B&M SuperCooler instal problem Help please?

[jjdbike]

Hi everyone,
My 1st mod purchase for my ’11 SR5 was a B&M Super Cooler # 5786. I bought it from the “5th Gen For Sale/Wanted” thread here. It had never been installed. I was told (by others, not here) that everything I’d need for the installation was in the box & that it was an easy install.

I took it to a local "auto tech training institute”. They are a school not a full service shop. On the other-hand they want vehicles for their students to work on while being instructed and supervised. They specialize in basic routiene maintance, although they told me the’ve “...done 100’s of trans coolers”. One would assume that the teacher, an experienced master tech who owned his own shop, would know his stuff.

After 3 days, they told me they can’t do it. It’s bolted on, they just can’t hook up the hoses. They said the hose sizes don’t match. One hose has an inside diameter of approx 1/4 and the other is 3/8. I went on a wild goose hunt for brass shark bite barb connectors w/ 3/8 on one side & 1/4 on the other. Couldn’t find it & they gave up & gave it back to me.

Does this make any sense? Is this guy an idiot or did I get sold the completely wrong unit? Is there a part (barb connector) out there somewhere that will make this thing work? Can I just find a 1/4 - 1/4 and clamp the snot out of it or will that leak?

I’m kind of beside myself now because I was out a vehicle for 3 day, spent $50 on parts that didn’t work. Have a trans cooler bolted on but not hooked up & I still need a trans cooler.

Please advise.
Thanks!
JD

 

[ScoMey]

I'm not a mechanic, but...

... most auto transmission cooler lines are either 3/8", 5/16", or less common but available 11/32". While I haven't done a cooler install on my 5th gen, what I've run into in the past is similar to your situation... the barb end on a cooler is 3/8", and the vehicle end is 5/16". I've found that 11/32" hose kinda fits both ends, one end very snug, the other end a bit 'not-snug', but it seals up correctly with the right size of clamps. Good luck.

 

[GhostRider8]

I'm pretty sure thoss B&M coolers are made for miltiple applications. It's probably going to take some hunting around but you can find the right connections. I googled 3/8-1/4 reduced and found this on eBay. *One important note when shopping* The rubber transmission hose (same as fuel line rubber hose) has thicker walls than regular coolant rubber hoses. Point behind that is make sure your telling parts guy inner hose diameter, not outer diamiter. I always like to have my fittings in hand and fit everything before leaving parts store.

 

[wfo9]

Those types of situations... are super common. There are million different NPT pipe connector adapters available... A single barb union with those sizes on each end may be hard to find local. But I'm sure you can at least find the components to make one at any big box home improvement store (union, plus pipe thread connectors)... Get off your hump, turn on your brain, and go looking....

Modifying any vehicle is an exercise in problem solving and searching for parts... It's pretty rare for everything to be in the box when it comes to generic components like a trans cooler.

 

[Jhalko]

Modifying any vehicle is an exercise in problem solving and searching for parts....

Yup, I've been learning this first hand as my mods have gone beyond all past experience. It's fun and frustrating at the same time! Upon successful completion, the feeling of gratification is awesome though.

Good luck OP.

 

[mo_mo]

Hi everyone,
My 1st mod purchase for my ’11 SR5 was a B&M Super Cooler # 5786. I bought it from the “5th Gen For Sale/Wanted” thread here. It had never been installed. I was told (by others, not here) that everything I’d need for the installation was in the box & that it was an easy install.

I took it to a local "auto tech training institute”. They are a school not a full service shop. On the other-hand they want vehicles for their students to work on while being instructed and supervised. They specialize in basic routiene maintance, although they told me the’ve “...done 100’s of trans coolers”. One would assume that the teacher, an experienced master tech who owned his own shop, would know his stuff.

After 3 days, they told me they can’t do it. It’s bolted on, they just can’t hook up the hoses. They said the hose sizes don’t match. One hose has an inside diameter of approx 1/4 and the other is 3/8. I went on a wild goose hunt for brass shark bite barb connectors w/ 3/8 on one side & 1/4 on the other. Couldn’t find it & they gave up & gave it back to me.

Does this make any sense? Is this guy an idiot or did I get sold the completely wrong unit? Is there a part (barb connector) out there somewhere that will make this thing work? Can I just find a 1/4 - 1/4 and clamp the snot out of it or will that leak?

I’m kind of beside myself now because I was out a vehicle for 3 day, spent $50 on parts that didn’t work. Have a trans cooler bolted on but not hooked up & I still need a trans cooler.

Please advise.
Thanks!
JD

No idea what size the cooler needs, but McMaster has some reducer adapters:
McMaster-Carr
91355K32

 

[truedef]

My local lowes would have a brass fitting reducer that you need.

 

[jjdbike]

I'm pretty sure thoss B&M coolers are made for miltiple applications. It's probably going to take some hunting around but you can find the right connections. I googled 3/8-1/4 reduced and found this on eBay. *One important note when shopping* The rubber transmission hose (same as fuel line rubber hose) has thicker walls than regular coolant rubber hoses. Point behind that is make sure your telling parts guy inner hose diameter, not outer diamiter. I always like to have my fittings in hand and fit everything before leaving parts store.

Thanks Ghost & frineds. Yes I did notice that about the inside vs outside diameter.
I’m getting ready to order that part right now!
Thanks again.
JD

 

[Mindflex]

Thanks Ghost & frineds. Yes I did notice that about the inside vs outside diameter.
I’m getting ready to order that part right now!
Thanks again.
JD

How did this turn out? Any pictures?

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[(none)]

How did this turn out? Any pictures?

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I'll probably install mine this weekend, will let you know.

 

[(none)]

How did this turn out? Any pictures?

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Fairly straight forward, the longest time was spent deciding how and where to mount it up. I ended up using all factory holes on the 4r, drilling one new hole in the cooler and trimming the edge of the cooler a tad to clearance it.

It took nearly 2/3qt of trans fluid to pre-fill the cooler and lines. I attached my lines on the upper side of the passenger side, instead of underneath. I debated whether to cool the fluid prior or after the stock in the radiator cooler and decided to go with after, as B&M recommends and as most OEMs seem to have theirs ran.

So far, i'm seeing about a 30-40F drop in temp. I'll be towing in a few weeks, so i'm eager to see if it can keep the temps down.

 

[Mindflex]

Fairly straight forward, the longest time was spent deciding how and where to mount it up. I ended up using all factory holes on the 4r, drilling one new hole in the cooler and trimming the edge of the cooler a tad to clearance it.

It took nearly 2/3qt of trans fluid to pre-fill the cooler and lines. I attached my lines on the upper side of the passenger side, instead of underneath. I debated whether to cool the fluid prior or after the stock in the radiator cooler and decided to go with after, as B&M recommends and as most OEMs seem to have theirs ran.

So far, i'm seeing about a 30-40F drop in temp. I'll be towing in a few weeks, so i'm eager to see if it can keep the temps down.

Excellent to hear and nice pics. Did you use the hoses included or buy others?

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[(none)]

Excellent to hear and nice pics. Did you use the hoses included or buy others?

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I used the included hose. Due to other people's recommendations, i purchased another 5' or so of hose as well, thinking the included hose wouldn't be long enough. With the way i ran it (beside teh radiator, instead of under), the stock was just about perfect, maybe 6" too long.

 

[Mindflex]

I used the included hose. Due to other people's recommendations, i purchased another 5' or so of hose as well, thinking the included hose wouldn't be long enough. With the way i ran it (beside teh radiator, instead of under), the stock was just about perfect, maybe 6" too long.

Thank you so much for the info! Was hesitant at first due to people reporting the included hose would not fit properly.

Sounds like you do not need to step any of the tube sizing up or down.

However I am considering getting the 11/32 inch tube to split the difference between the 3/8 and the 5/16 that people keep mentioning.

Would you recommend that?

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[(none)]

Thank you so much for the info! Was hesitant at first due to people reporting the included hose would not fit properly.

Sounds like you do not need to step any of the tube sizing up or down.

However I am considering getting the 11/32 inch tube to split the difference between the 3/8 and the 5/16 that people keep mentioning.

Would you recommend that?

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I'd either go ahead and get the adapter or just run the 5/16 size (what i did). You can clamp down the larger hose onto the smaller fitting just fine. Is it 100% the correct way to do it? no, but it works just fine. The issue you are going to have is getting the 5/16 hose on the 3/8 hard line. it's a tight fit, but it will go and the trans fluid helps lubricate it. I reused the stock spring clamp on the hard line, i used the supplied hose clamps on the cooler and both sides of the adapter fitting.

 

[Simonpk]

did you have to take the front grille and plastic bumper off to do this?

 

[Mindflex]

did you have to take the front grille and plastic bumper off to do this?

You can see in the pictures he posted that the whole front grill is off.

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[(none)]

did you have to take the front grille and plastic bumper off to do this?

It would be much easier if you did take off the bumper. You probably CAN do it without, but it won't be fun or really save you any time. The bumper comes off in about 5-10 minutes. Easier with 2 people, but I managed to do it by myself.

 

[Mindflex]

It would be much easier if you did take off the bumper. You probably CAN do it without, but it won't be fun or really save you any time. The bumper comes off in about 5-10 minutes. Easier with 2 people, but I managed to do it by myself.

How did you go about adding transmission fluid.

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[(none)]

How did you go about adding transmission fluid.

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With the cooler physically installed, hoses on the cooler, but not hooked up to the vehicle. I used a brake bleeder (mighty vac?) to suck from the top cooler line, bottom line was ran into the quart of transmission fluid. Once I got transmission fluid out of the top hose, I clamped both hoses closed with hemostats until I could install them. I figure I was able to get nearly all of the air out of the cooler and fill it with fluid.