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Transmission Cooler Lines Replacement

Crusher16

RRC President
NAXJA Member
Location
Richardson, TX
Finally got the my new line in since the bolt on the upper right control arm bushing was installed going the wrong way, I hit a bump too hard and the bolt hit one of the cooler lines and kinked it. How hard is it to replace them? Just unscrew the connections to the radiator?

Anybody around Dallas want to let me use their garage or something to work on it? Heh. I'll provide food.
 
In the past I have just used a brake line (tube) cutter & cut and flared the lines, then put a piece of 3/8" tranny cooler line on there, cause those get expensive from the dealer. By the way, DON'T lose those quick-disconnect peices / o-rings that are on the tranny end of the line cause they're expensive.
 
I agree with jfiscus, bend your own and then connect it to brand new 3/8" rubebr line from auto zone. It's very cheap, and my personal preference is to get rid of the quick disconnects all together. Mine always leaked even after the replacement so I cut them off and ran the 3/8" line direct with hose clamps. . . . . Hope this helps
 
x3, make sure you get tranny hose, it's different than fuel hose. Don't bother getting new metal lines, waste of money IMO.

Every jeep that's older than say about 5 years or so that I've looked at has a small leak where the metal lines meet the hoses. I just cut that connection off and double hose clamp on some tranny hose on. Works like a charm, and you can route it wherever you want with ease.
 
Well, I already have the new metal lines. I'd like to just install them. On the old lines, they are leaking where the metal lines meet the hose. When the old one got hit, and got kinked, I just cut the part that was kinked off and put hose in its place as a temporary fix until I got the new lines.
 
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The radiator connector, squeeze the plastic tabs together towards the hardline, twist a little and pull. I usually use a pair of needle nose pliers or a small pair of normal pliers to squeeze the plastic tabs together, squeezing them harder really doesn't help to get them loose, sometimes the O ring seizes a little and separating the connector from the line is a little rough.

The tranny end looks like this, be careful when pulling the hardline out of the connector there are some seals and ring type retainers in there, sometimes they stay in the tranny, sometimes they end up on the floor.
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You don't really have to unscrew anything, except maybe the extension from the top cooler/radiator connection (maybe).
 
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8Mud hit it on the head, its a pretty easy job. The hardest part was getting the lines up around all the BS.

On the new lines I got from NAPPA, I didn't have to use the plastic squeeze fittings when I installed them.
 
Ok, thanks. How much transmission fluid do you guys think I should pick up to replace what I'll lose?
 
actually i just got done installing mine about 1 hour ago. it was a pain in the butt.. they call them quick connects and not quick disconnects for a reason. you need a disconnect tool to do the job. autozone carries them for like $7. i had to break both the quick connects going into the tranny to get the damn things out. they ran me $30 each and i get 50% off all parts from dealers and napa. the quick connects are on national backorder. somehow i got the last 2. lucky me.... anyways the new lines come with metal connects. they are kind of hard to install. you need to use all your might to push them in. but once they are in they are in. i also broke one of those installing a hose and had to order a new hose which ran me $30 for the hose. thank god the dealership took back the hose because i claimed it as a defaultive hose. the lines going into the tranny are hard bue to the exhause being in the way but you just have to work with it if your gonna use the same quick connects. if you do ive heard they will start leaking after a while so i suggest just paying the money and buying new ones. good luck on the install. let us know how it goes. -Matt
 
i work at a mecanic shop that was one of the first napa auto care centers and since we have held them since they really started the Napa online Pro Link system. so in short they take care of us since we have been using them for years.
 
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