Hey guys. I've been experiencing a leak underneath my truck. From the two transmission lines connecting to the bottom of the radiator specifically. It started as a small leak, a couple of drops when in park. Now I come back to the truck after class or work, and there's a pretty good sized puddle. Maybe half the size of a typical dinner plate. Anyways, I'm thinking the two seals are bad which is causing the leak. I visited my local Ford dealership and they told me the two connectors are only serviced with a brand new radiator, meaning I have to buy a $330 part to fix this somewhat minor leak. The radiator is new, I put it in when I became the new owner of the truck. So I am NOT buying another one just for the two connectors.

I was told an aftermarket manufacturer might produce these. Any thoughts? Anyone know an aftermarket manufacturer?

2006 6.0 Powerstroke with 243k miles.

Thanks, Stanley6.0

 

Post a pic of the lines/leak/area in question. Might help us with some ideas

leak the size of a dinner plate is pretty major IMO, be sure to check that fluid level often.

 

Are you referring to the quick-connect adapters that are screwed into the bottom radiator tank for the cooler? They have an o-ring inside that seals on the line when snapped into place. I haven't seen them sold separately but then again haven't really looked. My new radiator came with new ones.

 

Make sure they are in all the way. I had a osue like that with mine. Pull them out nd clen up the tubes, clean and flush the fittings and re assemble. Check for leaks

 

I can't believe I am saying this, but Dorman probably makes them.

I made a note of fittings that they sold for the external filter (800-617). Some of the fittings are aluminum and may not be great quality, but better than nothing I guess.

 

Not everything Dorman makes is junk. I've used their stuff before as I am sure others here have, just not in a critical application like an oil cooler/gasket.

Some of those parts are like a great value branded item you find at china mart.
They come from the same place as the name brand. Not all of course but some of them certainly do. Reverse engineering has it's place, it's often the quality of the
"ingredients" that makes the difference.

 

I have a pair of good ones I saved from a radiator swap. If you have time to wait on the post office, send me a PM and I'll get them in the mail for you.

 

I'm sorry I got back to you so late. I greatly appreciate the offer bud, I would've taken it if I would've known I had replies to this post. I finally found some new connectors, Advance Auto Parts carried them.

 

Thank you for all of the replies guys, I appreciate the help on my problem. I will say that I found a solution to said problem. I found two connectors finally at Advance Auto Parts, I swapped them out this morning. No more transmission fluid leak.

BUT.
As I was unscrewing the connector from the bottom of the radiator (I had already disconnected the transmission lines from the connectors themselves), I noticed coolant was coming out of the radiator. Now, I expected this because I'm removing a plug, but I realized that the threads inside the radiator that the transmission line connectors screw into move around. Move around as in inward and outward. Not much, maybe a quarter of an inch, but I noticed that when the threads were pushed inside the radiator, coolant would leak out. I pulled the threads out flush with the radiator, and coolant stopped.
This was on the second connector, I did not notice on the first connector if the threads inside the radiator moved in and out, though some coolant did leak out.
I got both connectors screwed in nice and tight, no more transmission fluid leak, and no coolant leak. I am concerned I somehow hurt the radiator by pushing the threads into the radiator by disconnecting the transmission lines.

Are the threads that the connectors screw into meant to move in and out a bit? Maybe to allow the pushing in of the disconnect tool?

Along with being somewhat concerned, I am also curious. If those connectors screw into the radiator, is there a separate housing for JUST transmission fluid inside the radiator?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, just needing some answers to possibly somewhat overthought questions.
Stanly6.0

 

Yes theres a separate tank as such inside the radiator,when you loosen up both adapters same time that allows tank to move around some,if you got it back together at all they must be lined up,pay attention to you degas bottle for trans fluid for awhile just to be safe.

 

Can you give us a little more info on those fitting For future reference? This comes up every once in a while.

 

Pretty much the official name of the part is Automatic Transmission Oil Cooler Line Connector. I'm pretty confident O'Reilly's doesn't carry the part, I am not too sure about Auto Zone. The ones I had on my truck before I replaced them had two washers between the connector and the radiator. The new ones were the same brass connectors but come with an o-ring in place of the two washers. The o-ring seems to seal the radiator pretty good, no coolant leakage. 1-1/16" wrench is needed. Other than that, its a pretty basic replacement.

 

The fittings inside that you screw the adapters into is the Trans cooler. Those adapters also seal the cooler to the tank. You can see one of the rubber sealing washers on the right in the pic below. It's a good thing you did one at a time. Here's a pic of what's inside.
Internal radiator Trans cooler

 

That bench is getting a lot of photo time lately.

 

That's so funny because that's exactly what I thought when I took the pic today. That cooler though was gutted from my original radiator that I swapped out months ago.