oil cooler help

[1toncrew]

hi all. I have a 89 crewcab 4x4 3500(solid axle square body) The previous owner swapped in a 6.5td. The oil cooler on the radiator is leaking pretty bad. Can I run an aftermarket cooler instead of pulling the radiator? If so which size ? thanks for any info
also the engine is a 94

[MTTwister]

The transmission oil cooler lines first go throught the rad, then there should be an Aux Tranny cooler on the passenger side, in front of the radiator. There should be an Engine oil cooler on the drivers side, also in front of everything.

I would think if the tranny "cooler" in the radiator is leaking, you should be able to bypass it ( a few guys do. ) It could hinder tranny oil warmup in the winter. As long as no tranny fluid got into the cooling system - I think you're onto a viable solution.

Good luck

[1toncrew]

I dont have any auxillary coolers, just the ones plumbed into the radiator. the tranny lines are fine, well there not leaking anyway. The engine oil side is where the issue lies. The previous owner siad he soldered it then covered it in rtv? Thanks for the info

[redbird2]

Lets see if I get this correct the oil cooler is leaking not the lines if this is the case. you could run a external cooler however the Radiator is not that hard to pull. If you figure the cost of the external cooler the time it will take to fab mounts and lines and the cost of the lines I would check to see what it would cost to get a new radiator and just drop it and go. do you know how old the radiator is orignal?

If it is just the lines leaking you could have some nice SST lines made locally and out on.

As for the size of the new external cooler go with one for a 1994 step van with a 6.5 it will be set up for o-ringed step fittings, if you what a coller with 1/2" pipe threads go with a coller from a 1999 or new step van with 6.5 it will also come with mounting brackets riveted onto the cooler.

good luck

[TurboDiverArt]

Coolers are a good thing. Regardless if the radiator ones are leaking or not you should have auxiliary coolers. Definitely for the tranny, plumb it after the radiator cooler.

As for the oil cooler. Personally I would by-pass it. A cooler in front of the A/C behind the grill is going to cool better than the one in the radiator. You can get a big stacked plate B&M super cooler for about $100 from Jegs.

Art.

[1toncrew]

I checked for new radiators and there like $400+:eek: . Thanks for the info guys gonna pick up a tranny cooler as well now :D

[Aryeh Levy]

The stock ones have trouble with the plastic end caps rupturing. If you bypass it and even still you have leakage e.g. coolant coming out like i did - just get one with solid brass end caps - they're about $300-$400 aftermarket... They require different torque specs than the stock plastic ones though - a little tighter imo.