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Old 08-01-2016, 08:52 PM   #1
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Let's talk transmission coolers

Ok.....so I've been thinking about a bigger transmission cooler.....

I just figured out how to get the little bullydog OBDII gadget to display trans temps...haven't actually drove the van anywhere yet to see where my temps are......

I have a 2008 5.4L

I've read a number of threads here about coolers and researched a few P/N's as follows:

for later model years the stock 5.4L and V10 cooler is an 11 row Ford P/N 8C2Z7A095A or 8C2Z7A095C (I think??)

the 6.0L appears to be 13 rows Ford P/N 8C2Z7A095B

from the pictures I've found, it appears that the 13 row will bolt up to the same holes as the 11 row.

So that looks like an incremental increase in cooling capacity.

I see that many on here have gone with the Dana Tru-Cool 45,000 BTU rated cooler.

Does anyone know the approximate BTU rating of the stock units above?

A few questions about the install of the Tru-cool 45K:

Are you fabricating brackets for the install and mounting it roughly where the stock unit was?

How are you getting from "inverted flare" to barb fittings? ie how much plumbing is required?

The F-series truck coolers appear massive, specifically Ford OEM P/N 5C3Z7A095CA.......Is anyone running one of these?

Are there other choices to consider?

I'm assuming that everyone with upsized coolers is also using the water to oil cooler in the radiator as well (in series with the oil to air cooler)......

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Old 08-02-2016, 10:45 AM   #2
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Hi Scott, I will take some pics of what Strictly Diesel did when they installed the larger cooler on our 7.3.

What temps are you seeing on your gauge?
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Old 08-02-2016, 01:55 PM   #3
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Greetings boywonder, I went with the Tru-Cool 45K a few years ago when I put in the new transmission. First my installation isn't for the owner who is looking for a factory looking setup. I'm not one to pause long before taking a saw to my van. I can post pics if your interested. Here is how I solved some of the installation challenges your asking about albeit my van is 6.0 PSD with 5r110.

Does anyone know the approximate BTU rating of the stock units above?
My stock cooler was ridiculously small maybe 8"x10" flat plate so couldn't be much.

Are you fabricating brackets for the install and mounting it roughly where the stock unit was?
Yes. I installed a recycled 10" 12v fan between the new trans cooler and the condenser which made the whole stack much thicker. So I welded up brackets for the fan and the new cooler. And not really. My cooler takes up a lot more space. Extending beyond the radiator opening towards the passenger headlight. Also, I cut/removed a big section of the plastic structure behind the grill and went with a thin metal grill. I think a lot of this is because of the fan thickness.

How are you getting from "inverted flare" to barb fittings? ie how much plumbing is required?
I took my cooler to a racecar/aircraft hydraulic shop where the guy quickly found a way to get from inverted flair to 1/2" barb (my van has 1/2" trans hoses). He had to use two fittings stacked in order to accomplish this. It looks like, inverted flair to AN then AN to 1/2" barb.

I'm assuming that everyone with upsized coolers is also using the water to oil cooler in the radiator as well (in series with the oil to air cooler)
Yes, Radiator first then to air cooler then back to trans.

I did this project a few years ago before I was on the forum so my reference was Badgertrek.com. He showed it could be done but he didn't really show how he did it so I was kind of on my own which works fantastic but looks pretty Mad Max. I can post a picture but not sure if it would help much.

- Eric
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Old 08-02-2016, 03:10 PM   #4
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I installed the Tru-Cool unit earlier this year on my 02 V10. The fit is good and the install was relatively simple with the kit. The fittings were included and line to cooler connection was a non-issue. Temps went from 220ºF+ to 195ºF max under some heavy load conditions, especially offroad in the sand. Daily use is right around 140ºF.

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Old 08-02-2016, 03:15 PM   #5
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Ditto Shuttle Pilot. Except I just went to Napa for fittings. And I skipped the fan (although I want to add one).

Mine sites exactly like REDOVAL's. Super simple. Had to trim one of the stock brackets, but otherwise pretty much a bolt-in install.

With all that said... If you are not towing or doing low-range 4x4 driving, the 45k might be overkill. If I'm not towing in the winter, I run a grill insert otherwise my temp never gets above 140 which isn't enough to prevent condensation buildup.
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Old 08-02-2016, 04:46 PM   #6
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Since I'm stuck in the box with the kids this afternoon I went out and took a few photos of my cooler set up. I didn't realize how haggard the front of the Space Shuttle looked until today. Again this set up isn't for everyone. Most of the front of my van (and many other parts) are recycled parts from the previous owner putting it together after a crash so my priority was keeping my new transmission happy. If this helps get the engineering ideas flowing for others that would be great.



Scott (REDOVAL) headlights look familiar? Their amazing and the most pristine part at the moment. I owe you a review on your thread.



The old fan (behind the weird shroud) I used was from a previous 4x4 and moves a ton of air but it's quite thick so that is mostly what necessitated the modifications. The fitting on the lower left (out of view) has the thermostat that actuates the fan at 180* (fluid entering the Tru-Cool). Fan seems to turn on at 164*ish indicated by the OBDII sensor in the trans. Since this install highest I've ever seen on the gauge was 196* usually 160's - 170's all the time.



Anyway, boywonder keep us in the loop on what you decide to go with and how it helps your trans temps.

- Eric
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Old 08-02-2016, 06:20 PM   #7
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Mine also looks pretty much like Redoval's. 1998 Chassis, V10. Mine is a Tru-Cool OC-47391 40,000 GVW. It's shifted over to the passenger side like his is. On mine one of the stock brackets was trimmed (or maybe removed, I can't remember right now) and then a couple of flat strap-like brackets (that I think came with the cooler) were used also. I spray painted the front of it with high-heat flat black paint so it wouldn't look like "braces" (was shiny silver).

Transmission is now unflappable (was not bad before, but I like to see it cool when I'm towing in hot weather), but I think the engine cooling system fan comes on just a bit more often - probably due to the heat coming off the back of the trans cooler? I don't mean all the time, but a bit more, especially if it's really hot out and I'm towing/climbing. The fan will roar to life for 30 seconds or so (when the Scangauge shows engine temp at around 200ºF) and then shut off when it's back down to 196º or so.

Maybe a slightly smaller trans cooler would be an even better balance (for my setup) and would keep the engine radiator a bit cooler (?), but on the other hand the engine fan exists and the transmission doesn't have one.

Another thing is that I wonder if my trans cooler might be TOO cool if I ran in very cold weather (I haven't, so I don't know, and I balanced it toward hot weather). Towing and climbing a pass in 100ºF weather the trans still stays below 185ºF or so now. When I'm towing I'm about 15,000 lbs. all-up. Normal driving/normal weather... I think it's around 165ºF. (Scan Gauge reading)
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Old 09-01-2016, 06:00 AM   #8
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Opinions.

My 2010 E350, 5.4L, 4spd auto. It has the factory 11 row tranny cooler. I live in Colorado, drive the mountains, and tow a 2,500lb enclosed trailer sometimes.

Would the 20,000 BTU TruCool be a warranted upgrade from the factory cooler?
Thanks!
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Old 11-13-2016, 08:33 PM   #9
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OK...after quite a bit of research (looked at OEM towing, Hayden, Spectra and TruCool) I went with the TruCool 40K (47391) without bypass.

Mounting was very straightforward and relatively clean; now I'm searching for fittings to get the 1/2" diameter stock hoses on the cooler. The cooler comes with 3/8" male inverted flare to 3/8" barb fittings which screw right into the cooler, but the 3/8 barbs won't work with 1/2" tubing.

After a fruitless search for 3/8" male inverted flare to 1/2" barb, I was planning on just buying a pair of 1/2" to 3/8" reducing barbs and using a couple of short pieces of the 3/8" tubing that came with the cooler.....but after re-reading this thread, I'm now going to get inverted flare to AN and AN to barb fittings (thanks Shuttlepilot and CarringB!) so that all of the fittings are screwed to the cooler.

I'll hopefully post a few pics shortly.
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Old 07-27-2018, 07:14 PM   #10
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Reviving an old thread.
Since I posted on this topic I have added a Scangauge, 6" lift, 33" tires and 4.30 gears.
First trick I did to lower the tranny temp was to remove the big Ford emblem and used a drimmel to take out the plastic, leaving a direct path for air to the factory 11 row cooler. It did lower the temps noticeably.
With the stock 11 row cooler and added air flow, the temps ran around 170-185 in the city and 175 on the highway and would touch 185 in the mountains.
I installed the bigger factory cooler that was stock on the V10 w/ 5spd auto tow package. It's a 14 row and easily bolted right in. Rock Auto had it for $50.
Overall it has lowered the temps by another 10 degrees. Runs at 160 around town and on the highway with pulling mountain passes at 178.
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