Who Had The Cooler Installation Kit?

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I could swear someone posted a while back that he had an original OEM transmission cooler installation kit. You know, that kit from the attached TSB.

I'm curious what all is included. I was looking at a Mark VIII in the junkyard which apparently has one of the TSB coolers:



For the exit from the radiator, it had this specific piece, which I picked up:



Then it's all 3/8" inner diameter hose to/from the cooler:



What gives me pause is the return into the existing cooler line. First of all, it was cut off; not something I like doing, with the risk of metal shavings getting into the system. Secondly, they connected the hose using this fitting; I could unscrew the piece which the hose wraps around, but the other piece is stuck to the metal tube. Not sure how that works; does it "bite" itself into the tube?



I also find it weird that they made the cut so high up, only to force the hose into a 180° bend; they could have made the cut further down.

Generally speaking, I'd prefer a sort of plug & play solution, which avoids the cut altogether. Some fitting that just screws to the existing tube, plus the piece I pictured above which screws into the radiator.


I've been a bit resistant against the transmission cooler installation, but I guess I should give in to peer pressure. I do monitor transmission temperature on longer drives using my OBD2 app. At 60 mph, with ambient temperatures in the 90°F range, it usually settles around 180°F. At 70 mph, it settles closer to 195°F, a bit higher when there are hills.

 

[dDUBb]

Not sure how that works; does it "bite" itself into the tube?

Compression fittings use a ferrule that bites on to the tube when the nut is tightened.

they could have made the cut further down.

Most dealership techs are 20 year olds and trying to get the job done in the shortest amount of time possible .. this is what happens.

 

[Kenz]

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

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Did you buy that cooler?

No. The only thing I bought was the radiator-to-hose adapter. I figured I should get a new cooler; who knows what this one looks like on the inside. Also, this cooler doesn't have any kind of bypass thermostat, which I think would be a disadvantage in the winter (?). The bracket is Mark VIII specific, so I didn't pick that up either.

I meant to buy that compression fitting, but based on @dDUBb 's explanation, I'm guessing they are single use.

You got the radiator adapter which is good. IIRC they are kind of hard to find.

Right. But on the other hand, one could just use another compression fitting on the original cut-off tube. That's why I'm curious what all was part of the original Ford installation kit.

 

[Kenz]

Also, this cooler doesn't have any kind of bypass thermostat, which I think would be a disadvantage in the winter (?). The bracket is Mark VIII specific, so I didn't pick that up either.

General consensus is that the radiator isn't really needed to warm up the fluid. Maybe in Siberia it would help

 

[dDUBb]

I meant to buy that compression fitting, but based on @dDUBb 's explanation, I'm guessing they are single use.

The ferrule is one time use .. but the other two parts ( nut and adapter ) can be re-used with a new ferrule. Its about $10 worth of hardware brand new. Replacement ferrules are cheap but you'd need to cut the line below the old Ferrule to remove the nut - just to save a couple dollars and re-use 20 year old fittings.

 

[Kidd-7]

General consensus is that the radiator isn't really needed to warm up the fluid. Maybe in Siberia it would help

Agreed, I have a large cooler and the radiator bypassed, no issues this past winter which was much colder than usual around here.

 

[Rodeo Joe]

I believe Gordo had the installation kit.

Joe

 

[MadMikeyL]

Regarding bypassing the cooler in the rad, a lot of newer cars no longer even have the cooler as part of the rad. A lot of cars now combine the AC condenser with the trans cooler along the bottom of it. So there is no need to keep the radiator mounted cooler. In my mind, that is just a liability since if it fails it will cross-contaminate the fluids, which will quickly kill a perfectly good transmission.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Ok, Mike, I hear you, but up to now I thought that the cooler in the radiator was specifically intended to heat up the transmission fluid. Judging from the times I monitored temperature using the app, it takes a while to get up to temperature, which could pose a transmission durability issue in itself (?).

a lot of newer cars no longer even have the cooler as part of the rad. A lot of cars now combine the AC condenser with the trans cooler along the bottom of it.

I think that's how late model Panthers are. Anybody know for certain?

In that case however, would that transmission cooler have a bypass thermostat so that the fluid only goes through the cooler once it's warmed up?

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I believe Gordo had the installation kit.

@supergordo
I'd love to know what all they included in the OEM installation kit.

 

[Zep5.0]

I'm running my fluid thru the new radiator, and then thru a universal cooler. My theory is the radiator takes a few degrees out of the fluid, and then the cooler pulls even more. There is enough room between the rad and the condenser to mount a decent size universal cooler. That's what I would recommend. I wouldn't search for the Ford unit.

 

[MadMikeyL]

There is no reason to heat up the transmission fluid. The hotter the fluid, the faster it degrades. The hotter the fluid, the faster seals inside the trans dry out and fail. The hotter the fluid, the harder the pump has to work to maintain line pressure, and a drop in line pressure can cause slipping and wear. You don’t want your transmission fluid hot. You want it cold, as cold as possible, short of extreme sub-zero temperatures that could prevent it from flowing. If you could keep your transmission fluid at ambient temperatures all the time, the transmission would last forever and the fluid would probably last 150k miles. Heat kills transmissions. Heat is the enemy. Unless you’re in Siberia or somewhere else that sees -40 degree temperatures, there is absolutely no reason ever to purposely introduce heat into the transmission fluid.

 

[Kenz]

Agreed with what @MadMikeyL said... Also, perhaps Ford kept the radiator cooler as an antiquated design carry over from back when synthetic base oils were not around. With old style conventional ATF fluid it could serve a purpose, but modern synthetic fluids have good flow even at low temperatures.
It could also have just been a cost savings to put two systems into one unit

 

[Kenz]

Agreed, I have a large cooler and the radiator bypassed, no issues this past winter which was much colder than usual around here.

Back when I lived in upstate NY I many a times started my Tbird up on -20° winters and the transmission had no problems going before warming up. Sometimes it was so cold the shifter didn't want to get out of park. I think that was just the lines to the brake interlock getting stiff.