Transmission cooler lines

[410Fortune]

I would not bypass the cooler in your radiator, this is the most efficient cooler in the system and keeping your auto trans cool is important.

If you do bypassit you should replace it with a very efficient additional cooler

Your factory trans cooler is already small and allows the trans to run hotter then I personally would like to see. I would try to find that fitting or get another one off a junk Ford car/truck... they should be on many vehicles...
IMO you need the radiator fluid/fluid cooler in line with your factory trans cooler if you like to keep your auto trans together

 

[fordnut71]

you can bypass the rad cooler if its just a qk move for a few min. if you want to do it on a permernt basis then you will need a bigger cooler to go in front of the rad.

 

[GTexplorer]

i put in a tranny temp gauge today and i dont have a flare tool so i cut the steel line and slid a hose over it with 3 clamps. it does not leak but im very nervous it will come off. can i leave it like this? i just dont want it flying off and leaking without me knowing

 

[Maniak]

i put in a tranny temp gauge today and i dont have a flare tool so i cut the steel line and slid a hose over it with 3 clamps. it does not leak but im very nervous it will come off. can i leave it like this? i just dont want it flying off and leaking without me knowing

Its not the "right" way to do it, but I've done the same thing. I have two clamps on mine and they haven't come off in 90k miles..

~Mark

 

[GTexplorer]

ok thanks thats what i needed to hear

 

[boggs1227]

hey gt ....i'll bring over my cooler and we'll have a cooler party ! i live about 30 minutes from ya ( lol ) i've been getting my parts together to do my 94 .all i need now is a filter kit and i'll be good togo .

 

[GTexplorer]

haha yea that would be fun. i was going to do a cooler and temp gauge but i just did the temp gauge to see if i would even need a extra cooler but i have it in the box still

 

[cskinner89]

I'm also going to be putting in a temp gauge. whats the normal operating temp for the a4ld? and also do you put the sending unit on the pressure or return line?

 

[GTexplorer]

i put mine in the line coming from the tranny. that way i know the temp before its being cooled any.

 

[YourNameHere]

Anyone know where I can find a good bubble flare tool? Is a bubble the same as a double flare? It is, right?

I'm thinking of cutting the trans cooler lines off and replacing them with 3/8" rubber hose.
I want to cut the lines about 6 inches from the trans and 4 inches from the radiator.
All the line that is cut off would be replaced by rubber hose and then double clamped.

That should work fine right?
Anyone ever done this?
Think I need to flare the ends or will it be leak free without them?

 

[CDW6212R]

Make all of the steel lines flared on the ends, rubber hoses will eventually become loose over time, leak and/or blow off.

I suggest making double flared ends, they are not hard to make(with the right tool). You can buy 3/8" unions, a small brass part with 3/8" female ends. Any part store will have 3/8 fuel line, with the proper flare fitting on them. Most hydraulic hose stores have those. If you do use the flared fittings, a wise trick is to install a rubber o-ring into each fitting. Just find the closest fitting o-ring, it should fall easily down into the female flared union, very thin like 1/32".

I have an added trans filter in my outlet line from the trans. I flared the OEM steel line at the right corner of the radiator, where the rubber cooler hoses go forward. I used push lock fittings with the 3/8" flared female ends. Doing that you end up with four steel lines, easily replaceable by standard fuel line lengths. My 98 truck has rusted lines, so I will be making those four lines for it soon. Regards,

 

[Four0Sport]

did you check Dorman for the fitting that goes into the radiator? im pretty sure we carry a couple 'ford' style radiator cooler line fittings that have the o-ring on the end of the steel line, the fitting, and about 3" of steel line with a flare on the end. i'll check tomorrow, maybe ive been huffing too much header paint.