Cooler Installation Kit? NOW WITH POLL.

Best Transmission Cooler Setup?

  • Cooler in radiator (stock)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Added cooler without bypass thermostat (OEM TSB setup); transmission > radiator > cooler > transm.

    Votes: 7 41.2%

  • Added cooler with bypass thermostat; transmission > radiator > cooler > transmission

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Cooler only, without bypass thermostat; transmission > cooler > transmission

    Votes: 9 52.9%

  • Cooler only, with bypass thermostat; transmission > cooler > transmission

    Votes: 1 5.9%
  • Total voters
    17
This was how I mounted/routed my Hayden 679 and lines

001.jpeg009.jpeg015.jpeg
 
I’m actually pretty sure I just rebent the cut off stock lines by hand and flared the ends. The piece on the bottom is just hardware store sheetmetal, I bent it into a C shape in my vice and painted it white to look factoryish
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
And the preference between these different types of coolers?

View attachment 13102

Vs.

View attachment 13103
Click to expand...
Which ever fits your application best for routing of lines. Some do have better attachment types for braided lines, etc. mine is more like the lower one and I was able to put it after the radiator and route the hoses well. Sometimes the above type have better mounting solutions or attachment for fans.

For stock to mildly built, either are absolutely fine.
 
Looking back at this thread again. The poll favors the continued use of the radiator plus added cooler; however, I really want to bypass the radiator altogether. I'm a bit paranoid about coolant contamination in the transmission. I can always go back to stock if need be; I'll plug the radiator to prevent debris from entering.

I still haven't picked a cooler though... The one @Kidd-7 posted is way over budget.

Meanwhile, I looked at at the transmission cooler lines, and I noticed a '96 V8 in the junkyard did  not have the rubber connections shown below; my car does:

20171029_161107__40800.jpg

These connections are just above and aft forward of the stabilizer bar, forward of the engine. I think the cleanest installation would be right here: remove these rubber hoses and metal tubes from this connection point to the radiator, and then install new rubber hoses from here to the new cooler forward of the condenser.
 
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This may fit the definition of a stupid question, but...

I probably shouldn't install a used transmission cooler, correct?

I mean they make cleaners specifically for them, and I would test it for leaks. But you never know what kind of contamination may be inside...
 
Kenz said:
Did you buy that cooler? It looks decent and big enough for a stock setup. They are pretty simple install; compression fittings are fine. Even hose clamps are okay to use, it not a high-pressure location.

You got the radiator adapter which is good. IIRC they are kind of hard to find. I think I still have my aftermarket one in storage, from back when it had the automatic
Click to expand...
Hose clamps are not enough. I had cut my steel line to add the cooler after the radiator and about a year after the rebuild I found out. I had blown the line off and pumped it dry smoking everything leaving me w/ nothing but 1st gear. Always flare the remaining steel line if you don't replace it all the way back to trans w/ braided line. Aeroquip makes a hose that uses their barbed fittings without clamps and they do not leak.
 
As long as the used trans cooler isn’t from a car that the trans grenaded, I wouldn’t be worried about running it. If you are going to grab one out of a car in the junkyard, just check the trans fluid, and if it smells and looks clean, then it should be fine. As for bypassing the radiator, tapping into where those rubber lines are would be perfect. Just make sure there is a barb on the end of the line, and use the high pressure fuel injection hose clamps instead of just the worm gear clamps.
 
EVIL ENERGY 5/16" Transmission Oil Cooler, 6 Pass Tube and Fin Cooler Kit Universal Aluminium Black… https://a.co/d/gHsQg6s.

I'm running this on top of the radiator cooler.
FWIW, I haven't ever heard of coolant seeping into the trans cooler. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I've never heard of it.
 
Zep5.0 said:
I'm running this on top of the radiator cooler.
FWIW, I haven't ever heard of coolant seeping into the trans cooler. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I've never heard of it.
Click to expand...

:unsure: Maybe it's time for another poll. I've read about it...but it could well be one-off anecdotes.

MadMikeyL said:
. As for bypassing the radiator, tapping into where those rubber lines are would be perfect. Just make sure there is a barb on the end of the line, and use the high pressure fuel injection hose clamps instead of just the worm gear clamps.
Click to expand...

A barb? :unsure: Is this what a barb is?

Screenshot_20250825_171058_Samsung Internet.jpg

If so, then yes. I looked at V6 in the yard, cut the short rubber portion up to the metal line, and looking into the metal line, about 1/8" in, I could see that outward curved ring. The difficult part will be getting the rubber, including the metal clamp, off the line.

And high pressure fuel injection hose clamps? These?

shopping.webp

What about this type?

images.jpeg

This is what's there in my car currently. I imagine I'll have to carefully cut the existing clamps with a Dremel:

20250825_165341.jpg

One obstacle could be that this looks to be a smaller diameter hose than what I'm seeing used on coolers.
 
I have seen numerous instances of the trans cooler in the rad failing and cross-contaminating the fluids. And if/when that does happen, the coolant in the trans fluid soaks all the clutches, which are paper-backed, and very quickly causes catastrophic failure of the trans. I have said numerous times, there is absolutely no reason to keep the cooler in the rad. That was done as a cost-cutting measure, not because it is better. Needing the rad to “warm up” the trans fluid is also a myth. The cooler is on the cold side of the rad, which isn’t going to get any heat in it until the thermostat opens up, and I assure you the heat from the torque converter will warm up the trans fluid much faster than it takes for the coolant to get up to 180 or 195 or whatever the thermostat temp is. If you’re running a good quality external cooler, the one in the radiator is nothing but a liability.
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
:unsure: Maybe it's time for another poll. I've read about it...but it could well be one-off anecdotes.



A barb? :unsure: Is this what a barb is?

View attachment 14131

If so, then yes. I looked at V6 in the yard, cut the short rubber portion up to the metal line, and looking into the metal line, about 1/8" in, I could see that outward curved ring. The difficult part will be getting the rubber, including the metal clamp, off the line.

And high pressure fuel injection hose clamps? These?

View attachment 14132

What about this type?

View attachment 14133

This is what's there in my car currently. I imagine I'll have to carefully cut the existing clamps with a Dremel:

View attachment 14134

One obstacle could be that this looks to be a smaller diameter hose than what I'm seeing used on coolers.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is a barb. If you have that, you’re good to go. Use the first style clamp, I don’t trust the spring style to hold enough pressure. As for the hose diameter, I believe the stock cooler lines are 5/16”, so try to get a cooler that has 5/16” inlet/outlet. Alternatively, with enough lube and muscle, you can force 5/16” hose onto a 3/8” barb, so if you go that route, get the hose on the cooler before putting it in the car, and leave the hose long so you can trim it back to the proper length once installed and attach to the existing lines.
 
MadMikeyL said:
. As for the hose diameter, I believe the stock cooler lines are 5/16”, so try to get a cooler that has 5/16” inlet/outlet.
Click to expand...

The TSB cooler I saw in the yard weeks ago (see beginning of thread) did use 3/8 hoses. See how this radiator adapter, which was part of the TSB kit, gets a bit thicker at the end. In contrast, the metal lines on both sides of that short rubber section, where I want to go in, do not have that thicker end piece.

20250701_141335.jpg
20250825_174409.jpg


Going with 5/16, I'll just have to be sure to avoid any sharp kinks in the hose which would reduce diameter further.
 
MadMikeyL said:
Use the first style clamp, I don’t trust the spring style to hold enough pressure.
Click to expand...

I will say though: what pressure?

I mean at the end of this whole system of lines, the fluid just flows into the pan, correct? Ergo, there's no pressure at the end of the line, so no significant pressure in the line.

Am I missing something?
 
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My cooler is a 10" B&M hi-tek cooler with integrated fan, with its own temp sensor. AN-6 braided lines to and from. Works perfect, no leaks. With the 3600 stall circle d it stays nice and cool. Trans - cooler - trans is how i run it. My radiator has the tank for trans, but i don't use it. No bypass either, not really needed imho.

dmA9NB.jpg


Cooler under the trans cooler is for power steering, need that with the hydroboost.
 
On the installation front, I see tons of coolers that are simply installed using zip ties going through the cooler fins and then through the condenser fins. Huh? I mean it looks weirdly basic; I'd be concerned that A. the zip ties somehow damage either unit, or B. that the cooler impedes airflow to the A/C.

Someone earlier suggested installation between the condenser and radiator, and yes, there are about 2" in-between the two. But I can't help but feel that distance is by design (?).
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
Someone earlier suggested installation between the condenser and radiator,
Click to expand...

The condenser doesnt always operate and when it does, temps should be 15-30 degrees above ambient. The transmission cooler a little over that, and the radiator being the hottest.

The radiator fan increases the air flow rate through the stack; so a sandwiched Trans cooler or cooler mounted directly to the condenser would benefit from the airflow when the vehicle is moving slower / stopped as opposed to a remote mounted cooler that relies on air flow alone. 🤔
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
On the installation front, I see tons of coolers that are simply installed using zip ties going through the cooler fins and then through the condenser fins. Huh? I mean it looks weirdly basic; I'd be concerned that A. the zip ties somehow damage either unit, or B. that the cooler impedes airflow to the A/C.

Someone earlier suggested installation between the condenser and radiator, and yes, there are about 2" in-between the two. But I can't help but feel that distance is by design (?).
Click to expand...
That is why i made the brackets to mount the cooler, didn't want to use the zip tie method.
Also my e-fan flows 3,300 cfm, moves a lot of air.

For your setup, have you considered just making new trans cooler lines? Easy enough to bend/flare the tubing just need the proper fittings
 
MadMikeyL said:
I have seen numerous instances of the trans cooler in the rad failing and cross-contaminating the fluids. And if/when that does happen, the coolant in the trans fluid soaks all the clutches, which are paper-backed, and very quickly causes catastrophic failure of the trans. I have said numerous times, there is absolutely no reason to keep the cooler in the rad. That was done as a cost-cutting measure, not because it is better. Needing the rad to “warm up” the trans fluid is also a myth. The cooler is on the cold side of the rad, which isn’t going to get any heat in it until the thermostat opens up, and I assure you the heat from the torque converter will warm up the trans fluid much faster than it takes for the coolant to get up to 180 or 195 or whatever the thermostat temp is. If you’re running a good quality external cooler, the one in the radiator is nothing but a liability.
Click to expand...
Yes! When it happened to me I bypassed the rad to the Auxiliary cooler and I added another Auxiliary cooler downstream. I will never run trans thru rad ever again on my bird. I just passed the 100k mark on the last rebuild and the fluid looks like it did when I got it back. It shifts well every time. I may try the grill thermometer probe after an hour trip and see what the temp is before cooler weather arrives.
 
The two types of cooler, are plate type, and multipass type.
Plate type cools better, but is more expensive.
 
I use a standalone cooler with a thermostat and fan. I always have this slow leak at the thermostat though. Is there a fix for this?IMG_4572.jpeg
 

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