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Dear Fellow Brickboarders,
Good p.m. and may this find you well. I just found ATF in the coolant overflow tank. I've on hand a Nissens aluminum/plastic replacement radiator, new hoses (aftermarket) & Vernet 87ºC thermostat. These I'll install tomorrow, weather permitting.
The radiator I'm replacing was installed 3 years and 15,000 miles ago, by a Volvo dealer in north central Florida. I'm surprised that it has failed so quickly.
I've the following questions:
(a) Where does one mount a transmission oil cooler, so that the radiator need not have ATF flowing into it?
(1) Is there room in front of the radiator, or does it need to go in front of the airconditioning condensor?
(2) To what frame member, can/should/must a tranny cooler be mounted?
(b) How does one extend the transmission oil lines, to the new cooler?
(1) How should the lines be routed, so that they don't interfere, with anything else.
(c) Is it necessary to get a thermostatic control on the tranny, so that the ATF is kept within the proper temperature range?
(d) If a transmission oil cooler is put in, can the "failed" radiator be used, if it is completely purged of ATF contamination, and if the ATF ports are capped securely?
(1) Does the presence of ATF fluid in a radiator ruin the radiator, i.e., does ATF weaken the plastic and make a wider failure inevitable?
This ATF contamination has not been present for very long. I do not drive this car much during the winter. There is only a film of ATF in the overflow coolant tank. There is no sign of cloudiness in the ATF, at the bottom of the transmission dipstick.
Before I turn on the engine to flush the tranny, I'll drain the tranny pan, and top-up with fresh Wal-Mart Dexron III Mercon. I will then turn on the engine, and flush the tranny completely. I presume draining fluid from the tranny pan will get rid of any water. If this is not correct, please let me know.
Thanks for whatever insights you can share.
Yours faithfully,
spook
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