This part is an adaptor, and if yours is exactly like the one in the picture, then a little teflon tape where…in the picture it shows red sealer…is right.
Many applications have the flare in the flange that is installed in the radiator at the factory.
That is why everyone thought that was leaking. We didn’t know it had an adaptor like this.
If there is an O-ring…it would be on the line with the flare. So dont try to find a o-ring for the adaptor to go into. It’s brass and it will seal with the teflon tape.
I finally got the dang thing off. There’s a big gouge in the o ring. Can I use any plumbing o ring from a hardware store or do I need something rated high temp?
I’m not familiar with radiator construction so I wasn’t expecting all the coolant to come pouring out when removed this. What a mess.
Oh, and I’m sure a small amount of transmission fluid has gotten into the coolant reservoir when I pulled this out. Should I do a flush or is a small amount no big deal? Coolant looks good otherwise.
And now I’m wondering how trans fluid was leaking out and not getting into the coolant. Or why coolant wasn’t leaking instead of trans fluid if this o ring is what has failed.
I think you are missing the idea of how a radiator works.
The hose carries coolant into the top tank of the radiator and the coolant then is forced thru small tubes until it reaches the bottom tank and is pumped back out thru the other big hose.
There are seperate tubes in the radiator that carry the tranny fluid to cool. One in and one out. If you could crawl thru that line…you’d never see coolant…only tranny fluid. THe same with the coolant passages. This is why you only had a fluid leak and not antifreeze.
They never intermingle inside your radiator, unless the radiator is bad.
So when you pulled this line off…the tranny fluid could not have contaminated the coolant. Unless you purposly caught some and introduced it thru the coolant fill cap.
Even if you did get a little dribble mixed it would be no harm.
That fitting threads into the trans cooler line. Around the trans cooler line, where that bad o ring was seated, is a gap that opens into the coolant tank. Trans fluid and coolant started pouring out when I removed it.
I think I’m just going to put a new radiator in and be done with it. Now I just have to figure out how to properly flush the block.
You would only need to flush the block if you had started the engine.
You could put in the new radiator, fill with just water , let it run to operating temp and drain.
Repeat if the water comes out oily.
Check your oil for contamination too if they mixed. I filter and change might be in order.
Is there a way to adequately flush the system with the radiator disconnected?
Now that I’ve drained it it doesn’t look so oily, but kind of a grungy/goop came out with the coolant in the tank. I’d hate to run that stuff through a new radiator.
I was going to try to run water through the thermostat housing, but I’m assuming that is going to get stopped up at the water pump.
I doubt that it will have much effect. The water will travel the route of least resistence and only a small portion of the passages will see any of that water.
But it’s worth a try and after starting…it’s still odd looking…then you could do the flush as I mentioned.
I’m trying to thread the trans cooling lines back into the radiator, but I cannot get the damn threads to start when the tension of the transmission line is on the connection. I’m pushing and pulling every which way to find the sweet spot to no avail.
Is there an old trick to this?
Oh, and the threads are fine as they seat right in without the line tension.
The best thing to do is add an aftermarket transmission fluid cooler and just bypass the radiator entirely.
When the time comes to unload the car remove the fluid cooler, reconnect the lines, and install the cooler on the next ride.
The trans fluid will run substantially cooler with the add-on and it will also eliminate any possibility of engine coolant contaminating the transmission fluid and taking out the transmission.
Yeah, I thought about that, but there doesn’t seem to be any room at all in there for an additional cooler and I’m not up to do any mods.
I haven’t worked on cars for about a decade and now that things are coming back to me it seems crazy to have coolant, trans fluid, and engine oil all running through the same cooling system.
It doesn’t take much room to stuff a cooler in front of the A/C condenser. A small one can be had for about 50-75 bucks and they’re not difficult to install; just in case you decide to go this route.
Some Ford engines have been known to mix engine oil and coolant through a leaky oil filter flange gasket when the rubber seals in the block gasket crush down over time and lose their elasticity. That allows engine coolant flowing through the flange to mix with engine oil in the inlet and outlet ports to the oil filter.
Always something…
Got the line back on the old radiator and tightened everything up, topped the radiator off with water. Not a single drip leaked on a quick 5 mile drive.
However, low coolant/check engine light came on and off after the engine was up to temp…
Don’t flush, it will do more harm than good. Oil floats on water so eventually it will all end up under the radiator cap where it will be pushed into the overflow reservoir. At that time, you can remove the reservoir and wash it out with water and laundry detergent. Just drain the radiator and the engine block of all the current coolant and water and refill with good old 50/50 or mix your own with antifreeze and distilled water. If you mix your own, you can go up to 67% antifreeze for a little more corrosion protection.
