tranny cooler line problem heep is apart now??!!

I'm replacing the radiator water pump thermostat all that good stuff but I have 1 small problem. The rad is about to come out but the bottom tranny cooler line will not come off. I've done some searching and I don't see the plastic clips that are supposed to help get the line off. What should I do now?? I was thinking about cutting the elbow that comes out of the rad so I could get a better look @ the fitting, or try to struggle to get it off where it is now. I know the best thing would be to get a fuel line disco tool but I don' think it will work due to me not seeing the clips. thanks in advance

You're dealing with a "quick disconnect" fitting for the trans cooler (there are two of these type fittings...the other is in the return line). What I would do is first, soak the connections with some PB Blaster.... the stuff is available at any auto parts store and way better than WD40...and then you'll need to get a special tool used to release the internal tangs of the connection. Typically, these little gizmos are made of plastic and you'll need one the correct size; the two halves of the tool go around the tube forming a collar just slightly larger than the diameter of the tube that you slip into the connector. The tangs are inside the connector; you can't see them. In an ideal world you'll easily slip the collar into the connection and it will release on its own.... right. Once you get the collar into the connection, which may take some doing, the connection should slip apart with a good pull. There's no other way to get this type of connection apart unless you cut it out.

Good luck

mike
00XJ

There are two types of disconnects, ones with metal clips inside the female part, and ones with a plastic clip that sticks out.

The plastic ones are of a 'pinch and pull' design, where you pinch the two ears of the clip, then pull the line out.

The metal ones require the tool mentioned above.

Not sure if yours is the same since I don't know the year, but mine I was able to unbolt from the radiator wth that fitting still attached. The tabs were broken on mine as well, but the nut that goes in the radiator could spin with the line still in it.

after plenty of PB blaster and a hour or so it came apart but watch out for the fan when the thing lets loose my elbow is not happy now. I didn't think those plastic clips would work but oh well. I was gonna cut the fitting right up by the rad and figure it out with the tubing out but thank god I didn't need to do that