The airconditioning condenser is a finned radiator that looks similar to the trany cooler radiator but usually somewhat larger. The ac condenser is usually installed in front of the engine radiator. If you have both ac and aux. trany cooling you will have two similar radiator devices in addition to the engine raditor.

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Gary & Edie
North Idaho
1988 28' P-30 454

I don't tow, but if I did, I'd look at:

www.LS-RVsolutions.com

Yeah, theres an AC condenser. Three layers: radiator, tranny cooler, and condensor in front, then an auxillary fan.

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Jack and Daiva
1988 Barth Regal

Jack, if you have a trans cooler that is 75-80% of the radiator area, it is likely to be large enough for towing a Miata.

Thanks Bill.

Incidently Bill, is it a difficult process to change out that fluid and filter in the transmission ? And what kind of synthetic fluid do you use ?


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Jack and Daiva
1988 Barth Regal

The pan comes off quite easily to replace the filter. Take out all but the four corner bolts. Loosen them and break the gasket seal. Remove one pair of bolts and let the fluid drain from the low end. Be sure to use a new gasket and torque the bolts per manual specs. While the pan is removed, it would be a good time to install a drain plug. B&M makes a good one that installs by simply drilling a hole.

Draining the pan gets about a third of the fluid, the rest being in the converter, cooler and lines. Converters seem to no longer have drain plugs, dammit. So, after you have replaced the pan and filter, measure the old fluid in the drain pan by pouring into a milk bottle type container. Install that amount of new ATF back into transmission. Disconnect the return line from the cooler to the transmission, and slip a clear vinyl tube snugly over it and place the tube in a container or pan. I believe 5/16” ID tubing will be a snug fit if you hold the end in hot water for a few seconds. Sorry I don’t know Fords, but the return line is the coolest one when the engine is running. So, start the engine, and shut down after 1 or 2 quarts have come out one of the lines. It helps to have an assistant. Refill exact amount of fresh fluid in transmission This keeps air out of system.

Start engine again and repeat until clean fluid is coming out of cooler line. This is time consuming but will purge all old ATF from the transmission and torque converter. Reinstall the cooler line and start the engine, cycle through gears, place in park and check level per owners manual. Check for leaks. Top up as necessary after driving and heated up. Don't overfill.

An easier, but not cheaper way is to take it and your own fluid to a shop with a TransTech II machine and have them put in your fluid. http://www.bedfordindustries.com/mtt1100.htm They might want a lot of money for a motor home, though. And some shops are a little difficult about folks who bring in their own fluids. Many shops do not drop the pan and change the filter, though, or charge extra for it.

I use Castrol Syntec synthetic ATF fluid in my TH400. Art Carr recommends it. Allison extends their trans warranty by lots of miles if you use another of Castrol's tranny fluids, Transynd, but it does not replace Mercon. Per the Allison Service Tip #1099B, , if you have the new Allison 6 speed and change to Transynd now, and Transynd again at 37,000 miles, you are then good for 150,000 miles. That doesn’t apply to Syntec, or your Ford specifically, but it gives you an idea of what their engineers think of Transynd in particular and synthetic ATF in general. Transynd is approved as a replacement for Dexron III. Mercon is not mentioned.
Syntec ATF is listed as replacement for Both Dexron III and Mercon. The label lists it as approved for Ford trannys 83 to 96.

I have also used Red Line hi temp synthetic ATF, and been happy with it. Their Hi Temp synthetic ATF is listed as a replacement for Dexron III and Mercon. Summit sells it. http://www.redlineoil.com/products_gearlubricants.asp?p...rodID=59&subcatID=19

www.summitracing.com




[This message has been edited by bill h (edited July 08, 2004).]

Thanks Bill, for taking the time write such a thorough reply. I may ask around locally to see how much shops would do it before tackleing it myself. How many quarts does your TH400 take ?

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Jack and Daiva
1988 Barth Regal

My TH400 took 12 or 13 qts from dry. A flush job will take a little more on acount of mixing of old and new fluid.

But a Ford? I can't say for sure. If you have a C6, it will be a little more. E4OD more yet, maybe 16 qts. If a C4 or C5, a little less than a TH400.

[This message has been edited by bill h (edited May 16, 2004).]

Called a few places locally. Either they can't accomodate a 31ft RV or they don't have the equipment to flush the converter.
Will have to do some more snooping around.

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Jack and Daiva
1988 Barth Regal