How to Install a Transmission Cooler in a Ford Freestar
The Ford Freestar is sometimes used for hauling or towing heavy loads, which it was not designed to do. This can have a severe effect on the transmission, heating the fluid beyond it's ability to operate the internal driving mechanisms and leading to transmission failure. Installing a transmission cooler can save the unit from heat damage and should take the average backyard mechanic about an hour to complete.
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Instructions
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1
Remove the front grille by turning the mount screws counterclockwise and pulling the plastic grille insert from the pop tabs that hold it in place. There is a cover panel between the radiator and the front grille that must be removed also by turning the bolts counterclockwise.
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2
Attach the transmission oil condenser to the main radiator with automotive grade zip ties, with the condenser nipples facing the passenger side of the van.
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3
Attach the rubber hose adapters to the condenser nipples with hose clamps, preferably screw-type clamps. Turn the screw clockwise to tighten a hose clamp, once the hose covers the nipple.
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4
Attach the steel cooler lines to the adapter hoses using hose clamps. Turn the hose clamp screw clockwise once the line is inserted into the hose. Run the lines down to the transmission by taking them to the frame rail with hose mounts, which should also be provided in most transmission cooler kits. The steel line can be ordered for an individual vehicle or bent with a line-bending tool. The line that connected to the bottom condenser nipple should be the return line, and the top line is the hot oil coming from the transmission.
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5
Drill small holes in the transmission oil pan and unit casing to install line screw mounts, placing one hole in the front side of the pan. Drill another small hole for a screw mount on the side of the transmission, near the fill tube connection. Do not drill too deeply, just enough to puncture the metal and install line screw mounts. Use high-temp RTV or a gasket for leak control.
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6
Attach the steel lines to the transmission with line nuts, turning them clockwise on the transmission's new line screw mounts. The return line goes on the top, near the filler tube, and the bottom one in the pan is the input for the condenser. Do not forget gaskets inside of the line nuts for a secure connection.
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7
Fill the transmission to the proper level using a funnel and the filler tube opening, found at the rear of the engine compartment. The extra space in the system will require a little over the fill line on the dipstick in fluid. The natural pressure of the system and gravity will push fluid through the condenser to be cooled.
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Tips & Warnings
Make the steel lines as short as possible, if fabricating them.
Use extreme caution when drilling holes into a vehicle's transmission.
