Automatic transmission inter-cooler ?

[AzZo]

Hey guys, going to junk yard and going to pick up a trans-cooler from a ford explorer. My question is how do I bypass the stock nissan cooler there are two lines top line is the trans fluid feed and the bottom one is the return.When you hook up the trans cooler what happens to the open holes on stock cooler? Do you then have to plug them some how.I am going to get an inline filter as has been recomended.I ask this cause have been told you can just use the intercooler and stop using the stock cooler all together.Any suggestions welcome.Big THANKS Jack in sleepy IOWA.

[Precise1]

If you don't plug the inlet/outlet on the radiator, you will get ATF blown around the first time or two you drive, I found this out the messy way, so I just plugged them off with 2 short bits of hose, 2 dowel pins and 2 hose clamps. In some cases I believe the inlet/outlet are screwed in, so they can be removed and plugged but my way was easier and I had the materials on hand.

 

Yes, you can bypass the stock cooler and just run the aftermarket, as long as it is a 6x11" stacked plate type or better. What I recommend, especially since you are adding a filter is to plumb it from tranny to filter to radiator cooler to aftermarket cooler, back to tranny. It shoud keep temps more stable overall with better arm ups in the winter and less chance for temp spikes in the summer. Every 'factory' auxiliary cooler I have seen is plumbed in this way and I plan to redo mine to match from running only the aftermarket cooler.

 

The cooler you get off of the Ford should be 7x11x3/4" and I needed an 8mm wrench so be warned.

I think the drivers side (left hand side) is the output for the tranny, but the lines may cross so best that you test with the 'pull a line, put it in a bucket and crank it of 1 second. DONT LET IT RUN UNLESS YOU LIKE CLEANING UP ATF!!

 

There are a few good threads on this as well, let ke know if you need a link...

 

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