Help with 6.0 cooler

[deere4440]

Ok, i bought the 6.0 tranny cooler, and was wondering what i need to get to make it fit in there. I've heard it will bolt in the factory location of mine. But do i need some fittings or hose?? And what would be the easiest way to do the removal and install of the cooler. Oh and another question what is the best fluid to put in the transmission, should i flush it, or just drain it and add fresh.

[Doakster]

I myself will be doing this install in the future and this is what I've learned so far from doing the research.

6.0 Cooler bolts directly into where the original cooler is.

If your truck is a 99-2000 you will need about 4-6ft of 1/2 in transmission hose(the 6.0 cooler has 1/2in inlet and outlet fittings rather than the 3/8in that your original has).

If your truck is a 2001-2003 you should only need 2-3ft of 1/2in hose because you will have hard lines that pass into the bottom of your radiator first and then go up to the air/trans oil cooler, so basically there is less rubber hose in this case. This is how my truck is set up.

1/2in transmission hose will be hard to find at your standard auto parts supplier, napa can get it but I think they only offer it in a 25ft roll. Heavy truck service locations should have it. Don't let anyone sell you 1/2in heater hose because it's not rated up to temp or pressure. I believed 1/2in fuel line is up to the rating but I haven't confirmed it yet.

As far is fittings, you will need to adapt from the 3/8in line up to the 1/2in line. This is easiest done with brass barb type fittings and hose clamps. Some people use one female threaded barb and one male threaded barb, put them together then you have a union that will work.

Although, check out this website BRASS FITTINGS Brass Pipe Fittings Hose Barbs Stainless Steel Fittings Hydraulic Adapters Hydraulic Fittings Grease Zerks Hose Clamps you'll find everything you need for fittings and they are pretty cheap.

I'll be using this fitting which in my opinion will be the easiest, it's a straight union that goes from 3/8in up to 1/2in, and dirt cheap Hose Barbs: Hose Mender

Like I said I haven't done this yet but it's on my list of things to do

[Doakster]

Sorry, forgot to talk about the tranny fluid, unless your due for a tranny fluid change, I don't think I would spend the money to do it. I think the recommended Ford interval is every 30,000 miles, but if you have overheated it at any point i.e. anything over 225 degrees than the fluid is no good and I would change it. I always use the Mercon stuff from Ford, but I'm sure others will chime in and recommend something that's thought to be better.

Once you get the cooler in you'll need to drive the truck, warm up to normal tranny temp so it's circulating through the new cooler and check the tranny oil level. I've been told you'll probably need to add 2-3 qts of fluid because of the larger cooler capacity.

[deere4440]

Hey, that is a big help. Thanks. So the cooler lines just push on and are held on by hose clamps, if it is that won't be so bad to change. How many passes does the cooler have, 26 or 31, i've seen both not sure which one to get.

[Doakster]

Yes, the existing hoses push on to fittings on the cooler and are held on by typical automotive clamps, they're not exactly the same a hose clamps but do the same thing. You'll need to cut you're 3/8in lines but still use some of the length, install the fitting that goes up to 1/2in then install the 1/2in line on that this then goes to the new cooler, use the new hose clamps that you bought on either end of the new fitting to secure the hose ends to the fitting. I'm probably going to go with the 31 pass cooler just because I might as well get the biggest one in there and be done with it. You can find them on ebay and they usually go for about 250-280 shipped, they used be less but more and more people are doing the mod now so it's more popular. Also check out Powerstrokeshop.com - PSD and Ford Superduty Parts they offer 3 coolers, two versions of the 26 pass and the 31 pass. The 31 pass is $295 and there is two prices for the two different 26 pass one is $265 and one is $285. I asked them about this and they basically told me the 26 pass coolers are the same but ford used them in different applications so they are priced differently. I've heard the temperature difference is very noticeable going up to the 6.0 cooler and I don't think you can go wrong with either one, but I'm just going to go with the 31, the cooler then better for the trans I guess.

[scpbmxer01]

I'm putting in a 6.0 cooler as well drove all the way to the shop that said they had 1/2 in trans line and I get there and they only have heater hose. Pissed