Noticed something was leaking under the 97 today, and I found a mess!
Apparently, both transmission oil cooler steel lines were repair numerous times with compression fittings...and hoses/clamps! WTH!
The trans did shift fine, and I was on a 200 miles trip last weekend. I didn't see a puddle before, and it'd been sitting for a few days. Hopefully, it's just started and the trans isn't damaged in any way... I didn't budget for a rebuild already. Why can't people just fix it right on one of the most important part, the transmission...
Is this something that can be bought or must I fabricate myself? I've made brake lines myself, so I have the tools.
Since I'm not sure what should be factory - are the lines all steel, from end to end? What size tube do they take? Is double-flaring needed or no?
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You can call me "Jerm" or "Jer" ...or just call me Chad!
The rubber lines are supposed to be there. However worm drive clamps aren't capable to keep the lines secure and leak free. You need to either get some SS bolt-->nut band clamps, or the original factory style spring band. I used my 3/8" copper crimper and rings on it.
However if it is leaking because of being overpressurised, that means there are other issues at hand.
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Dave
'93 Ranger XLT 4.0, 4x4, 179,000 and counting. (For Sale)
'92 F-150 XL I6, M5OD, 4x4, 186,000 and counting.
'90 F-250 XLT 7.3 IDI, E4OD, 181,000 and counting.
Guess I'll take a pic and show it...but it's surely not factory. There's about 5-6 clamps on the rubber lines themselves, and the hoses are orange...plus there's a compression fitting on the line somewhere in there as well.
It is located near the trans, just before the cat converter.
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You can call me "Jerm" or "Jer" ...or just call me Chad!
1993 F150 302 somesortofautomatic. F350 front springs, bed liner, tool box, ugly tail gate. One thing you can say about a F series truck is it's as aerodynamic as a brick, turned sideways.
I just recently did mine over in my '97 F250 and it is a job. Plan on spending an entire day. Several things that I remember.
1. There was a piece of rubber hose on mine that appeared to be original. I forget which line it was in but I think it needed to be there for ease of installation. The rest of the lines are steel.
2. The lines are the larger size compared to brake lines. The are harder to bend and kink more easily. If you have one, use a tubing bender.
3. I used the NAPA lines and bought several of each length and some couplings. The NAPA guy was cool with me returning the extra.
4. The fittings that go on the transmission cooler on the radiator are not standard fittings so the fittings that come on the brake lines won't fit. Supposedly there is an adapter kit out there somewhere but none of the NAPA's around stock it. I took the shortcut and cut those off my old lines and rubber tubed and hose clamped them together. I check them every now and then and they seem fine so far.
The cooler lines on my Bronco have a similar "splice". I'm told that some quicky lubes will do that to hook up to their flush machine rather than unbolt the lines like they should. I'm not the original owner, so this is just one of the things on the dumb-stunt list.
One option would be to replace the rubber hoses with fuel-injection rated rubber fuel line. You'll still need to upgrade the clamps and I'd add a bit of a flair to the ends of the steel lines to help in sealing. The fuel line will hold the pressure and not rot in the oil.
5/16 steel line from trans upper /back fitting to rad upper fitting (4r70w trans)
5/16 steel out of rad lower fitting to flex line under rad to the oil cooler if equiped out of cooler with flex line to steel line back to forward fitting on trans.
Yes the lines are 5/16 double flare
If the rad has never been done you will need to cut the factory adapter fittings as ford uses a double flare with a long space before the tread starts the fitting in the rad has deep long threads so a normal double flare nut will bottom before the line seals you just cut off ~3/16.
Yes the lines are 5/16 double flare.
I just did the minor J-mod with full drain and Royal purple Max AFT and new 4 core "heat buster" rad two weeks ago and had to redo my lines.
Make sure to check the lines after a couple of heat cycles as the flares do mold them selves and loosen.
44Dwarf
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"Smok'in the competition NOT tobacco"
The cooler lines on my Bronco have a similar "splice". I'm told that some quicky lubes will do that to hook up to their flush machine rather than unbolt the lines like they should. I'm not the original owner, so this is just one of the things on the dumb-stunt list.
One option would be to replace the rubber hoses with fuel-injection rated rubber fuel line. You'll still need to upgrade the clamps and I'd add a bit of a flair to the ends of the steel lines to help in sealing. The fuel line will hold the pressure and not rot in the oil.
Calvin
Good post,..................but high pressure line is way too expensive.
Regular low pressure fuel line works fine and can handle tranny fluid pressure just fine.
I have seen many Ford and Mercurys and GMs that have a factory installed splice in these lines using low pressure fuel line. I think sometimes it's for vibration to prevent stress cracks in the metal lines.
Can you clarify me on the cutting the factory adapters at the radiator? I don't know if it's the original radiator or not...
I have the E40D tranny. Not sure if it had an external oil cooler, didn't see anything of that sort in the time I have worked on the truck.
I found some premade oil cooler lines at rockauto.com. If I can find some locally, I may have not to make my own lines after all.
Thanks for the tip. Will do that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 44dwarf
Yes the lines are 5/16 double flare
If the rad has never been done you will need to cut the factory adapter fittings as ford uses a double flare with a long space before the tread starts the fitting in the rad has deep long threads so a normal double flare nut will bottom before the line seals you just cut off ~3/16.
Yes the lines are 5/16 double flare.
I just did the minor J-mod with full drain and Royal purple Max AFT and new 4 core "heat buster" rad two weeks ago and had to redo my lines.
Make sure to check the lines after a couple of heat cycles as the flares do mold them selves and loosen.
44Dwarf
__________________
You can call me "Jerm" or "Jer" ...or just call me Chad!
DO NOT USE LOW PRESURE LINE! Two things wrong with low presure line.
1) trany lines can be very high presure at times. like under hard loads.
2) Hi heat will de-grade the hose from the inside.
Most parts stores have Trany cooler hose if you ask for it. It's not that expencive when you concider it will not break while going down the road. Thus it saves you money cause you don't have to replace fluid (mercon V is $6.98 a quart here) and pay for a DOT team to clean up the mile long streak of ATF the fuel line break left on the road.
If you deside to just fix a crack in a line and do rubber hose you should put a buble on the end to hold the hose and clamp. It's easy to do if you have a double flare tool you just do the first step of the flare.
Best of luck.
44
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"Smok'in the competition NOT tobacco"
If you deside to just fix a crack in a line and do rubber hose you should put a buble on the end to hold the hose and clamp. It's easy to do if you have a double flare tool you just do the first step of the flare.
In the places where I had to use rubber hose, I just cut the steel lines so that the two cut ends pretty much butted up to each other and then put about a 6" or longer piece of rubber on it with two clamps on each end. I don't see any way the hose can work its way off.
Anyone ever paid to have this job done? It can't be cheap....
DO NOT USE LOW PRESURE LINE! Two things wrong with low presure line.
1) trany lines can be very high presure at times. like under hard loads.
2) Hi heat will de-grade the hose from the inside.
On my 1986 Ford 350 Box truck, 351/c6 It came from the factory with a rubber splice link on both lines up front near the radiator (probably for vibration). I had to redo the metal lines 3 years ago and replaced the rubber links with low pressure fuel hose which is holding up just fine.
The original links were also marked as low pressure line.
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I didn't budget for a rebuild already. Why can't people just fix it right on one of the most important part, the transmission... 
