I am toying with the idea of getting a small pop up trailer to pull behind the Jeep and am looking for some suggestion on transmission coolers and a temperature gauge. My Cherokee is not a tow package. I have ordered a Curt 13084 hitch, nut strips, and a wire harness, now I need to find a trans fluid cooler. Whether I end up getting a trailer or not these are things I've wanted to add for awhile anyhow. I'm also looking for suggestions on how to mount the cooler, I know you shouldn't mount through the radiator. Also what type/size of hose I will need to plumb it in. Thanks in advance!

 

I got a plate type cooler, mounted in front of the radiator, using the through radiator ties and rubber isolators. I also added a magafine inline filter upstream of the cooler. No gage.

friend put his gage near 2 wd / 4wd selector. useless as you had to look down to see gage, he then moved gage to an A pillar mount at left corner of dash top, much better! . Dont mount the gage down low. you want gage in drivers line of sight. Temps fluctuate rapidly, you want your eye on them.

 

What Rob said. Don't overthink it. Any good name brand cooler, and it's hard to go too big. (unless you live in Alaska or similar. Then you CAN go too big.)

The temp sensor should be right at the output of the transmission to get an accurate reading. That's the front line on the side of the trans. I remember "Rear Return" to keep it straight.

EDIT TO ADD: IIRC, the lines are 5/16". Make sure you get lines that are compatible with transmission fluid. Not all are. Regular screw type hose clamps are fine for the connections. There is no high pressure in those lines.

 

Thanks for the info, I wasn't sure about the line pressure.

7 - 1/2" x 11" seems like it would fit the space good but that seems small to me. Looking through the grill it is hard to tell, will it be mounted in front of the condenser or in between the radiator and the condenser?

While I'm in there I might as well replace the original radiator before it has the chance to leak. I remember reading Spectra wasn't making them anymore but the Autozone Duralast one seems to still be a Spectra.

 

You'll mount it in front of the condenser.

 

Thanks, I figured but got thrown off when I didn't see the "post" where I've seen others mount the cooler to.

How about orientation to mount the cooler in? I've read a couple of different conflicting ways to mount it.

The line looks to be 3/8" which I've only found on Amazon so far. I did find 3/8" power steering hose at Napa which should work?

 

I used to prefer to get my various rubber tubing (fuel, transmission, whatever) at Pep Boys because they had a good assortment, plainly marked, on big rolls. Now that they have decided to commit suicide (I give them 5 years, max, more like 2-3), I'd say NAPA, but ask at the counter.

I'm pretty sure the stock trans lines are 5/16", but the coolers tend to run 3/8", so you may need an adapter.

 

I put a Hayden 405 cooler on mine the lines that go to it are the same as stock, all you need is a couple 3/8" barbed fittings, hose clamps and a few more feet of hose than what comes with it.

 

Either both hoses attached at the top (that's what I did) or mounted sideways with the return hose above the feed line. That way any air gets purged.

 

Are you going to bypass the cooler built into the radiator? Or add the aux cooler in addition to stock...The jeep factory manual suggests that the aux cooler be plumbed into the system after the stock cooler. Oddly the threaded on flare connector at the top is the return back to the tranny and the lower pipe is the feed in to the cooler. I cut my fluid lines where they are rubber and added several feet of 3/8 fuel line so my flow is tranny to lower fitting of radiator...out the top to the front of condenser where my cooler sits in front of the clutch fan to lower port of aux cooler...then out the top and back to the return into tranny. If you do it right the first time you don't have to cut anything on the feed line to the radiator. Originally i had assumed the heavy duty flare connection was feed in so i had to cut both lines..oops. 3/8 brass barb fittings from home depot work fine. I do not have a gauge so i dont really know how well it works but i figure it must do some good

 

I will be keeping the factory heat exchanger plumbed in.

 

After driving my XJ on a couple of 120 to 150 mile round trips during hot weather (94F) running the AC and on one, pulling a light trailer load. I found out a couple of things and one of those is that I wanted to add a auxiliary trans oil cooler. I have the tow package, but I think the auxiliary cooler will drop the trans fluid temp enough to lower the temps of the coolant in the radiator a tad and possibly prevent that dang P740 code from popping up. In my case at least, I think the trans oil temps contribute to the P740 code. The Haydon 505 is the one in my "cart". The other thing is I get crappy fuel mileage using the AC much less when the torque converter doesn't lock up and it runs at 2400 rpms at a road speed of 60-65. So since I can't fix the weather, I will try and cool the trans fluid as a first step. Mind you, I don't run "hot" as far as engine temps but it is hotter then I like so I may have to put a little effort into that side of the problem as well.

Thanks Spencer P for bringing this topic up and helping remind me!

 

How big is the 505? I couldn't find that one.
I came across this thread where someone says the 677 is adequate for a small camper.

 

Sorry, my fat fingers got the best of me! It is the 405 as posted by 00t444e. It is 13" tall x 16" wide. I don't tow much, but I need it for hot days as much as anything. When I take trips in cooler weather, I never get a tranny code and the engine temps of course run cooler (and I don't use AC then).

 

We use a Mishimoto radiator which has a higher capacity for both engine coolant and transmission fluid. However, venting the hood to let the heat out is the best thing you can do. Replace the quick disconnects on your transmission - old ones tend to leak under the strain of towing. Re-gear if you can afford it - the old 6 needs all the help it can get. Though the large gap from 2nd to 3rd will be even more apparent when towing. Waggner brake pads will help, but allow distance for stops.