Quick question on trans cooler install

[Motsyball]

A buddy of mine has an Ody and he mentioned to me that he was having some tranny issues so I told him he should come on this forum to read up on tranny problems with the 2nd gen Ody trannies. In our discussions I found out that he did not have an after market tranny cooler installed so I encouraged him to install one and told him there were threads on here telling how to install one. We spoke a week or so later and he told me he planned to install a tranny cooler after reading up on how to do it. At that time he was also going to replace the solenoid screens in hope that them being clogged is what was causing his problem. I told him I would like to come by and watch him do it so I would know how to do it if I ever needed to replace my solenoid screens.

When we got together the first thing he did was pull out the old solenoid screens and unfortunately they were clean which meant they were not the cause of his tranny was having problems. Anyway, he replaced them and then he went onto installing the new tranny cooler. He found out where the supply line left the tranny and went down to the factory cooler and then followed it back to where it returned to the tranny. He simply just disconnected those lines from the old factory cooler and connected them to the new cooler. He then just left the old factory trans cooler not connected to anything thinking there was no longer a purpose for it. Well today I texted him and asked him how his van was doing and he told me that the power steering pump is now making noise which now leads me to my question.

Was the power steering pump also using that same original factory cooler he disconnected? Should he have somehow reconnected that old factory cooler to the power steering pump? I can't seem to find a tranny cooler install thread on here that ever really addresses what you do with the old factory cooler when you remove the supply lines from it and attach them to the new trans cooler. Did he do right by just leaving the old factory cooler not connected to anything? Or was he to attach it to something else? Do you think his power steering pump making noise has anything to do with the disconnecting of his old factory cooler? Any input is appreciated.

[dvpatel]

The PS cooler is a standalone cooler. The ATF cooler is the one in the radiator. They are different. Hope your buddy installed the tranny cooler correctly. Also, most here leave the factory cooler in-line with the aftermarket cooler so they disconnect the return line from the cooler, route it to the input of the 2nd cooler, take the outlet of the 2nd cooler and put in a Magnefine into the line and then connect the line to the sump.

It has been quite cold lately and perhaps the PS cooler whining is due to that. If the add-on cooler was correctly installed, both systems (PS and AT) are isolated so that cannot cause your PS to whine.

[Motsyball]

Hope your buddy installed the tranny cooler correctly.

It seemed like a no brainer to install. What mistakes could one make installing the new trans cooler?

[New Dad New Van]

Check to see that a PS hose was not bumped during the install such that the hose now has an air leak. Most common PS leak is the o-ring in the inlet hose.

[yeoldeoddy]

Dvpatel is right, you should leave the origional ATF cooler connected and put the new ATF cooler in series. I didn't put a filter in but it is my own belief that a cooler is enough.
The theory about leaving the origional tranny cooler hooked up is that the tranny also doesn't work well when it's too cold, so the cooler in the radiator would also heat up the tranny faster.
Some actually take it a step further, put a thermostat on the new cooler so it heats up even quicker.
I think your friend made a mistake and should have hooked up the old cooler too, but,
the old cooler is now possibly contaminated with dust and should be flushed.

The PS whine is coincidence.

[Motsyball]

I think your friend made a mistake and should have hooked up the old cooler too, but, the old cooler is now possibly contaminated with dust and should be flushed. The PS whine is coincidence.

Pretty sure he plugged both ends so its not contaminated and he can connect it back up pretty easy. Good to know on the PS problem. Thanks for the help fellas.

[bruce2]

It might not be that critical to have the original cooler hooked up in KY if weather is a factor. I have left the original cooler out on one of my other car without any complaints; MS here.