Radiator Cooler Fitting

[wjayg]

I bought this all aluminum radiator from here:

http://www.genesisautoparts.com/all_aluminum_radiator-ford-taurus-1989.htm

And I email then to ask if it would fit my 1993 SHO ATX and they said it would.

Well I put it in before I realized the trans cooler line fittings are to big to screw into the fittings supplied with the radiator. I went to 3 specialty hose and fitting places yesterday and no one had the larger size. Any help?

The female side of the fitting supplied that screws into to rh side of radiator cooler is too small for the male side cooler lines

 

[TwistedD85]

Any pictures of it and the offending fittings up against one another?

 

[SHOtimer]

I'd go to a j-yard to get some used ones to swap in there. What about the ones on your old radiator? Swap them over.

Doug

 

[frosho]

I would think any decent hardware/plumbing store would have a reducer in stock. It's just a brass pipe thread fitting, right? (I don't know much about ATX lines, just thinking out loud)

 

[SHOtimer]

I would think any decent hardware/plumbing store would have a reducer in stock. It's just a brass pipe thread fitting, right? (I don't know much about ATX lines, just thinking out loud)

Sort of, it is a reducer, but the inside female portion that fits with the hard lines from the transmission has an O-ring inside that seals it so it doesn't leak.

Doug

 

[SHOZ123]

Just mount a good aftermarket aux cooler and leave the radiator out of the loop.

 

[itwonder]

Picture might help. You sure the ATX lines won't screw directly into the radiator - that is not using the separate fittings that came in the box?

 

[SHOtimer]

Just mount a good aftermarket aux cooler and leave the radiator out of the loop.

I did this 6 years ago, works great.

Took all the hard lines out, replaced them with larger diameter rubber directly from the tranny.

Doug

 

[hawkeye18]

Just mount a good aftermarket aux cooler and leave the radiator out of the loop.

This. I ended up cutting all the lines to the radiator, getting an in-line thermostat and a huuuuuuge transmission cooler, and eliminating that stupid radiator loop altogether. It's much more efficient that way.

 

[rubydist]

the downside to that approach is that in the winter it takes forever for the trans oil to come up to temp, and until that happens the torque converter will not lock up, unless you have a Tweecer or SCT to change the parameters of when it locks up.

 

[wjayg]

Update

First they are not orings inside the fittings they just look that way, they are compression fittings and yes I went to hose supple store and got reducers after pulling the old fittings out of old radiator. But here is the real kicker, Even though "JJ" at genesis auto parts assured me the radiator would fit my 1993 SHO ATX, (even though his web site said it would not), Guess what the fan assemble with the dual motors wont fit back into radiator. I am so mad I got about 10 hours into removal, modification of cooler lines and reassemble just to find out my dual motor fan wont fit, I am going to verbally pinch his head off tommorrow!!

 

[SHOtimer]

First they are not orings inside the fittings

...the replacement Ford ones do. I've taken the O-ring out.

So, why doesn't the fan fit? Does it not have the space for the stud on the passenger side?

Sorry to hear about the trouble.

Doug

 

[wjayg]

Radiator

Rock auto shows different part numbers for 1993 ATX & a 1990 MTX
The parts guy put a small pick inside the fitting where it looks like a oring and it is metal ******-black in color. I too thought it was an oring-at least the automatics
The larger LH side fan motor wont clear the top ****** on the radiator and even if it could it does not fit inside the radiator lip.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

the downside to that approach is that in the winter it takes forever for the trans oil to come up to temp, and until that happens the torque converter will not lock up, unless you have a Tweecer or SCT to change the parameters of when it locks up.

"Forever" might be a bit of an exaggeration. It might take 5 extra minutes or so for the converter to lock but that's it (unless the cooler is enormously over-sized).

Alternatively, many of the Long Tru-Cool coolers include a thermal bypass valve (or you can buy one separately) that loops the oil back into the tranny until it's warm enough to open the valve.

Add another vote for eliminating the radiator from the tranny cooler circuit.

 

[Eric VerValin]

IIRC I have a big one of those coolers hanging on the front of my 93 that hasn't been used since I put my 5 speed in it. I'll have to see if it has any fitting on the ends of it. It was a 93 atx... I dunno. I'm an ATX noob. I fixed that problem before I put a mile on the car. lol