Transmission Fluid Cooler??

[CWBenjamin]

Having my brother in law do some work on my 2003 Jeep liberty 3.7 and he sent me a picture of my radiator and an empty plug that has nothing attached / ******* into it... Said it is supposed to be for a transmission fluid cooler? I replaced my radiator last year and it certainly did not have any such thing attached to it...

I have never read about one, but admittedly the work ive done on my jeep is the only work i have done on a car.

Does my jeep not have this? TIA

 

[CWBenjamin]

Attached pictures of the black what I thought was the engine oil cooler, and a separate one that may be tyranny fluid cooler?

 

[klc]

I think the second picture is a power steering fluid cooler. My transmission cooler looks like a small version of the radiator, and is mounted in front of it. Hard to miss if it’s there.

 

[CWBenjamin]

I think the second picture is a power steering fluid cooler. My transmission cooler looks like a small version of the radiator, and is mounted in front of it. Hard to miss if it’s there.

Okay cool, yeah I agree after looking up power steering coolers that almost certainly is the second picture... So then the first picture has the condenser and then the small 1/3 size cooler in front of that which has to be either the engine oil cooler or the transmission fluid cooler... If it is the oil cooler then I just am missing a transmission cooler or? Wouldn't that seize up my transmission after 8 years or more?

 

[klc]

FCA RAM

fcacommunity.force.com

That will let you look up your build sheet, enter the VIN.

Look for your service manual here:

www.colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/

I’m not sure if all the earlier models had the transmission cooler.

 

[JeepJeepster]

The 2002 and early 2003 libertys had the transmission cooler inside of the radiator. If you had the towing package or offroad package, you got another AUX transmission cooler. This is a much better setup. There are endless opinions on this...

All libertys after that got just the AUX cooler thats mounted in front of the condenser. The smaller cooler off to the side is a power steering cooler and came with the towing/offroad package.

 

[runfor5]

OP your first photo looks like that is your auxiliary transmission oil cooler. I believe the towing package also came with a heavier duty fan clutch. My 2004 has all this. FYI - RockAuto use to sell the Mopar trans oil cooler but for me, it was NOT the same one as that actually on my car. Check the fitting positions and they're different you could tell in the photo. That was back in 2017. Looking just now they no longer sell any trans oil cooler for an '04 on there... long story short the oil cooler I needed for my '04 was a Jeep-dealer-only part back then. It was unique to the towing package from what I gathered. If this is the case with yours, and it needs replacing, I would start with the dealership. Same goes for the oil cooler lines running from there back into the transmission - those were dealer only for me back then.

The 2nd photo is your power steering cooler (part #52129063AA on RockAuto for my 2004). Of course it's out of stock lol, but it was about $300 last time I saw it on there. Not sure if the same but maybe that helps.

 

[JeepJeepster]

OP your first photo looks like that is your auxiliary transmission oil cooler. I believe the towing package also came with a heavier duty fan clutch. My 2004 has all this. FYI - RockAuto use to sell the Mopar trans oil cooler but for me, it was NOT the same one as that actually on my car. Check the fitting positions and they're different you could tell in the photo. That was back in 2017. Looking just now they no longer sell any trans oil cooler for an '04 on there... long story short the oil cooler I needed for my '04 was a Jeep-dealer-only part back then. It was unique to the towing package from what I gathered. If this is the case with yours, and it needs replacing, I would start with the dealership. Same goes for the oil cooler lines running from there back into the transmission - those were dealer only for me back then.

The 2nd photo is your power steering cooler (part #52129063AA on RockAuto for my 2004). Of course it's out of stock lol, but it was about $300 last time I saw it on there. Not sure if the same but maybe that helps.

Thats interesting. If thats the case, that would mean the Libertys with and without the towing package have a different transmission cooler. Ive never encountered that.

 

[runfor5]

Thats interesting. If thats the case, that would mean the Libertys with and without the towing package have a different transmission cooler. Ive never encountered that.

It was absolutely different per the pics at the time. So I went to the dealer w a hope and a prayer and they had both the same RA one that didn’t match my car, as well as (thankfully) the one that I needed. Believe I paid $260 or so for it back then. Does yours have a fan clutch? Idk if that was unique but I always kinda thought it was. Not sure what else would (could) be different.

This posting made me double check lots of parts on RA and man some common-ish things are no longer on there

 

[JeepJeepster]

Yeah, unfortunately mopar things are already getting tough to find for the KJ.

Mine did not come with the clutched fan but I've added it. It only came with the offroad/towing package and my liberty doesnt have that. Do you know the part number for the cooler that you bought? Ive found 5191979AA and 52079697AB. It does appear the 979AA is bigger. Be interesting to know what this is all about.

 

[runfor5]

Yeah, unfortunately mopar things are already getting tough to find for the KJ.

Mine did not come with the clutched fan but I've added it. It only came with the offroad/towing package and my liberty doesnt have that. Do you know the part number for the cooler that you bought? Ive found 5191979AA and 52079697AB. It does appear the 979AA is bigger. Be interesting to know what this is all about.

Hmm I’ll have to try and find the paper receipt if I still have it in a folder. Didn’t have a chance to look this weekend as was actually down at VIR watching some sportier vehicles lol. Nothing in my email. In meantime I messaged the dealership asking for my small purchase history - we’ll see if they respond. From my 42RLE trans swap post on here back in 2019 my Imgur link is still up apparently. If you look at like the 20th photo, there are 3 consecutive ones of my old transmission oil cooler. Perhaps that helps in the interim:

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[JeepJeepster]

Thats what mine looks like, and looks smaller than the photos I can find online of the 979AA... I may buy one and see what its all about.

Cant believe I had never read about this before. So the new mopar cooler bolted right in place? Lines hooked right up?

 

[JeepJeepster]

Couldn't wait any longer, I bought the 979AA. Of all places, summit had it the cheapest after shipping n such... If it doesn't fit, well, I'll have a $150 box that I'll put in the storage building.