He’s familiar with the Ford diesel lineup and the parts they use. He’s a Certified ASE Master Mechanic and started in Ford’s service department in 1996. John Ferguson at Domestic Diesel Service in Corona, California, offered to show us the solution.
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The power steering cooler can just be hung to the side while making the trans cooler upgrade. 2 The lower air dam and the power steering cooler are removed to install the transmission oil cooler. 1 The grille is best removed to make your installation easier.
#How to install transmission cooler f250 upgrade
Not to worry, there’s a solution, a 7.3 transmission cooler upgrade kit and it involves some top-quality OEM parts. However, the OEM cooler can be over-taxed while towing heavy loads and the heat that results can mean issues with the auto trans. The ’99 to ’03 Fords with the 7.3 are fine for daily driving. Unfortunately, the 4R100 automatic could be a little tougher and these trucks are also plagued with factory tranny coolers that run a little on the small side. Owners of ’99-’03 Ford Super Duty trucks know that the 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine is a good engine. Sure, regular tranny fluid changes and towing in third can extend the life of the automatic in your Ford Super Duty, but a properly sized transmission oil cooler is the most important part of the cool-running automatic transmission equation. Towing, especially of heavy loads while in overdrive, can cause this heat.
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The most common cause of failure in an automatic transmission is not age it’s excessive heat. The guy I spoke to at Fitzall, Dale, was very helpful in explaining what I would need to make up lines on the '05 Expedition.A transmission is not something that most truck owners think about… until one fails, that is. All these critical components failing is unacceptable. And to think I still only have about 68K miles on this truck where the original and previous owner kept it in the garage. That's what I'm doing with this truck in the spring. Then you won't have to worry about that*ever failing again. Then, you can purchase stainless steel, 3/8 brake line and braided stainless transmission cooler hose with fittings from a place like Jegs and make up an awesome set. They have brass compression fittings that directly replace the cast iron OEM press in fittings that you can only get by buying a radiator. To make up a durable, reliable set of transmission lines that are better and probably cheaper than OEM,go to this company: Fitzall * TRANSMISSION 3/8" COOLER LINE REPAIR FITTING, FORD RADIATOR. This will probably outlast OEM up here, but I won't be going back to that quick change crap, especially since Ford doesn't make them available. I made up quick repair lines using a combination of hose barbs, compression fittings, coated 3/8 metal brake line and 3/8 power steering return hose. I broke the plastic removal tools I listed in my last post, but managed to cut the tubing, remove the fitting from the radiator with a 27MM socket and get the remaining piece of tubing out. My line also developed pinhole leaks right where it enters the quick change fitting going into the radiator, which should have been made from brass or stainless, and is not available from Ford.
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The lines rusted out where there are 90° bends, and especially where plastic retainers snap in the tubing, holding them to the frame. In this environment here in the North East, quick change fittings and 3/8 transmission lines are toast.
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It's scary to think that you can ruin a $3000 transmission by driving down the road unaware that your cheaply made transmission plumbing has sprung pinhole leaks, losing your transmission fluid.