[detroitfd]

Hey guys-

My truck is running a bit warmer in the trans (running about 225 while towing in 90 degree weather) than I'd like it to.

I've talked to a couple mechanics, and they both agree that a trans pan holding more fluid will be better as far as lowering temps than a 6.0 cooler will be. This makes sense to me, especially when in slow traffic when air can't flow well over the trans cooler.

Since it seems the price is about the same for each, I'd rather go with the pan if it's better, since it'll be easier.

Just wondering what you guys thought....

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

I would go with a cooler with a fan that would be better than the deep pan because once you get all the fluid hot it will take longer for the cooler to cool it.

 

[haul_n_horses2]

I would go with the 6.0 cooler. Brian (BTS) showed me a number of features of the OEM pan that are not present in the aftermarket pans. That is why he recommends and installs the OEM pan in his trannys. In particular, increasing the volume of the tranny fluid will delay the time it takes to reach equilibrium but once you are there, heat in will equal heat out and you will have done nothing to change the heat extraction. A larger 6.0 tranny cooler is probably three times the size of the OEM 7.3 L PSD tranny cooler. Make sure you have the oil to water cooler installed. Many think this increases the ATF temp but they have never compared the inlet/outlet temps of the radiator on a hot truck. The outlet is cool enough to put your hand on and the OTW exchanger is in the bottom of the radiator. Make sure you use synthetic ATF for insurance.

 

[detroitfd]

Hauln, can you elaborate on the oil to water cooler? Is this a stock feature, and if so, how can I tell if I have it? Probably dumb questions, but you know I'm green. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Also, does anyone have a complete write-up on installing the cooler? I know it's said that it bolts into the stock position. Is this the front lower-most cooler on our trucks? I know something was said about different sized lines, how do you get around that?

Thanks for the help in advance. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm hoping that changing the fluid to synthetic will help a lot with temps. I'm pulling the camper about 7 hours round trip coming up in a week or so, and will change the fluid before then to see what happens to the temps. That'll tell me if I need to install the cooler before our trip from Michigan to the New England area in July.

 

[haul_n_horses2]

If you get under the truck and look at the radiator, there are hard lines going from the OTA tranny cooler to the OTW tranny cooler and from the OTW tranny cooler back to the tranny. If you have no hard lines plumbed into the bottom tank of your radiator, you do not have the OTW cooler.

The 6.0 L cooler comes in two flavors, a 25 tube version (part number ends in A, I believe) and a 31 tube version (part number ends in B, I believe). Both have 1/2" tubes to connect to the tranny lines whereas the 7.3 is 3/8" tubing. Brian (BTS) just used some aftermarket plumbing fittings to connect the OEM hard lines to the new cooler. The cooler you see behind the front license plate holder is for the power steering fluid. The tranny cooler is sandwiched between the AC condensor and the intercooler. You have to remove a rubber dam either above or below in order to access/see the tranny cooler. If you pm me an email address I can try and send you some pics of the plumbing Brian has devised.

 

[MADVAN]

Find new mechanics.
Follow your cooler lines. You will see if they go thru the rad (bottom).
Thats you water to fluid cooler. With the change to syn your temps will be about the same. The syn allows you to run at a higher temp.

Bill

 

[TCH777]

I would do the cooler. It actually adds cooling capacity. The pan adds fluid capacity, but won't add cooling. So it will take longer to heat up more fluid, but it will probably still heat up to the same temp over time. And then it will stay hotter longer too.

JMHO
Tim

 

[SmokeyWren]

[ QUOTE ]
I've talked to a couple mechanics, and they both agree that a trans pan holding more fluid will be better as far as lowering temps than a 6.0 cooler will be.

[/ QUOTE ]

They're wrong. What Tim said is right.

Your Y2K model was the year that Ford added the oil-to-water (OTW) tranny cooler in the middle of the model year. If your X-Car was assembled before February, 2000, then it didn't come with the OTW tranny cooler.

As others, mentioned, look at the bottom tank of your radiator. If it has ATF lines going in and out the bottom of the radiator, front and rear, then it has the OTW cooler. If your X-Car does not have the OTW tranny cooler, then that's the first step. Add it. You'll need the new radiator as well as some different ATF lines. There is a TSB that explains to your Ford tech (or to you) exactly how to get the job done and the part numbers needed.

If you still have tranny temp problems with the OTW cooler added, then the next step is to replace the small OTA cooler with the much-bigger OTA cooler from the 6.0L PSD.

That will probably be the end of your problems, but if not, there is one last change needed. Add another big OTA cooler, in line, under the truck, with its own big fan to suck a hurricane worth of air through the cooler when you are messing around at slow speeds with a heavy trailer. Include either a manual switch to turn on the fan at speeds below about 40 MPH, or else plumb it with a thermostat that will turn on the fan any time the ATF in the cooler return line after all the coolers hits 180º or more.

 

[NCHornet]

I too have a Y2K without the oil to water cooler and with just the 6.0 cooler my trans can't get above 170 and that was working it pretty hard. Your mechanic hasn't seen the size of the 6.0 cooler, this thing is HUGE!!!! By far the best bang for your buck, check Ebay I got mine NIB delivered for $60 but that was before it was such a popular mod. PM me with any ?

 

[JimTJr]

[ QUOTE ]
I too have a Y2K without the oil to water cooler and with just the 6.0 cooler my trans can't get above 170 and that was working it pretty hard. Your mechanic hasn't seen the size of the 6.0 cooler, this thing is HUGE!!!! By far the best bang for your buck, check Ebay I got mine NIB delivered for $60 but that was before it was such a popular mod. PM me with any ?

[/ QUOTE ]I also agree with the above posters, and Brian at BTS, He does not recommend the larger pan, for the same reason. Figure you have 2 barrels of fluid, a 30 gal and 55 gal. Warm them both up to say, 230* then circulate each (at the same gal/per/min of course)fluid that is cooled down, oh, what 15* each cycle of fluid? WHICH one will take LONGER to cool back down to the desired temp?
So it really DOESN'T make such good sense now does it?

Go with the larger cooler, (Brian does use the 4x4 pan on ALL his BTS' and it MAY have a slightly larger capacity than a 2x4. But there was another reason he explained too I think. (Maybe Haulin remembers, since he mentioned the pan Brian uses on his,,, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif) I do recall it was not specifically because it had more capacity I don't think.

 

[strokin_early_99]

A larger cooler will win over a deeper pan hands down. See what all of the tow rigs run in your area. I bet you the have large coolers. You need to find another trans shop to spend your money at.

Interesting reading on all of the deep pan theorys. Sounds like Brian and John agree. John said it did not matter. It would not hurt or help. I did it because I had one. I had my radiator changed out with a new one that had an OTW in it. My tranny warms up faster and I don't have to wait as long for it to "feel right" in the mornings. I have a tru-cool cooler inline which John said was fine. Now I never see anyting over 190* when towing in the mountains. I used to see 230* or more without trying with my old stock tranny and old radiator.

Keep Strokin'

 

[detroitfd]

Well, sounds like the 6.0L cooler is it.

My truck was 10/99 built, so it won't have OTW water cooler. I don't have the cash to spend on a new cooler and radiator and such, so I'll try the bigger cooler and see what happens.

Someone said the trans can handle higher temps with synthetic fluid. Anyone know what the difference is? I've been told the trans temp redline is about 230 sustained. How will changing with synthetic help this?

And, anyone know what size trans return line I may have? I wanna change my fluid this week before the first camping trip. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

THANKS yet again guys! As usual, you make things dummy proof. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[aklim]

[ QUOTE ]
This makes sense to me, especially when in slow traffic when air can't flow well over the trans cooler.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you forget that fan behind the radiator that moves air? Does the trans pan have such a device?

 

[aklim]

[ QUOTE ]
And, anyone know what size trans return line I may have? I wanna change my fluid this week before the first camping trip. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You will need to get some brass fittings to make an adapter. One has 3/8 barb and 3/8 NTP and the other has 1/2 barb and 3/8 NTP. Obviously, for the 2 pieces to mate, one has to be male and the other female NTP. You will need 2 hose adapters made. Your 6.0 cooler has 1/2 barbs and your hose is a 3/8 barb.

 

[haul_n_horses2]

[ QUOTE ]
Someone said the trans can handle higher temps with synthetic fluid. Anyone know what the difference is? I've been told the trans temp redline is about 230 sustained. How will changing with synthetic help this?

[/ QUOTE ]It is not so much that the tranny can handle it as the ATF can hold up to higher temps if they get there. The dino ATF will burn quicker and lose it's lubrication/hydraulic oil function faster. So if you do get too hot, with dino you have to change the fluid immediately or sooner where as the synthetic ATF may be able to take the heat and not require a change. If you do see temps at 230, you want to pull over and idle the truck. The cooling fan will still pull air through the cooler and tranny will circulate the fluid. You do not want to just shut the engine down as there will be no pumping of fluid or air circulation.

 

[haul_n_horses2]

[ QUOTE ]
My truck was 10/99 built, so it won't have OTW water cooler. I don't have the cash to spend on a new cooler and radiator and such, so I'll try the bigger cooler and see what happens.

[/ QUOTE ]If you have high temps sitting in traffic or going slowly up a grade, the OTW would be the better choice. And just remember to put the truck in 4x4 lo when backing that trailer even a minor hill.

 

[detroitfd]

Where did you guys get your 6.0 trans coolers?

I only see 1 on eBay. I did a google search but didn't turn up much.

 

[444-4D]

[ QUOTE ]
Where did you guys get your 6.0 trans coolers?

I only see 1 on eBay.

[/ QUOTE ]

How many do you need?

 

[radeon1314]

are we talking about he big cooler like dieselsite.com sells(made by true cool) or the black ones?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...048417&rd=1,1

http://www.dieselsite.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=480


thanks, kevin

 

[HaulinDuals]

I installed the V10 cooler which is larger than the OEM 7.3 cooler. How does the 6.0 cooler compare to the V-10 in size/capacity? Should I be hunting one down for a swap?