Tranmission cooler install?

[wldleak]

I bought a Tran cooler at NAPA and the hose kit is not compatable with my 96 Winstar 3.0 AXOD hoses. Further investigation of cooler manf. parts acces. on line and at Advance Auto do not list adapter kits for 96 Win. Has any one done this before or have any suggestions?

[ModMech]

How are you installing it?

Most often, aux coolers are installed after the factory cooler, in series with it. You can just cut off about 4" of cooler line (return), connect the hose to a 1" line connected to the factory cooler, and the other hose to the return line with clamps.

[wldleak]

Originally Posted by ModMech

How are you installing it?

Most often, aux coolers are installed after the factory cooler, in series with it. You can just cut off about 4" of cooler line (return), connect the hose to a 1" line connected to the factory cooler, and the other hose to the return line with clamps.

I just went ot NAPA and they had a adapter kit. When I got home and started to remove the line from the left side of radiator as your facing front of van, water started coming out. The lines definately go to trans. Does the tran use water to cool trans or am I on the wrong line? Is the threaded fitting two stage? In other words does the nut house an internal line seperate from water?

[floridatgp]

no water is not used to cool tranny, i found it much easier to tap into
the rubber lines that leave tranny. I don't know what to say about
the water coming out, your tranny fluid does look healthy, right?

[ModMech]

Yes, the cooler line SNAPS into the fitting and the fitting SCREWS into the radiator.

No damage. The clip for the fitting looks sort of like an "E", just pry it out of the fitting, and the line will then pull out of the fitting. Expect to lose a small amount of ATF (a few oz).

[wiswind]

The tranny is cooled by pushing the hot fluid through the lines to the cooler(s) and then it flows back into the tranny pan. Where it is sucked up through the internal filter....and through the tranny......and so on. You do not want any mixing of water and tranny fluid. The factory cooler is mounted on one side of the radiator....and the water in the radiator helps to cool the fluid by heat exchange through the metal.

The hoses on my tranny are 5/16 inch size. My cooler had 3/8 inch nipples, so I had to use adaptors. There are MANY ways to tap into the lines...but as ModMech said....the idea is to connect the auxilary cooler in series with the factory one.....so that the fluid flows through the factory one.....then through the auxilary one....and back into your tranny.

I installed mine similar to how ModMech originally mentioned....by working with one of the rubber lines between the tranny and the metal lines mounted to the base of the radiator.
Make sure to check for leaks several times after the installation.

Also, check the Tranny fluid level.....
Car on level ground,Engine warm, in PARK, engine running at idle.
If you need to add fluid, 1996 uses MERCON (not MERCON V). Do not overfill.

[wldleak]

I took van to a Amaco shop which was reccomended by a freind. They installed cooler via the rubber hoses in inline after existing cooler. Every thing seems fine, however the commercial tech at Advanced Auto recomended Mercon V which I put 6 qts in with a 16oz of Lucas trans. oil. Whats up with using Mercon V??????? Should I do anything soon?????

Originally Posted by wiswind

The tranny is cooled by pushing the hot fluid through the lines to the cooler(s) and then it flows back into the tranny pan. Where it is sucked up through the internal filter....and through the tranny......and so on. You do not want any mixing of water and tranny fluid. The factory cooler is mounted on one side of the radiator....and the water in the radiator helps to cool the fluid by heat exchange through the metal.

The hoses on my tranny are 5/16 inch size. My cooler had 3/8 inch nipples, so I had to use adaptors. There are MANY ways to tap into the lines...but as ModMech said....the idea is to connect the auxilary cooler in series with the factory one.....so that the fluid flows through the factory one.....then through the auxilary one....and back into your tranny.

I installed mine similar to how ModMech originally mentioned....by working with one of the rubber lines between the tranny and the metal lines mounted to the base of the radiator.
Make sure to check for leaks several times after the installation.

Also, check the Tranny fluid level.....
Car on level ground,Engine warm, in PARK, engine running at idle.
If you need to add fluid, 1996 uses MERCON (not MERCON V). Do not overfill.

[Dngrsone]

You might want to do a full flush. Some Mercon V fluids do not meet original Mercon specifications...

[DRW1000]

96's require Mercon and not Mercon 5. Check your dipstick and/or owners manual to be certain. They are not interchangeable and should not be mixed or substituted for one another.

In other words the tech did not give you sound advice.