I tackled installing a super duty trans cooler this weekend, BUT I will be running a killerchiller in the near future so I did not want to block too much of my A/C condenser from the direct airflow of the front grille.

I also did not like the idea of the current crop of trans filter adaptors, which have no bypass built in to allow fluid to flow in the case of a clogged filter, so I went with the unit from Dieselsite which not only has a bypass in the housing but also has an optional pressure gauge, and power flush valve, so you can flush out the fluid as oppesed to simply replacing what you drain out of the pan.

I mounted the cooler below the header panel, and bolted it to the bottom of the header panel and to the top mounts of the IC heat exchanger, I mounted the filter on the inside of the frame rail foward of the swaybar. All hoses used were black nylon braided -AN stuff I made myelf, and one of the two supplied SS hoses from Dieslesite.

Oh yeah I added a 7" E-fan for when I am idiling at tailgate parties near the toolbooths when traffic is real bad.

And of course I forgot my digital camera so you have to forgive my crappy camera phone shots.

 

Looks great !

 

Thanks Swede

 

Very Nice.! I must agree you do awsome work on your truck.! Got to love the E-fan on the cooler. I did the same to my ranger "its the every day driver" and with the nasty heat down in soulth fl. Its a must.! cheers,

 

Thanks Dave, you can never have too many e-fans.......due to the myth of global warming, NYC feels like S Fla. latley.....

 

What's the gauge for? You may have a little trouble reading it...

 

The gauge informs as to filter condition.

pasted from dieselsite's page.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
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Question: Will the installation of the DIESELSITE External Transmission Filter Kit cause any increase in flow restriction or loss of flow volume to the return into the transmission?

Answer: No. We built this unit with flow ratings specifically in mind. We tested them with clean and dirty filters and there was still more than the required flow specified by Ford. The required amount is 32 oz. in 15 seconds. Our filter unit flowed over 32 oz. in less than 10 seconds - even with TWO Tru-Cool aftermarket transmission coolers installed inline. In full bypass mode(filter is completely plugged) your overdrive light will flash to warn you of high output pressure. We have only seen this happen from torque converter failures that filled the filter with debris. At this point a simple spin on filter change will allow your light will go out after a few minutes. Even fully plugged, our kit will allow full fluid flow. You will never be without returning fluid to the transmission.

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Question: What makes this unit better than other transmission filters?

Answer: We have the only full flow system on the market with a built in bypass valve. This insures that should the filter plug with debris, fluid will still return to the transmission. A filter housing with a bypass valve is NOT the same as a bypass filter. A bypass filter typically "samples" the fluid and filters only a small amount on each pass. As the filter gets dirtier, less will get sampled and more unfiltered oil returns to the pan. Our unit -- a housing with a bypass valve-- filters ALL the fluid on every pass when the filter is clean. Only when the filter becomes very dirty does it enter "bypass mode". At that point it will act as a "sampling" type filter similar to the bypass filter.

In short, if the filter is clean, all oil is returned to the pan clean. This benefit will most likely save a transmission should you lose a torque converter causing a large amount of debris to be sent downline. In this case, a "sampling" type unit will only catch a very small amount of the debris. Our unit will catch it all! The unit also has the ability to add a transmission filter pressure gauge to monitor the condition of the filter.

Another point to mention about the differences between a bypass filter and our bypass valve is that a bypass filter cannot be monitored by any gauge. So, a dirty filter with no filtration capability remaining can actually never be detected. Your only option is to change the filter at regular intervals and hope that it does not plug and go unnoticed. With our filter setup a completely dirty filter forces the overdrive light to flash if our unit goes into complete bypass mode signifying high output pressure. It is still allowing the full amount of fluid to return the transmission even in complete bypass mode. You will simple pull over and change your spin on filter. Your light will go out shortly afterwards.

Another type of unit that we have seen being sold is a full flow unit WITHOUT a bypass valve. These are the most common aftermarket kits because of cost factors. These are also the most dangerous to be running. When the filters are plugged, there is NO return fluid flow to the transmission and no way to allow for it. Because is has no bypass valve you cannot monitor the filter's condition. You run a high risk of burning up the transmission from a dirty filter.

Lastly, the simple installation with OEM style connectors requires no cutting of your lines.

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Question: What is the micron rating of the OEM unit and why is yours a 22 micron element?

Answer: There isn't a rating on the OEM filter. If you had to rate it, according to Baldwin, it would be about 100 microns. It's basically a screen. 22 microns is smaller than the smallest clearance in the transmission. We could definitely put a smaller micron filter on the housing, but the result would be less oil actually filtered in each pass as more fluid would pass through the bypass port because of increased resistance to flow through the filter. Because the 22 micron element was small enough to keep the system clean and allow all the fluid to be filtered in a single pass, it was the perfect choice.

 

Nice work, Ian!

 

So the gauge will tell you when the filter needs to be changed even when the vehicle is not running?

 

Nevermind. I checked out their site and it just says that with the optional pressure gauge you can tell when the filter needs to be changed. This tells me that you would have to be looking at it when the engine is running and the transmission lines are pressurized.

 

I did some more reading on their website and that seems like a pretty neat kit. I especially like the flush valve. That would be an easy and clean way to service the trans when the time came.

 

alrighty glad you finally like it....LOL

 

Ian, lookin good buddy...

 

Very nice

 

Gracias