I'm going to replace my radiator in my 75 in the next few weeks. Figured I would replace my Transmission Cooler while I'm doing it (they are fairly cheap). Anyone know where to get an exact replacement? Mine have hard tubing lines coming out at angles. The ones I've seen that do have hard tubing, come out straight. Not going to replace it if it ends up being a bunch of work. Thanks!

 

Are you speaking of an automatic trans or manual trans? The automatic cooler is built into the radiator and is not a separate unit. A manual trans cooler would be aftermarket and could be just about any configuration. If you have A/C there's a "radiator" (condenser) in front of the cooling radiator that is separate.

 

It's an automatic. I assumed what it was but should not of done that. Yes, I have A/C and it is in front of the radiator. I just looked up a condenser and yes that exactly what it is. But, for almost $400, I'll keep the one that's there. I appreciate your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You should be able to reuse your trans cooler hard lines that connect to the radiator. I don't know how your later year car has the lines oriented, but my '72's steel lines run horizontally along the oil pan, through the lower A-arm suspension and then have rubber lines that connect to 90° hard fittings to the radiator. Not the easiest place to get a wrench on the hose clamps!

 

There is a train of thought that i you add a cooler to an auto trans you should bypass the cooler in the radiator. The idea is that the one in the radiator is already cooling the water in the engine and the standalone cooler is more efficient disconnected from the car cooling system. And if you go that route you don’t have to do anything to the radiator, just don’t hook up the lines. And you can put the cooler anywhere you want. Some mount it towards the rear of the car, or wherever space permits. I am sure others will comment with their opinions.

 

Edit - This post was intended for a C6 thread I'm in - not sure how it ended up in this C3 thread. I can't delete it....
To follow up - finally got on track and this install was proven a success. Trans oil typically ran at 235 F on track. But now with this added cooler in series with the OEM radiator's trans cooler, it ran all day between 195 - 200 F. This 16-row cooler is doing the task, reducing oil temp a solid 35 degrees.

 

Every trans cooler I have run on MANY cars over the last 40 years are OUTSIDE of the radiator cooling system. The 'theory" of the run the trans cooler in conjunction with the radiator cooling is that the trans fluid has to be a certain temp for the best efficiency and transmission longevity...total BS. Almost all my double stack coolers on my Daily drivers since 1979, driven in VERY cold weather, have never had an issue:

1 1973 Nova SS-sold 1990 with 170,000 miles on the turbo350 trans, shifting perfectly.
2. 2001 Pontiac grand prix- (2) 18,000 GVW Double stack coolers for stand alone air only trans fluid cooling-Went to the crusher in August 2024 with 240,000 miles on the FWD 4T65E trans-shifting perfectly driving to the junk yard-car rusted out.
3. 1994 Mustang GT-42,000 GVW Double stack coolers-AODE-Shifting perfectly today
4. 2008 Chrysler 300-28,000 GVW Double stack cooler-180,000 miles-Still going strong today

Never had a tranny failure in 45 years!

All the above ^^^^^ run between 125-155 degree trans fluid temps in below zero to 100 degrees ambient outside temperature. Long/Dana Double Stack coolers (and others) will moderate the trans fluid temp automatically according to the trans fluid viscosity which is directly linked to the trans fluid temp flowing in the system. Thicker fluid will not flow internally over the entire cooler structure and will only flow across the total cooler tubes once the fluid is thinner with higher internal fluid temps.

RUN the tranny cooler outside of the radiator because you will heating the fluid higer with the hot coolant in the radiator, defeating the full efficiency of the cooler.