using 1/8" 6061 for aluminum radiator?

That's where I expect to see a tranny cooler, that's where it was on the GM automatic cars I've owned also. I've had three diesel vehicles that had engine- oil oil coolers mounted *inside* the radiator but have never seen a gas powered vehicle with such an arrangement...but, I've also never owned anything newer than an '85, so maybe it's done quite regularly these days for all I know.

Mike

Yes, I was, too. Haven't you ever had to remove the two A/T cooling lines from the bottom of the radiator? This is what AI was saying had been standard for 40+ years.

I started in 1991(?) with a 1200 Baud modem. I had seen friends with painful 300 Bauders.

-- The human brain is unique in that it is the only container of which it can be said that the more you put into it, the more it will hold. -- Glenn Doman

Sorry, I wasn't very clear in saying what I meant...

I've seen many of those trails, but never followed one...I used to have a neighbor whose car would leave about a cup's worth of ATF every time they'd park in front of my house - I figure that was a leaky seal,...but, anyway, I was just commenting on Doug's car having the engine-oil cooler mounted *inside* the radiator, since I've only seen that arrangement with diesel vehicles. But, since I've not owned anything newer than an '85, that's not saying much.

Thanks, afraid I'm not familiar with that expression, but then back in those days both computers and BBS were very mysterious to me. I didn't get my first 56K modem until they started showing up at the Goodwill store for 2 bucks apiece.

Man, that's a chunk of change, what's it cost month to month? Any probs with outages or forever escalating fees? I'm hoping to get another job with DSL :) (TV free here, too, since about '84, don't need no steenkin' cable either, nor can I afford it :)

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0-- Glenn Doman

Perhaps I can add some helpful information? Most aluminum radiators/ heat exchangers are dip-brazed now, with attaching brackets and some fittings added, either by welding or by additional torch brazing. If you can keep your input heat low enough, by using a damp rag on nearby tender spots, then subsequent modifications or repairs can be made by torch brazing, or welding. As a coincidence, I have a Behr BMW heat exchanger here now that needs to be modified with new fittings and brackets for another application. I expect it to go as planned.

Kent White

There is also TSB 99-7-2 , referring to the coolant bypass kit for the

4.0 engine in Explorers. It makes no mention of any previous upgrades to the radiator or water pump.

------

There was also a special water pump and a bypass kit, for the 4.0 liter engine in the Explorers. At different times Ford said each would fix the same problem, and now neither is available. I have the Ford page printouts around somewhere, and there's lots of references to them online.

The bypass kit for the 96 Explorer is # F8PE-8522-BA

here is one of many forum postings referring it-

People online all say how to fix the problem of the radiator leaking/temp gauge going up and down/heater thumping, and they all say something different...

It is 'definitely' either the water pump, the radiator, the radiator cap, the temperature sensor, not using the dealer-source parts for any of these,,, or not having the bypass kit installed--but what I noticed is that nobody who got the bypass kit seems to keep posting that the problem wasn't fixed. Everybody asks where to get the bypass kit, and Ford hasn't made any new ones since 1998.

First I want a bombproof radiator, and next I'm making a bypass kit myself (since I have tried most of the other stuff already, with no success more than two years). If the gasket of the clamped-together radiator still leaks, then I can just have the radiator shop TIG it together instead.

It's coming back to me, slowly - I never owned an auto-tranny car until I was in my 40's, but I do vaguely remember doing that when helping a friend work on their car a couple times back in the days before smog control equipment started to become noticeable.

I think I had a 1200 to start with too.

p.s. sorry for the (nearly) duplicate post, I'm posting via google and got fooled; then couldn't remember what I'd posted, hence the repost.

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0-- Glenn Doman

Another potential problematic aspect to welding heavy gage metal with a torch is warping/twisting of a long 5-sided box. Further heat/cooling stresses can be imposed upon the relatively fragile core when the tanks are installed with said torch.

The magic/miracle aluminum repair rods would likely minimize the potential problems associated with the higher O/A welding tip temps and the much wider HAZ.

As mentioned previously, aftermarket trans oil coolers are widely available, and fairly easy to install.

Fixing bad designs is generally a lot of effort.. sometimes effective and worthwhile, sometimes not. Mating plastic tanks to metal radiator cores was never a good idea, and replacing the SAE/genius OEM idea with a better quality heat exchanger is the best solution, IMO. Military, aircraft or industrial surplus solutions can be found, but may turn into a quest if one doesn't know what to look for.

Finding a new, quality, SAE all-metal radiator would be a cost effective solution, even if it's not a direct replacement/identical part.. the mounting holes can be adapted to fit (sheetmetal extensions added to the mounting frame) without modifying or risk of damage to the radiator itself. Fabricating mounting brackets for a fan shroud wouldn't be extremely difficult (another OEM fuckup, supporting other parts with the radiator core). BTDT.. had a decent radiator from a Buick Special, and installed it in a Mustang many years ago.. air flow, check.. water flow, check.. TLAR, done.

I've encountered 2 faulty plastic tank versions, Ford and Chrysler, and both were just bad designs.. I didn't see any practical point in spending time on trying to improve a used (otherwise good, but used therefore questionable, core), even though my soldering skills are fairly good. An experienced radiator rebuilder would probably see those situations differently, particularly if the repair was for his own vehicle.

The MR2 had one.

Jon

Starband was something like $70/mo, DISH $50 for a $120/mo charge.

1.5mbps (grrrrr!) DSL is $45/mo, discounted to $20/mo for a year. Netflix is $20/mo for all the movies I can stand. I'm in heaven.

-- The human brain is unique in that it is the only container of which it can be said that the more you put into it, the more it will hold. -- Glenn Doman

Good thing you have a copy...99-7-2 was superseded by 99-23-8, which "is outdated and no longer available"

I don't recall seeing a bypass kit for the 4.0L. The 3.0L Ranger had a tee in the lower radiator hose.

Usually the header is welded directly to the tank, no crimp ring or gasket.

It's kinda coming back to me - most of the 50's and 60's cars that had auto trannys' that I can recall had the lines going into the bottom of the radiator, easy for me to forget (out of sight, out of mind) especially since I didn't at the time know that ATF needed cooling.

If that's the case, then, I guess it may not be a good idea to change the cooler from liquid- to air-cooled.

I can almost see the bean-counters telling the designers, "look guys, it's only got to get the car through the warranty period"

Hey WB,

I'm afraid that's a red herring I introduced a few posts ago - I was just thinking that it'd be good for the OP to get away from one of those crimped- together radiators, I think that's what he has.

I once had 2 Olds', a deluxe '84 model and a less fancy '83 model; the '84's radiator had soldered-on brass side tanks and the '83 had the crimped on plastic tanks, which had a slow leak. At first the '83 was a parts car, I removed numerous items from it and put 'em on the '84 9daily driver); then, after I let the antifreeze get too old, the '83 became the daily driver and I had to move all the good parts over to it.

These days it seems that most of the crap-designers/producers just figure on producing crap for a few years, then they'll have a name change and produce some more of their crap, on and on and on...