HEAVY DUTY TRANS COOLER INSTALL

[SANDDEMON08]

I was have issues keeping the trans cool towing around 22-27,000 lbs. I am using the 210 tp late lock tune. In heavy stop and go city traffic trans would climb to 215-228. Trans temp would also rise on a 6 mile 6% grade i commonly have to pull. Id usually hit 228 and half way up for about 40mph before i had to pull over and let it cool. I know im towing outside the max trailer weight and the fact that i have 3.73 gears and 35" tires dont help so i figured id upgrade the trans cooling system. I have already installed a mag-hytech deep pan. So with the pan which is an additional 8 quarts and the cooler i installed which is an additional 4 quarts i added 12 quarts to the trans cooling system. Figured this might help someone elese having this issue.

[SANDDEMON08]

I mounted it under the bed, it was a tight fit between the 70 gal titan tank and the passager frame rail, had to remove the exhaut to get it in there

[SANDDEMON08]

I installed a 180 degree temp switch for the cooling fan and welded a mount to it to attach it to the frame. I connected at the inlet side and the trans by removing the short steel line between the inline filter and the inlet trans fluid return on the trans

[blackcloud2k]

thats a big damn cooler. How much did it drop your temps?

[SuperCrutyPS]

Is there going to be any issues with road yuck getting splashed up there by the tires? Just curious. Do you have this plumbed in series with the factory tranny cooler?

[SANDDEMON08]

I wired it to the number 2 upfitter switch as a override. The setup works realy well. The trans fan come on about 182 degrees and turns off around 168. With the 210 tp late lock tune, In heavy traffic pulling the same load the trans temps never broke 198 degrees average temp was 194 degrees(over a 20+ degree drop). At traffic lights the trans would drop 5-8 degrees depending how long the light was. Without the cooler the temp would never drop more or less maintain. Pulling the 6% grade 40 mph for 6 miles the trans never went over 202 degrees all the way to the top with out stoping.

Now for the cost

DB-345-12 trans cooler (retail 552.00) mine on ebay 360.00
180 degree inline thermostat 60.00
Fittings and hoses 260.00
4 quarts motorcraft lv trans fluid 20.00

Total parts 700.00

Install time was about 7 hrs, should have been about 4 but i was having an off fabrication day....Overall i am very happy with this investment and think it will help preserve the trans considering the loads i tow.

[SANDDEMON08]

Originally Posted by SuperCrutyPS

Is there going to be any issues with road yuck getting splashed up there by the tires? Just curious. Do you have this plumbed in series with the factory tranny cooler?

So far there hasent been any issue, it rained yesterday and one site i was on was a little muddy but it appears that areas dosent get splash from the tires. Yes im in series with the factory coolers i actualy tapped the inline filter where the steel tube goes from the filter to the inlet return on the trans. So no cutting, everything plumbed right in, i saved the small steel line i removed.

[SANDDEMON08]

Originally Posted by blackcloud2k

thats a big damn cooler. How much did it drop your temps?

It ranged most extreme was about a 26 degrees drop from 228-to 203 on a hard 6% 6 mile grade going 40 MPH. Without the cooler i usually made it about half way before i had to back out of it or pull over to help the trans cool which was usually around 228. My truck trailer and load usualy gross 32-34,000 lbs.

[blackcloud2k]

I have debated putting a second cooler on my truck, nothing that extreme but something to help out.

[SANDDEMON08]

Originally Posted by blackcloud2k

I have debated putting a second cooler on my truck, nothing that extreme but something to help out.

I think would help if you tow alot.

IMO throgh what i have tried, the deep mag-hytech pan did'nt do anything for me, i ran it for about 4 months. It took longer for the trans to heat up but once it got it took twice as long to cool down. I think the extra fluid might extend the service life of the oil but i think the extra fluid actual put more of a strain on the cooling system. By far I would do a cooler first. The front of these trucks are so tight praticaly nothing will fit up there that why i went remote mount.