07 Radiator change | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

07 Radiator change

goodman

New Member
Joined
August 21, 2014
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Year, Model & Trim Level
07 explorer
Hi need some help with a freinds daily driver 2007 ford explorer xlt 4.6lt . Want to know if anyone has changed a radiator in this truck. We cant get the so called quick connect fittings to come loose off the transmission line that attach to the lower radiator. We wound up unscrewing them from the old rad . I was told that a special tool was need and got the lisle 39960
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-39960-Transmission-Cooler-Disconnect/dp/B000TQ6P40

We tried this tool that is plastic to free the connector and it would not work. there is very little room between the line and fitting maybe 30-40 thousands. Please let me know if we are doing this right or need a different tool or does this even remove that way from the line ....Thanks for looking
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





2 small flat screw drivers, one at the top one at the bottom, or on either side depending on how the quick connect lock is situated, pry they out and pull on the hose. Should pop out easily. If you have a crappy aftermarket rad to replace it with, hold on to the locks, because you will probably have to swap them when the aftermarket ones start leaking rad fluid. The O-rings too.
 






Hi Tech,Thanks for the quick reply. The trans line is very tight fitting in the connector the tool is very thin so it can slip in there. You would never get a small screw driver in there. please ck out these pictures Thanks
https://imageshack.com/i/paRPJScuj
 






Same issue when I recently replaced the radiator on our 2007 4.6l. I've got the quick disconnect tool, and know how they work, but these were not releasing. And I agree - there is no way a screwdriver is going into that quick connect.

Ended up unscrewing the fittings out of the radiator and screwing them back into the new one.
 






Yours look smaller than mine were. Mine was also an early build so it may have had a different connector. A jewlers flat head would fit in mine to pry the lock back.
 






Here is a video that describes the mechanism that holds the cooler line with the early built connector.

 
























Updating this thread since I think I found a possible solution for this common issue.

Yes, the connector was updated and the video doesn't apply to the newer connectors. I posted a comment on the video and will repeat it here in case anyone is looking for help:

Mine was stuck (definitely the stock connector and radiator) and no amount of picking was going to work since the mechanism is simply a metal ring spring -- you'd just be chasing it around in there. The quick release tool worked great on the passenger side, but not on the driver's side. Tried some other things, like wedging bands of sheet metal, but no dice.

In the one I have, there is a beveled nylon(?) ring just inside the ring spring. The ridge on the transmission line rests between the spring and the plastic ring. Once I inserted the tool, there was play in the line -- just as much as the play in the plastic ring in the one I did get off.

I think what happened is that the nylon ring fused to the cooler line and wouldn't let it come out - perhaps the driver side is the hot side.

So, to get it off (I could not reuse it with the new radiator), I heated it with a torch (after I had unscrewed the entire connection from the radiator), inserted the tool and pulled with pliers and off it came.
 






The real problem is the cheaper radiators have a trans cooler fitting with one oring and treads too small for the Dormain 2-oring adapter. The best option, besides buying a $400 Ford factory radiator, is to get the Spectra Premium radiator that is very reliable and takes the adapter just fine.
 






The real problem is the cheaper radiators have a trans cooler fitting with one oring and treads too small for the Dormain 2-oring adapter. The best option, besides buying a $400 Ford factory radiator, is to get the Spectra Premium radiator that is very reliable and takes the adapter just fine.

That is "a" problem, but not the problem everyone is addressing here.

- I had the trouble I described with the OEM transmission line connectors on the OEM radiator. They are not all the same from 2006-2010.

- I bought a Spectra Premium and the threads were too small for the OEM connectors. It seems they have changed their design, so the Dorman double O ring adapters wouldn't fit either.

- Where are people getting the $400 price for the Motorcraft radiator? Rockauto has it for $170.

I wish I had bought the Motorcraft radiator, but if I have to change it again I'll go that route.
 






Whaer are you seeing the Motorcraft radiator for $170? It's $363 on Rockauto.
 












Back
Top