I noticed there was a drop of trans fluid right underneath where the radiator trans lines would normally attach (I have an aftermarket trans cooler). I could turn the "plug" with my fingers so I got out the appropriate 10 pt socket but it would just turn and turn and not tighten. The one on the other side does the same thing but at least does not leak...yet. Looks like I will replace these plugs but I was curious if anybody else have seen such units???
Those are just shipping plugs to keep debris out before installation. Put some copper plugs in there. Get them at Lowe's or NAPA for like $4.
When you do that, put the sealed bottom plug in first, fill the cooler with coolant, full strength, then the sealed top plug. This was given to me by a radiator guy, in order to prevent corrosion leaks in the cooler.
"aftermarket trans cooler" alone is the worst this you can do to you tranny! well almost no cooler at all would be worse. Run the tranny through the radiator cooler then the after market one
I was going to mention that, but didn't want to come off all 'know it all'. However, my Ranchero has only an external cooler, but it's huge.
Good advice, thanks! Shipping plugs, sheesh, I can see that being the case now...I have found numerous dumb/ignorant things done to my cruck and slowly fixing them (example: all the ball joints were dry even though the frontend had been "aligned"). The gas gauge which had been working (Dolphin gauge) now stays pegged on full so I assume it's grounded-out somewhere? I have started at the tank/sending unit hoping for an obvious situation...nope!
If neither one of the fittings have anything connected to them, Where's the trans fluid coming from that's leaking?
Perhaps when the oil cooler was previously connected? A drop of residual fluid from prior use? Just guessing here...
Good question...I would guess PO may have had it hooked-up to the radiator cooler first, so residual fluid...?
Unless it leaked, why bypass it? Couldn't you still run it through the radiator cooler along with the external unit?
I had missed the obvious, once again, and went on the assumption that he had a manual trans. But, since he has an auto, that really does need to be plumbed in, running top to bottom. I don't have a very large aux cooler, so they are both plumbed in series, but even with a very large RV cooler, the radiator one needs to be plumbed in for warming the fluid during initial driving in order to drive off any accumulated condensation.