I always thought that small cooler next to the tranny cooler was a power steering pump cooler, looks like the lines go into the same location that the oil pressure fitting is, I'm going to assume its a oil cooler. I already replaced my stock ford tranny cooler with a B&M 14000 BTU unit. (I'm pulling a 25ft travel trailer, 6000lb - 6500lb completely stocked is my guess, still haven't weighed it, but this is the reason for the cooler upgrade & temp gauge, especially since I have 456 gears in it), anyways, while I'm adding cooling capacity (already upgraded the factory radiator to a two row all aluminum unit), does it make sense to slap a b&m super cooler for the engine oil as well? I figure if I'm worried about tranny temp, wouldn't hurt to upgrade the oil cooler as well, keep in mind, my expy is used about 2000 miles a year for the last 2 years, and will continue being used like that, *BUT* those 2000 miles are ALL through the high desert into the high mountains, lots of high heat in Mojave and the Dead Lands (Death Valley) and then the Mountains of the Eastern Sierra's. Whats your take...I figure ford thought enough to put a oil cooler on it with the tow package, so a better one would only help.

Thanks
-John

 

No, thats not an oil cooler. That is PS pump cooler... The oil cooler is attatched to the block, if you have one. I didn't have one stock, but the Navi motor I swapped in did...

 

tranny cooler


PS cooler


oil cooler

 

Yeah, I dug and followed the lines and noticed that it wasn't a oil cooler. Looks like you also enjoyed that "quick connect" from the lower radiator to the radiator nipple. I hear they got the design from the Space Shuttle Challenger (wont say anything else about that), what the hell is wrong with hose clamps? Push like hell, and turn 45degrees and bend the tab, gotta be kidding me. What I just did learn from looking at your block, is that the 2 hoses off the radiator lower hose, are not going to a heater core like I thought, they are going to the oil cooler, my expedition eb 5.4 has them.

Anyways, I've found quite a few engine oil coolers that actually thread onto the oil filter fitting, then the filter onto the piece connecting to the oil oil filter connection. Being that the filter is right where it is, seems like it would be easy to do. I know that cooling the tranny is very important while towing, I just think the engine oil is not as suspect with a good radiator cooling the motor (I have a upgraded 2 row, so I'm in the position of having a very well working water cooling system).

While I'm asking opinions here on adding an additional oil cooler, can someone give me an idea of where to expect tranny temps to be. I've been told 175 and things are golden for good, of course, while towing a 25' travel trailer through the high desert and up and into Yosemite and most of the Eastern Sierra's I expect those long climbs to do something to that. I do have 456: gears (and only 33" tires) so my gearing is in the neighborhood of 410: or so, ALOT better than stock 373: for towing, and will help some. Someone care to give me some idea of the ranges. My AutoMeter gauge only goes to 250, so I presume AutoMeter also assumed a 175-180 degree running temp, and I know that at 250 degrees seals start to harden in the tranny, so Im assuming with the 14000 BTU supercooler (literature has said I can expect 20-75 degrees of cooling power using this cooler inline with the existing upgraded 2 row radiator cooling the oil as well).

Thanks camarothatcould, bunch of interaction with you here, your pictures really help.

 

Trans temp will vary.... During my trip here my trans temp ranged from below 120 all the way up to 215. What I have learned though, is a trans only builds temp out of OD. 75 MPH cruising and its below 120, hit a hill, drop out of OD, and pending length, it will climb prttey high. But then flatten out, lock back into OD and the temp will DROP in seconds. My solution to avoid these big temp increases is to hit the hill with 15-20 MPH faster than limit.

You however, might over run your gauge... Mine goes to 300

 

Woudln't think you'd need an oil cooler, lest you had my problem of the heat exchanger from the intercooler for the blower superheating the oil. But if you frequently tow that much, I guess it is best to err on the side of caution