Transmission Cooling Lines & Radiator

[James_R_MacLean]

Hello Everyone!

I'm attempting two auto repairs concurrently. One is replacing the battery cables on a 1994 Nissan Sentra GXE 1.6L (manual transmission) in the hopes I won't need to replace the alternator.

The other one, which is what this thread is about, is a 1992 Ford Explorer Sport 2WD (automatic transmission). I'm replacing a blown head gasket, and I've gone through this site looking for advice. Another source of information has been the Chilton manual.

At this point I'm stuck trying to remove the radiator, and my problem is where the transmission cooling lines are connected to the radiator.

I circled the lines.

In the manual there is no mention of these and I could be wrong about what they are.

My question: how do I disconnect them? They're on real good.

 

[James_R_MacLean]

So I found that an adjustable wrench and a tube wrench (5/8) worked on the upper line but the lower line (i.e., the one coming out the bottom of the radiator) is still attached. It's just frozen and soaking in Gunk Liquid Wrench.

So contrary to what I feared, a special tool was not required.

On the lower one, I was struggling for a long time. Then I rested and in my mind's ear, I could hear Bruce Springsteen singing "Jack of All Trades" and felt the strength return to my sinews, and I got ready.

I hunkered down and gripped the wrenches, and pulled with preternatural strength. I felt a new day was coming and I was going to succeed and get this old beast running---

BANG!

Oh, nuts.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Watch out for the A/C line next to your cooler line. Is that flare wrench a no name brand tool?

 

[Maniak]

You're on the right track..

My guess is that the wrench was just cheap..

What might help is to use 2 wrenches like you are but to squeeze them together in your hands. In other words you're trying to squeeze them together like scissor handles.

As a last resort you can cut the line and then clean the burs off and flare the ends. Now you can just put some rubber transmission line over the cut and clamp them. Its not the "proper" way but it is less bad than ripping the fitting out of the radiator and needing a new line and radiator.

~Mark

 

[James_R_MacLean]

I hear you

I understand about the technique although my understanding is that the middle nut (?) is supposed to be motionless.

The wrench was borrowed and doesn't specify the make. I'm replacing it with a Pittsburgh ASAP.

The radiator is ruined. It was damaged when the head gasket blew. I dread putting in the new one.

 

[James_R_MacLean]

Update

Got "distracted" for a few weeks there. I had the idea what I really needed was some way of using a breaker bar to do the job, so I got a crowfoot attachment.

Several problems with this: one was, there was too much play between the breaker bar adapters and the actual nut, so I never could get it to a position where it would have enough room to twist the nut. Another problem was that it really never fit on the nut snugly because (I guess) I had deformed the nut and it had little brass divots sticking out.

I got Sili-Kroil (another protracted wait) and put that on.

It was still possible to get a flare nut wrench over the nut, even if the crowfoot wouldn't go on (all the way). But now, the nut just disintegrated, as if it were made of extremely old salt water taffy.

It looks as though I'm going to need to replace that connector, and I hope I can do it without removing (or, all right, replacing) the cooler line.