it. One with it's own integrated fan and thermostat is also a really good setup, but more pricey. If your going with a cheap set-up, a plate and fin design cools better then a tube and fine design (unless you get an enourmous tube and fin like I have). Install is easy, let us know if you have any questions.



[IMG]local://upfiles/9095/2E9764F71FA8465FBBFE583AB0AE8F58.jpg[/IMG]

 

FYI - You can't run your transmission too cool. Consider getting a different transmission pan with cooling fins. Especially when you're going to be towing that barge of yours

 

Cool alright thanks for your help guys, I will definetly keep yall posted whenever i get the money up... Thats after i get a job and all that good stuff..

1 month 2 days without a job.. and counting... and hindering the fact that i cant mod my truck =/

 

Haha thats funny about the tires I know what you mean! When I did my t-chain my friend (the auto shop teacher guy) was in the truck revving it up while I filled the coolant. When we were done he started break torqueing it. I started yelling at him right away, I was like "THOSE ARE MY BRAND NEW $800 TIRES ON THERE!!!" Was kinda funny though [:'(] He said it did have more though

 

I posted this a while back on another forum. I have also put it up on this one - but I figured it would be easier to just copy it to here for you. Have fun!

Here's a link to a post I did with pics of my tranny cooler install. https://dodgeforum.com/m_286895/mpag.../tm.htm#286895


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!

 

Crystal Clear =)

Thanks so much for yalls help, If i can convince my g/f i'll get her to buy my tranny cooler tonight, I planned on going to the local Junk yard here in nashville (Ironically called Pull-A-Part .. hehe) and getting an airhat from a Dodge Dakota and i might as well look for a hardline while im there, that way i can keep the factory one in place =)

Now only if she would come home with the truck

 

Ok, I got my truck back Finally!

hehe anyways I'm looking at it, It has a nice factory transmission cooler separate from the radiator (I found out the hard way, i found the lines that i was looking for, put my hand on it to see if it was the ones going to the AC... Yeah WRONG.. lol)


Anyways, anyone know which line (top or bottom) is the in and out?