Nunya

Any idea which of these two oil cooler fittings fits the 2008 F-150 4.2L V6 OEM radiator?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hda-394

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hd...rd/model/f-150

Nunya

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Nunya

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Mod (Ret.)

First, not too many 4.2 V6 folks have added a transmission cooler on their trucks, so they would not know this answer. I searched for you, but found no threads here in these connectors, or if they are the same with the V8's.

Second. I installed a trans cooler on my 2005 4.2 V6. However, I left the connectors intact on the radiator, and simply cut the send line about 5 inches from the radiator, and installed (in series) the auxilery transmission cooler lines to each ends of this cut. Hope this helped you. I did some towing from Texas to Florida with that truck, and towed a trailer carrying a motorcycle, and U-haul trailer with furniture for a corporate apartment I stayed at. I also liked the idea of keeping transmission temps low, even when not towing, as heat is the largest contributing factor in automatic transmission failures.

I'll assume that you know its not wise to completely eliminate the radiator transmission cooler, but rather to compliment it by connecting the auxilery cooler in series with it.

Third. Not all questions get viewed and answered in the evening hours, or within a day. Remember, we have families, kids, and lives outside of this forum.

Nunya

Thank you for your reply, I apologize for being so impatient. I just thought this would be a common issue many have already encountered, I guess not.

So first, yes, it's a 2008 4.2L V6 XL, so... not many are likely to want to tow with this truck. I don't want to tow with it either. I put a trans. temp gauge in a few years back and I have learned the tran's average operating temperature hovers at about 195F while hauling nothing but the typical fiberglass camper shell, nothing in the bed, nothing towing behind.

I'm pretty sure I have the 4R75E light-duty transmission, so... again, this truck was never really intended to be a tower. The splash guard has two holes where the auxiliary cooler lines would poke through, one on the driver's side one on the passenger's side but a tow package was not chosen as an option when it was new so no factory cooler. It's at 55K miles now and I have yet to change the ATF or ATF filter but I plan to soon. Yep, I want to utilize the in-radiator cooler in series with the Tru-Cool.

I live in the mountains so I have to drive upgrade and at times the transmission has reached 225F, a little too hot for my liking. In those rare cases I have pulled over immediately and let the truck cool down for an hour. Anyway, I have heard good things about the Tru-Cool Max cooler, they make the larger one that cools to 45,000 BTUs and its little brother that cools to 30,000 BTUs. I've read the stock cooler that comes with the tow package for most later model F-150s is rated at 22,000 BTUs, I think, not sure.

So the 30,000 BTU Tru-Cool should be plenty for what I need. Even if I am not towing, the temps I am getting are a bit worrisome and as they say, heat kills transmissions.

I'm guessing I will just have to buy both of those fittings and find out for myself.

I appreciate the help. Hopefully this is helpful for someone else with a 4.2L V6 that wants to do the same. I will update you on which fitting is the correct one when I get it installed.

MGD

I wonder if you have either a gauge or a trans/oem cooler issue. 4R70/4R75 trannys typically run 170 degrees or less (design temp is 170- that is the optimal Mercon V temp for this trans). For example my 5.4L 3V screw runs ~160-165; hits ~ 170 while towing ~2.5K . Stock tow pkg aux cooler (with Spal active cooling added, set to 175).

Where are you measuring - if it's the output from the converter before it hits the cooler, those temps are indeed higher. And undue TC unlocking can raise temps drastically in short order. I measure with a Scangauge, a slaved locked Edge reading the TFT PID, and a separate gauge plumbed into the test port.

Just to be sure, I'd try another independent measurement method to rule out inaccuracies.

As fer a cooler - stacked plate is the only way to go. Avoid tube & fin designs. And a managed fan-assisted active cooler is a thing of beauty. Derale makes them:

http://derale.com/products/fluid-coo...3-271226240719

Or specifically: http://www.troyerperformance.com/scr...?idproduct=900

MGD

Nunya

It put it here, like in this picture: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/85...ture-gage.html

I will definitely look into picking up a ScanGauge one of these days, can't afford it right now unfortunately. But that is good if what you say is true, measuring at the torque converter test port reads higher than via the transmission's electronic chip. Does the ScanGauge get that information from the engine's ECU or does the transmission have its own chip?

MGD

Hi.

The TFT sensor is located in the harness just above the pan ( valv body area). It is read via the PCM ( TFT PID ).

Just fyi as an alternative - if you have an Android device (phone, tablet) you can download Torque Pro from Google Play and coupled with an inexpensive BT dongle ( OBDII interface), you will then have a fantastic diagnostic tool at yer disposal.

MGD

Mod (Ret.)

This link provided by MGD has made it to my favorites link:


http://www.troyerperformance.com/scr...?idproduct=900

This setup has me drooling like the village idiot, and will soon be installed on my 2007.

Nunya

As MGD said, the 4R70/4R75 trannys were designed to run typically at 170 degrees or less, and since I have the transmission temp gauge reading at the TC test port it's likely it is reading 20 degrees higher than it is, putting the true temperature around the 175F mark which is where it should be according to MGD.

Regarding passive coolers versus temp controlled/fan equipped coolers, it seems that's the real way to go. It's overkill in my case though, as I don't tow, drag race or haul super heavy loads in the back of the truck. But still, as the link states, passive coolers do virtually nothing unless they have wind blowing over them and while going upgrade and driving at slow speeds that isn't happening, so in that case adding a passive cooler will not being doing me much good anyway.

The active cooler you linked to at Troyer Performance is too expensive for me, perhaps I should look at a smaller fan equipped/temperature controlled Derale unit that is similar but much cheaper. I agree with you about the stacked plate over the fin and tube designed coolers or even the middling plate and fin coolers. Stacked plate coolers from everything I have read are much more efficient and robust, so that is a no-brainer, I will definitely get myself a stacked plate cooler whether active or passive. Another plus of the active thermostatically controlled coolers is it shuts off the fan when you've reached the optimal temperature for your transmission fluid.