[newbiestyle]

Car was in the shop yesterday for some routine maintainence yesterday so I decided to have a trans cooler added. For some reason it seems like the power steering and transmission runs off the same lines. After installation the car was started and almost immediately it started to leak trans fluid from the (trans) dipstick. Based upon what was observed it seems like somehow there was too much preassure from the power steering pump, that the car definitely did not like the trans cooler. So for now the car has been put back to stock.

Any clues as to what would cause this? AFAIK based upon what the ford mechanic said that maybe its due to a size difference in the tranny cooler lines. (he's been a ford mechanic for the last 30+ years, so I doubt he may have hooked it up wrong)

Right now we are kinda stumped. I really would like to get some sort of tranny cooler installed to improve on the OEM one.

-b.

 

[egiroux]

The trans and power steering are completely separate systems. Is the PS reservoir at the normal level now?

 

[newbiestyle]

The trans and power steering are completely separate systems. Is the PS reservoir at the normal level now?

yup.

 

[shoz123]

Sounds like they have the hoses mixed up or something.

 

[egiroux]

It's possible that your trans vent is clogged and the air in the new cooler caused the fluid to foam up and come out the fill. Just a guess.

 

[DLC360]

^^^ +1 Or even just the air bubble blowing out the easiest way. Thats alot of air to push through on start up. I would run it again and keep an eye on your fluids.

 

[newbiestyle]

well the fluid wasn't foamy when it came it, it was like a stream of trans fluid at pressure. The lines were also hooked up correctly. For right now the stock cooler is hooked back up. All told I lost about 3 qts of trans fluid when this happened.

Honestly this is very puzzling as to why it would do that.

 

[Monsoon]

What is the inside diameter of your cooler and cooler lines? I would recommend 0.5 inch ID for lines and the cooler. If your ID is 5/16 or smaller this may put additional stress on the pump causing usual pressure to increase.

If the fluid has to go through any brass fittings this 5/16 ID gets smaller within the fitting causing abnormal pressure the pump or transmission is not designed to handle.

In my opinion it is safer to go slightly larger ID than the OEM line to avoid abnormal pressures. Just my 2¢.

Monsoon

 

[shoz123]

The ATX cooler hoses are 11/32" ID from the factory. PS is larger 15/32" ID IIRC.