Transmission A/C further down page.
Do a complete change of tranny oil no need to flush it. Pull the plate for the front of the bell housing and see if the torque converter has a drain plug also. Disconnect the oil lines for the tranny cooler at the transmission and connect them to the radiator. Run a cooler line flush through it good and then blow them out good. You can then do a prressure test for the tranny cooler by filling the radiator with water and then pressurize the cooler lines with air if there is a leak it will bubble out the radiator cap. If it holds pressure run some good tranny oil through the cooler lines to get the flush out and then connect them to the tranny. Put in a new filter and OEM spec oil.
That's the plan, though I'm not sure how to drain the torque converter cause from everything I read my trans doesn't have a drain plug for it. I did find the following instructions on another forum using Google. Sounds like it would work, but not sure if out lines are routed the same. I suppose that it's easy enough to connect a hose to both tubes connected to the radiator.
The DIY method is:
1.Drain you tranny pan (hopefully you have a drain plug, otherwise drop the pan and the whole nine yards that goes with that - might as well change your filter and gasket then).
2. Re-install pan (or drain plug), fill tranny to correct level of fluid without starting your vehicle.
3. Disconnect your tranny out line (usually the uppermost tranny line that goes to the rad). I disconnect it right at the radiator.
4. Attach a 5/16 inside diameter clear hose (about 6ft or so long) to the line you disconnected from the rad.
5. Run free end of the hose to a jug to catch any outgoing ATF.
6. Start your vehicle, put tranny in gear. You will start to see trany fluid flow through the clear hose into the jug now. Let a few quarts go in. Stop engine. Top up your trans.
7. Start engine, put tranny in gear, watch fluid in hose come out. When fluid comes out bright red, you are now pumped out most of your old fluid out of the torque convertor. Shut off and refill trans to correct fluid level.
This is the backyard tranny flush method and should get most of the old ATF out of your trans. I've done it several times, no problems. I usually pick up a 30 big pail of trans fluid at Walmart for $35 CN. Valvoline currently makes the Walmart Tech2000 auto fluids.
Hope this helps.
What ya'll think about that procedure? My haynes manual specifies 3 quarts for drain and fill and 5-6 more for torque converter. I'll pick up about 15 quarts of Mercon V and filter kit. Follow instructions above, except add three quarts after installing pan, remove three quarts, and repeat until good fluid coming out of hose. Should only need about 9 quarts, but the 4R70W takes the same fluid so I'll need it eventually.
As for leak checking the radiator. I pulled it from the Explorer with the transmission still connected. That fluid was well used but definitely not contaminated with water. Unfortunately I don't have an air compressor at the moment so I literally cannot do a pressure check.
Good to hear on the condenser. On the tranny, drop the pan, do a filter and fluid change (that should have been done 500-1000 miles after rebuild from break-in. Pressure check the tranny cooler in the rad. They're not notorious for leaking, but it can happen. Make sure you flush the tranny lines with air...
SVT
Interesting... The place that did the rebuild is supposed to be the oldest, best, most reliable trans shop in the area. When I picked up the truck I asked about break-in and they said "just drive it". What you say makes me question their "best" status. Wander what I might find when I drop the pan. Hopefully all is good, it has worked like a champ since I got it back from them. As mentioned I ain't got an air compressor at current and none of the local stores rent them. I'll see what I can find, but I really do trust this radiator.
The A/C system
Since the A/C hase a good charge give her a go maybe the nozzle and filter needs cleaned you will be able to tell if you hook up the guage set and watch the pressures while it is running. There is no way to check the charge using system pressure. Either add a factory charge by weight or measure temps inside the cab "delta T" you want at least 20 degrees difference in the air going into the evaporator as the air coming out. If the cab temp is 80 degrees you want 60 degrees coming out the vents or less after it has run about ten minutes.
Knowing that the condenser is good I'm now thinking that the computer was shutting off the compressor to lessen load attempting to keep heat down. Not sure if computer is capable of that, but it makes sense to me. Weak AC is the low man on the totem pole. Once I have everything else sorted, I'll have the system evacuated and see about installing a new orifice valve and maybe an accumulator. Several years ago I purchased a Probe with a bad compressor, black death bad so everything actually got replaced. I went with a severe temp variable orifice valve and dad charged it with "Arctic Freeze Ultra Synthetic R-134a" (my idea) from the parts house. That car would put 50 degrees at the vent on a 90 degree day. It was nice, especially since I work outside (somewhat shaded fortunately) during Georgia's triple digit summers. Then the transmission dies and I deemed the car not worth the money to fix.
I intend to give the same treatment to this truck and eventually to the 86 I'm building hoping for the same result.
Josh, you gonna be ready for Ranger Roundup 2014? You missed an awesome event, everyone had a blast...
SVT
Don't even know when it is, really at this point it's too early to tell. If I have this truck running reliably enough, or the other truck finished and running reliably I may try. It really depends on work, and I won't know my pre-approved vacations days until February.It'd be a lot easier for me to attend if it were to happen at one of the FFW events closer to GA. I know that you can't plan for one person though, got to plan for everybody where you can get the broadest turn out.
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