I had a late model tow package XJ and seen plenty of other tow package XJs and never seen a trans cooler built into the AC condenser. They were always long short coolers mounted in front of the ac condenser. Not saying those don't exist but I'd never seen one. The factory cooler was built like the radiator and AC condeser with flat oval shaped tubes between the fins. Not really a stacked plate like what we think of with regards to stacked plate trans coolers.

You can see it here behind the grille. As far as I know all the XJs used this same trans coolers in the towpackage models past at least 1990


Here it is with the grille off and without an AC condenser behind it.

 

Thanks for those photos. I think I'm going to go with a 4-tube cooler.

Or, what do you think about going to a Supercooler and using a 180 degree transmission cooler thermostat?

 

"and on the B & M 70264 unit... where does that connect exactly? I thought I would need some sort of an "adaptor" plate/body that fits between the oil adaptor and filter...but checking on places like Summit Racing, the kit doesn't appear to come with one."

RM,
The B&M #70264 is a trans fluid cooler not an engine oil cooler.

Here's a couple links with lots of info:
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/tra...nstall-192479/
https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/...s-pics-546626/

 

For what it's worth, I put the B&M 70268 cooler on my XJ a couple of years ago, and it's been great. I don't have a temp gauge, but I've verified the trans pan temp via infrared thermometer at about 190 degrees (IIRC) after half an hour of driving through soft sand in hot weather, so that tells me it's working well given the conditions. Regular daily driving would be lower, obviously.

Here's a pic of my setup. It's mounted about 2/3 in front of the e-fan (I have an override switch) and 1/3 in front of the mechanical fan. I tapped into the return line from the factory heat exchanger in the radiator (the top one for 97+) where the rubber part of the line passes behind the front bumper and ran a loop so that the cooler connections were located at the top.



I don't have a good picture of how I ran the lines, but I can tell you i just cut the rubber line a few inches past where the metal joins the rubber and used two straight barbs and hose clamps. Here's the return line I cut into, though you can't see the rubber part in this pic.



FWIW, I also pulled the oil temp off the oil filter at the same time, and it read 240 degrees. That's getting hot, but given the conditions and the fact that I'm running Rotella T6 synthetic, I wasn't concerned. Again, any regular street use would be cooler. I run a Mocal stacked plate oil cooler on my VW track car, and the highest oil temps I'll see with that setup is about 245-250 on a really hot day after a 30-minute session on a road course. I didn't have a temp gauge before I did the cooler, but it's not uncommon for a VR6 with only the factory heat exchanger to see 270-280+ easily on the track and probably closer to 300 under those conditions, so the cooler definitely works. It'll barely break 200 degrees in the summer with the A/C cranked zipping down the highway at 90+, so it's certainly plenty for street use.

 

Thanks and sorry... was looking at the wrong one when I wrote that... my bad.

 

That's what I figured. lol

 

any thoughts on the oil cooler model then?

 

I believe the best answer is similar to one posted for the transmission cooler, with slight modification:

IIWY I'd put in an oil temperature gauge first to see if in fact you need to do anything.

Since cooling is handled by the aquasystem, as long as that is working properly, about all an oil cooler would do is "share the load". Although frankly, if I thought I had a cooling system issue I'd get a bigger radiator.

Some people commented that a oil cooler would add more oil. But if you change your oil and filter regularly, that too is superfluous.

The most interesting comment I saw was that adding an oil cooler increased oil pressure by 5 pounds.

Why (I asked myself) does that poster possibly think that is good?

 

^^^^^^^^^^^ yep. IMHO you wouldn't need an oil cooler. Just keep the cooling system operating at peak efficiency keeping the max temp at 210* and you'd be fine.

 

Thanks EZ... and everyone else too...

I guess just with knowing my baby turned 20 this past January, and even though she's a very clean XJ all around.... I just want to give it the best chance possible knowing the area that I will be in and the kind of work she'll have to do until I can get a second 4 wheel vehicle....
So if that means finding a way for her to run a little cooler both the engine and trans... and it won't cost an arm and a leg, then so be it.

 

What IS recommended for a radiator replacement? Straight OEM? or? I do not want to delete the mechanical fan and clutch...
Right now she has always stayed around that 210 mark, maybe a degree or two above if really hot out and stuck in traffic.... so I think it's pretty solid right now...however, when I did my heater core flush 2 days ago... I just learned that some... pardon my French... dumba** .... at some point in her life has put some kind of radiator stop leak crap in it. It obviously fixed that issue but super pissed that, that crap has been through the system. IMHO... people that are willing to use that crap for anything other than an absolute emergency (TEMPORARY) fix should never be allowed to own or even touch a car.

 

Most here favor the Spectra Premium:

An OEM/OEM style cooling system operating at peak efficiency just plain works.

 

That is what I used. Well a Napa one which I am pretty sure is just a rebranded Spectra.
I have to say breaking down and buying a HD Factory Mopar radiator, big bucks and if you could find one, sounds appealing.
But frankly I have no problems in my '00 so.............

 

Nice... I'll definitely check into that... I mean mine is working fine right now... but going into an even warmer climate with one that I now know has been patched by the PO with that crap...I don't want to put too much stock in that it will hold. It's less than a hundred bucks and a pretty easy swap out.
That's cheap insurance in my book...and replacing the hoses too even though they look to be in good condition... no way to tell the last time they were changed out.... and with 107k on the clock... could be original to the Jeep...and that's 20 year old hose.. not the best.

 

anyone that's installed and tested a trans cooler on an XJ.... have you actually tested the operating temp of before and after? I'm just curious how much of an actual difference it makes using a dedicated aux. vs. where it taps into using the rad. in the OEM configuration?