Cleaning Ford transmission/power steering coolers

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 3, 2008
Messages
4,915
Location
Kuwait
I'm just wondering if it's possible to clean thermostatically controlled transmission/power steering coolers found on Ford Panther platform products. I'm being told because these are thermostatically controlled and have a wool-like structure on the inside, this isn't possible. Thanks.
 
FWIW when we replace a trans in these Ford insists we install a new cooler and not use the heated fluid flusher. The newer ones where the trans cooler is part of the A/C condenser get replaced no matter what because they leak so often.
 
I remember that cooler integrated into the AC condenser on my '07 Grand Marquis. Beats me why they went down that route.

Speaking of which - what is the correct part number for '98-'02s? 1W1Z-3F749-AB or YW1Z-3F749-AB?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
1W1Z-3F749-AB is for police models 98-02

YW1Z-3F749-AB is for non police models

both are disco duck.


What kind of failures are the coolers having?

These coolers look very similar to the Tru-Cool Max units, made by Dana: Tru-Cool MAX by Dana
 
Originally Posted By: Brick B-Body
What kind of failures are the coolers having?

These coolers look very similar to the Tru-Cool Max units, made by Dana: Tru-Cool MAX by Dana


Those particular ones don't have failures, they are just obsolete and no longer available.

On the later Panther chassis cars, the trans cooler was part of the A/C condenser. Ford requires us to replace the assembly when replacing a transmission now on these due to increased failures when just cleaning the units. They actually will not honor the warranty with the replacement transmission if the cooler is not replaced also.
 
The units with the combined transmission and power steering coolers also have a thermostat for the trans circuit, right? Hard to tell in the pictures I've seen, how is the transmission fluid routed? Which port is "IN" and which port is "OUT"?

Does Ford also run a radiator in-tank cooler in series for the transmission cooler on these cars?
 
Originally Posted By: Brick B-Body
The units with the combined transmission and power steering coolers also have a thermostat for the trans circuit, right? Hard to tell in the pictures I've seen, how is the transmission fluid routed? Which port is "IN" and which port is "OUT"?

Does Ford also run a radiator in-tank cooler in series for the transmission cooler on these cars?

Yes, they have a thermostat. Bottom is inlet, top is outlet.

No, they dont run a in-tank cooler in series with them. On the 92-97 panthers they DID have an in-tank cooler and only had an external OTA cooler if optioned such as the police or tow package.
I was going to replace mine when I smoked my trans, but couldn't get one that was in good shape. Ended up pulling the thermostat out and draining it as best I could, then filling it with flush chemical and then letting it drain again all night.
I only did that because I have the Racor transmission filter kit which has a nominal filtering of 8 micron. Its in series post cooler so anything left would've gotten captured in it.
 
Last edited:
My 1995 Caprice Classic LT1 wagon now has an upgraded 4L60E , with a Yank converter (higher stall with lockup clutch) to go with more a aggressive rear gear (from an open 2.56 to a Torsen w/3.42).

I'm looking to use these Ford-spec combined transmission / power steering cooler as an upgrade. The stock GM system has an endtank oil-to-water cooler and an external oil-to-air cooler. The external cooler is about 7"x11" and mounted on the passenger side infront of the condenser.

Going with Ford unit, will more than double the surface area of the external cooler. This should handle any fluid temperature spikes. The built-in thermostat will avoid over cooling of the fluid and speed warm up in cool weather.

GM did not fit any of the retail cars with a powersteering cooler of any kind, so anything is an improvement. The Fords are a rack and pinion steeringgera, while the GMs are still a recirculating ball steering gear.

Fabricating mounts to the core support and neat routing of the lines is not a problem for me.

Are there any gotchas on the Ford units I should be aware of?
 
Option 7, what's that? Only the Police and Taxi package B-Bodies got a factory installed power steering cooler. This is nothing more than a loop of metal tube that runs from the steering gear outlet, along the bottom of the core support. While it's better than nothing, still pretty weak sauce.

On my '95 Impala SS, the factory transmission coolers (end tank and external) now cool my power steering fluid thanks to the T56 taking up residence where the 4L60E used to be.
 
Sorry, that was supposed to be Option LD7, the police/taxi option, and yes, it was pretty sorry.

My power steering cooler is an EX - NASCAR unit behind the condenser and in front of the radiator.

My wagon is in the process of getting the third pedal. I couldn't stand the 700r4, and my new 400 engine would have smashed it to pieces.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top