(factory) transmission cooler plumbing questions.

dgeist · **Posted:** Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:44 pm

I confirmed with my shop today that my the transmission line fitting behind the bumper cover next to the cooler is not leaking, but somewhere up above it in the fins themselves, there is a slow leak. For those that have added (either as a replacement or for auxiliary capacity) an aftermarket cooler, can you describe where the input and output of the factory cooler are located? It's hard to get a good idea which line is going where looking through the bumper. Also, it appears the tranny cooler, although attached to the bottom of the A/C condenser, can actually be removed by disconnecting a pair of brackets. Is this true or just my hopeful whimsy. If the former, that might give some more space in the area for new plumbing/mounting of a replacement unit (without the $300+ tab of the mopar assembly).

Thanks.
Dan

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:54 pm

I'm not sure location really matters if you are doing a replacement as all you need to do is cut both cooler lines and plumb to the new cooler. In any case try the links I posted at viewtopic.php?f=5&t=78160&p=820768&hilit=cooler#p820768

As far as I know the OEM tranny cooler is an integral part of the AC condenser same as tranny coolers on the bottom of radiator cores. If the tranny cooler dies best cost bet is to cut it out of the system and install one of the above.

dgeist · **Posted:** Tue Feb 11, 2014 5:18 pm

I guess I'm moreso concerned about making sure I understand what I'm dealing with to plan things out before cutting into the factory system. In the pics below, the right (as you look at it) fitting is the one that appears to be leaking from above the joint. The left is just for reference. Which of these is the input and which is output? Also, you can see clearly in the left side pic that the assembly looks to slide down into a channel. Is is the A/C and cooler all together that slide into those channels on the left and right side? I feel silly for asking this stuff after having it for so long, but I don't usually mess with hoses that aren't leaking...

Dan

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Feb 11, 2014 6:10 pm

The only added help I can provide is Sir Sam's timing belt videos give me no indication that the tranny cooler can be separated from the AC condenser and you can go to viewtopic.php?f=98&t=55110 and get a hint as to which is the return line but you will have to trace from that spot to where the line connects to the cooler to figure out which is which at the cooler

Auberon · **Posted:** Wed Feb 12, 2014 3:06 am

I'd like to be able to point you in the direction of a thread written for ausjeep but in their infinite wisdom one of the mods has decided to pull the photos from the thread making it next to useless. :evil:

thermorex · **Posted:** Wed Feb 12, 2014 10:08 am

Dan, the top line on the transmission is the pressure line (to cooler) , the bottom is the return (from cooler). You'll have to go under the jeep and see which side of the cooler the pressure line gets into, I don't remember on the top of my head. There were some members that cut the integrated cooler out from the condenser, I personally think it's overkill. If you do decide to go that way, there are some coolers that you could fit in that space ( http://derale.com/products/coolers/tran ... /heat-sink) but you should also consider adding an extra one as papaindigo linked. Btw, it doesn't matter which line is the pressure and which is return if you're not thinking to add any temperature gauge on one specific line. I'd advise to use a cooler that is not serpentine since is more efficient. Also, a bigger cooler is better, the transmission has a thermostat inside, so you won't over cool it even if you want to.

My approach was to remove the electric pusher fan and add the biggest transmission cooler I could fit (TRU COOL 47391), you can buy it from eBay cheaper ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/261236299635?lpid=82). It is a lot of work though, you also need to add 2 fans, the only ones that fit are 7 inch wide, in the pic below you can see an installation pic with one fan.

I decided to totally bypass the factory cooler as a preventive maintenance, since I can see those fittings being prone to leaks.
I'd say this is overkill if you don't tow regularly, but my temps rarely go over 150 degrees in the summer under heavy city drive. In fact I only saw it getting to 150 in new York City while driving very aggressive for about 2 Hours going from Jersey to Manhattan in traffic. Here in Cleveland, it gets to about 120 tops.

dgeist · **Posted:** Wed Feb 12, 2014 12:02 pm

Thanks for the clarification. I agree with the overkill statement but wanted to see if it was a simple unbolting operation to allow removing unused hardware from the area, keeping things neat and clean). I'm planning on a Hayden Automotive 678/679 (11"x9.5" or 11"x11.5" respectively). I'd like to be able to put the return line at the top if possible, hence the questions about which side is which (and it makes sense that the pressure side is on the side with the leak...). I just like doing really clean installs that are easy to service and look and act as good or better than factory (borderline spousal-diagnosed OCD) :wink:

Thanks.
Dan

thermorex · **Posted:** Wed Feb 12, 2014 1:50 pm

dgeist wrote:

Thanks for the clarification. I agree with the overkill statement but wanted to see if it was a simple unbolting operation to allow removing unused hardware from the area, keeping things neat and clean). I'm planning on a Hayden Automotive 678/679 (11"x9.5" or 11"x11.5" respectively). I'd like to be able to put the return line at the top if possible, hence the questions about which side is which (and it makes sense that the pressure side is on the side with the leak...). I just like doing really clean installs that are easy to service and look and act as good or better than factory (borderline spousal-diagnosed OCD) :wink:

Thanks.
Dan

Lol, aren't wifeys cute? My wife says the same thing about me when I start wrenching stuff...

For stack plate coolers as you want to install is not important where the pressure line goes, but I can see your point to put the pressure line on top. Stack plates are going to fill gradually as the fluid warms up and becomes thinner (when it's thick will travel through the lines closer to inlet and outlet and as it warms up will go all the way through the farthest ones). If you really want to make sure you won't have an air bubble caught in the cooler lines, fill the cooler up first, then put short hoses on each end of the cooler, and on the other side of the hoses plug some bolts, till you install the lines. We used to call those things "Soviet valves"

) That should keep most of the fluid inside the cooler. But normally, it will air out first time transmission fluid will warm up.

dgeist · **Posted:** Sun Jul 13, 2014 9:04 pm

So, after digging around looking at other bits under the jeep this morning, I traced down the top and bottom lines for the plumbing. The hot line appears to actually go to the passenger side bottom of the condenser. The return "cool" line comes out on the drivers side bottom. The important thing, though, is that both supply and return appear to be on the bottom of the cooler. Is there any reason Jeep would put the orientation in such a way that it's nearly impossible for trapped air bubbles to get out of the system? No wonder the thing starts to leak. It's probably burns a pressurized hole in itself...

Dan

mass-hole · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:41 am

dgeist wrote:

So, after digging around looking at other bits under the jeep this morning, I traced down the top and bottom lines for the plumbing. The hot line appears to actually go to the passenger side bottom of the condenser. The return "cool" line comes out on the drivers side bottom. The important thing, though, is that both supply and return appear to be on the bottom of the cooler. Is there any reason Jeep would put the orientation in such a way that it's nearly impossible for trapped air bubbles to get out of the system? No wonder the thing starts to leak. It's probably burns a pressurized hole in itself...

Dan

As with many things about this jeep, I believe that it is because they suck.

Good to know through. I just picked my Hayden cooler(Imperial Maxi-Cool branded at Advanced Auto) for 30% off with a coupon code. I think it worked out to around $40 which was a bit cheaper than i could find the hayden version anywhere else.

Yeti · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:53 am

thermorex wrote:

Dan, the top line on the transmission is the pressure line (to cooler) , the bottom is the return (from cooler). You'll have to go under the jeep and see which side of the cooler the pressure line gets into, I don't remember on the top of my head. There were some members that cut the integrated cooler out from the condenser, I personally think it's overkill. If you do decide to go that way, there are some coolers that you could fit in that space ( http://derale.com/products/coolers/tran ... /heat-sink) but you should also consider adding an extra one as papaindigo linked. Btw, it doesn't matter which line is the pressure and which is return if you're not thinking to add any temperature gauge on one specific line. I'd advise to use a cooler that is not serpentine since is more efficient. Also, a bigger cooler is better, the transmission has a thermostat inside, so you won't over cool it even if you want to.

My approach was to remove the electric pusher fan and add the biggest transmission cooler I could fit (TRU COOL 47391), you can buy it from eBay cheaper ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/261236299635?lpid=82). It is a lot of work though, you also need to add 2 fans, the only ones that fit are 7 inch wide, in the pic below you can see an installation pic with one fan.

I decided to totally bypass the factory cooler as a preventive maintenance, since I can see those fittings being prone to leaks.
I'd say this is overkill if you don't tow regularly, but my temps rarely go over 150 degrees in the summer under heavy city drive. In fact I only saw it getting to 150 in new York City while driving very aggressive for about 2 Hours going from Jersey to Manhattan in traffic. Here in Cleveland, it gets to about 120 tops.

thrmorex , you have bypassed the original cooler ? with out the fan , your AC can perform ? you have wired the new fan on the old wiring fan ?
have a link to buy the fan ?
have some pics to show how ?

thanks

(factory) transmission cooler plumbing questions.

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