Installing Trans Cooler on Chevy Astro

[M.M.]

I'm trying to install a trans cooler on my 98 Chevy Astro van. I have the
cooler mounted OK...that was pretty easy. Now I'm not sure how to plumb it
in. The fittings in the radiator look like they have little circlips in
them. Should I try to remove them and use the hose fittings that came with
the cooler? Or cut the tubing and connect it in that way? Also, the
instructions say to put the cooler in after the radiator...anyone know
which is the return...upper or lower??

Thanks... MM

[John Laughlin]

You'll find a lot of help and a wealth of Astro/Safari information
over on the forum at www.astrosafari.com.

On the right side of the transmission are two fluid lines. The bottom
of these is the outflow line. I have not added another transmission
cooler to my Astro, but I did add a transmission temp gauge so that's
how I know the bottom line at the transmission is the outflow.

I'm sorry, but I don't know if you'll have to cut your lines or if you
could get an adapter. You might try asking at a few auto parts stores
or maybe even at the parts counter of a GM dealer.

John Laughlin (remove the x to e-mail).
2001 Starcraft 2406
2001 Astro

[.BitHead.]

On Sun, 04 May 2003 00:33:09 GMT, jaxla...@columbus.rr.com (John
Laughlin) wrote:

>You'll find a lot of help and a wealth of Astro/Safari information
>over on the forum at www.astrosafari.com.
>
>On the right side of the transmission are two fluid lines. The bottom
>of these is the outflow line. I have not added another transmission
>cooler to my Astro, but I did add a transmission temp gauge so that's
>how I know the bottom line at the transmission is the outflow.
>
>I'm sorry, but I don't know if you'll have to cut your lines or if you
>could get an adapter. You might try asking at a few auto parts stores
>or maybe even at the parts counter of a GM dealer.

And how did you mount this in the line?
Did you simply put it into the feed point on the radiator, and then
plug the line into IT, or did you have to cut the line?

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[John Laughlin]

At NAPA I bought a brass FFF tee fitting, a reducer (to make the
sender fit into the side of the tee), and a MM nipple to attach the
tee to the transmission case. To install I had to remove both lines,
as there was not enough clearance. I have no idea how things are
arranged on the radiator side of the lines.

[dwfeld]

I have a 98 astro and the dealer didn't think an aux cooler was
necessary
as Chevy started including a trans cooler around '97. Any comments
on this welcome.

[M.M.]

dwfeld wrote:

> I have a 98 astro and the dealer didn't think an aux cooler was
> necessary
> as Chevy started including a trans cooler around '97. Any comments
> on this welcome.
>

Well, my 98 has the normal in-radiator cooler (don't they all?) but if
there's another one anywhere I'll be damned if I can find it. The lines
go out of the trans, to the radiator, and back to the trans. Now, it has
an in-radiator engine oil cooler, too...on the other end of the
rad...perhaps that's what he was talking about.

MM

[.BitHead.]

On Sun, 04 May 2003 04:00:06 GMT, "M.M." <junqu...@cox.net> wrote:

>dwfeld wrote:
>
>> I have a 98 astro and the dealer didn't think an aux cooler was
>> necessary
>> as Chevy started including a trans cooler around '97. Any comments
>> on this welcome.
>>
>
>Well, my 98 has the normal in-radiator cooler (don't they all?)

The ones with air conditioning, as I understand it, do.

[fred mathering]

I put mine in my 94 caravan last year, the instructions were very clear. I
put mine in after the rad which is the correct way. The tranny cooler should
be mounted in front of the rad. TO determine which is in or out on your rad,
pull one hose, hold a cup or something to catch the tranny fluid and have
someone turn the engine on very briefly, soon as you start to turn is over,
you should see either fluid coming out or not. If it coming out, then that
is the output and that goes to the input of you tranny cooler.

"M.M." <junqu...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Xns93709FB5052...@68.6.19.6...

[fred mathering]

depends on what your doing with it. Doing tons of mountain climbing pulling
a full size trailer in 90F heat, ya maybe, but for me, I wouldn't. Not with
the astro van. There are made to pull a tent trailer. WIth my caravan, yes,
I took all the precautions cuz those trannys are so shitty

"dwfeld" <dwf...@att.net> wrote in message news:3EB48E42...@att.net...

[the old anarchist]

check in front of the radiator in the bumper opening. ford put them there in
the aerostar. you don't see it unless you look for it. it is probably first
in the airstream

the old anarchist

".BitHead." <bit...@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
news:t649bv8miop49t40c...@4ax.com...

[AustinBoston]

fred mathering wrote:
> I put mine in my 94 caravan last year, the instructions were very clear. I
> put mine in after the rad which is the correct way. The tranny cooler should
> be mounted in front of the rad. TO determine which is in or out on your rad,
> pull one hose, hold a cup or something to catch the tranny fluid and have
> someone turn the engine on very briefly, soon as you start to turn is over,
> you should see either fluid coming out or not. If it coming out, then that
> is the output and that goes to the input of you tranny cooler.
>

Be real careful doing this. Tranny fluid can be over 200 deg. F (93C)
if you've been driving, and you won't know until it is too late how
fast the fluid will emerge. I heard of one guy getting a faceful of
(thankfully cold) tranny fluid doing this.

Austin

[Carl]

> have
> someone turn the engine on very briefly, soon as you start to turn is over,
> you should see either fluid coming out or not.

Disconnect the ignition coil to prevent the engine from starting. Just
cranking the engine with the starter should be enough to determine wich
hose is wich without making a big mess. When the engine is running ATF
is pumped out quite fast.

[John Laughlin]

You should be able to follow this outflow line to figure out which
line is exiting from the radiator's cooler.

On Sun, 04 May 2003 00:38:06 GMT, .BitHead. <bit...@rochester.rr.com>
wrote:

John Laughlin (remove the x to e-mail).

[fred mathering]

good point, I did mine first thing in the am

"AustinBoston" <tacoo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c5d74bfc.03050...@posting.google.com...

[Bruce Chang]

I thought the tranny cooler was to be mounted in front of the radiator but
downstream from the in-radiator cooler.

My tranny cooler goes. Transmission -> radiator -> tranny cooler -> tranny.

If transmission fluid is coming out of the hose, then you should reattach
the hose and disconnect the other hose, connect the output of the radiator
to your cooler and on other end of the cooler, connect that back to the hose
to the tranny.

Good luck,

-Bruce

"fred mathering" <idontt...@tim.com> wrote in message
news:ev1ta.58446$8r5.4...@news1.telusplanet.net...

[Dino]

Wrong, the 4L60-E is an excellent transmission! The earlier 700R4 was not
very good but got a major upgrade in 1987.

When it comes time to replace your transmission, call Jet Performance in
California and get a heavy duty version!

http://www.jetchip.com/

Dino