07-Jul-03 Installing the Transmission Cooler Part 2 60 second drive shaft install << Previous Transmission Article All Transmission Articles Next Transmission Article >> Installing the drive shaft took about one minute. For those of you who've never done it - it's just a matter of squirting a light film of oil on the yoke and sliding it into the transmission. Then you just install the rear U-bolts (around the U-joint) and tighten them down. I still need to fabricate a front driveshaft loop to contain the shaft in the unlikely event that it breaks free of the front U-joint. I haven't decided the simplest way to do it yet but I'm thinking about it whenever I'm bored. Back to the cooler: A transmission temperature sender needs to go in the cooling line. Another alternative would be to install it in the transmission pan but that would require welding a bung in the nice chrome pan – nah! The transmission has outlet and return fittings. On a 700R4 transmission the return line is the top fitting. I'll want to put the sensor in the line leading out of the trans and take the reading before entering the cooler. The B&M cooler comes with huge 3/4-inch fittings so they'll need to be reduced down for the lines and sender. This is the combination of fittings we came up with to do the job. You're looking into the front of the cooler in this photo. The 1/4-inch NPT trans temperature sending unit is at the far left (with the wire end attached). The aluminum fittings were installed using Teflon tape. The excess was removed after they were tightened for aesthetics. No Teflon tape was used on the sensor - I used dielectric grease instead. After the sensor was installed I checked (using a test light) to make sure there was ground contact through the entire assembly so the sensor will work. The box is now ready to install. In this shot the welds on the rear edges have been ground smooth and the unit has been sanded smooth. I kind of like the brushed look but I think for ease of cleaning, I'll polish it. That can be done when the car is being re-assembled after it's painted. Right now I'm working toward making sure everything works and fits right before firing it up for the first time. Transmission fluid is one of the necessities prior to starting the engine. << Previous Transmission Article All Transmission Articles Next Transmission Article >>