*** Radiator Emergency *** Please Help
#1
*** Radiator Emergency *** Please Help
Ok i just put my new radiator in from Advanced auto, i had some trouble connect the smaller metal hose to the radiator, then i did a 50/50 water coolent mix, next thing i know im leaking trans fluid but its pinkish color any suggestions about what i did wrong PLEASE HELP
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPCOOLAMS_____
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPCOOLAMS_____
#7
Leaking transmission fluid from where? Is the radiator leaking? When you say you had trouble connecting the small metal hose, do you mean the transmission lines? Is the transmission fluid pink on the transmission dipstick or in the radiator?
#9
If so, then we would have figured it out in in fewer than eight posts if you had said it in English (many of us can also manage passably in Spanish, French, or German).
If this is the case, then the water/coolant mix ratio and the pink color of the transmission fluid have nothing to do with anything, as they are normal conditions, and saying "im leaking trans fluid but its pinkish color" only serves to confuse us more.
It sounds like you didn't tighten the flare nut on the transmission cooling line properly - most likely you cross threaded it, as OldCutlass
and Pat
Back it out and thread it correctly, and if you wrecked the radiator fitting by torquing down on a crossthreaded nut, try to bring the radiator back and claim it was their fault. If you wrecked the nut, it can be cut off and the tubing re-threaded with a new one, but I don't think there's much clearance, and that job would NOT be fun.
- Eric
#10
Sorry today was my project day too! Like everyone said it should be a flared line with a nut on the end. Make sure your radiator is for a flared line. Do not use any tape or sealer as it won't work with that kind of fitting. Make sure it's tight and not cossthreaded.
#11
Those steel lines have flares at the ends and the nuts on the tubes hold the flares tight against the beveled fittings in the radiator.
Those nuts MUST ALWAYS be threaded in a few turns BY HAND. You will need to use one hand to grip the tube and one hand to spin the nut. You will need to slightly bend the tubing in different directions or move up and down or side to side while turning the nut until you feel the nut threading in with your fingers. When you find that "sweet spot" hold the tube there and snug the nut securely with a line wrench (but do not over tighten.)
If you use a wrench to start it, often crossthreading can occure, as those lines are rarely bent totally perpendicular to the radiator fittings. Back it out and try to go in straight. It might be harder to do so now, though.
Those nuts MUST ALWAYS be threaded in a few turns BY HAND. You will need to use one hand to grip the tube and one hand to spin the nut. You will need to slightly bend the tubing in different directions or move up and down or side to side while turning the nut until you feel the nut threading in with your fingers. When you find that "sweet spot" hold the tube there and snug the nut securely with a line wrench (but do not over tighten.)
If you use a wrench to start it, often crossthreading can occure, as those lines are rarely bent totally perpendicular to the radiator fittings. Back it out and try to go in straight. It might be harder to do so now, though.
#12
Ok im leaking from both metal hoses attached to my raditor, the top is leaking raditor fluid/coolant, the bottom one is leaking the pinkish stuff, then im leaking pinkish fluid near the transmission.
Ill re-tighten the nuts and see what the results are, is it safe to drive to the in this condition
Ill re-tighten the nuts and see what the results are, is it safe to drive to the in this condition
#13
Hoses are, by definition, made of flexible material, such as rubber, and may or may not have protective / pressure-resistant covering layers, such as nylon or stainless steel braid.
Pipes or tubing are rigid, and are usually made out of metal.
So either you are talking about the rigid metal lines that carry ATF to and from the transmission cooler in your radiator, or you're talking about the rubber radiator hoses, perhaps covered with some sort of non-functional metal braid material from the local speed shop.
The two transmission lines carry ATF, which is a red oil.
The two radiator hoses carry antifreeze, which is yellow or green water with a slippery consistency.
Therefore, it should not be possible for coolant to be leaking from the top transmission line, as it does not carry coolant.
Thus, you see the source of our confusion.
So, please, tell us exactly which line in exactly which location is leaking exactly which substance.
If, in fact, you have coolant coming out of your ATF line, then there is a major flaw in your radiator, and it needs to be returned to the store at once, and your transmission, which probably now has engine coolant inside of it, needs to be flushed immediately, before it is irreparably damaged.
- Eric
#21
Okay, those pictures help some, but you have still managed to avoid showing us exactly where the top line is connected.
This seems to be the best of the pictures, and it looks like the top transmission line should connected to the port I circled in yellow.
Because of the perspective, I really can't be sure, and I have no idea what else could be there that it could be connected to, as I have never seen any other connections on a radiator.
On your labeled picture, the yellow-circled fitting that I think should have the top line attached (once again, I can't really see because of he perspective) is again circled in yellow.
Perhaps if you could get a picture without other things in the way, and showing ALL of the connections at the same time, it would be clearer.
- Eric
This seems to be the best of the pictures, and it looks like the top transmission line should connected to the port I circled in yellow.
Because of the perspective, I really can't be sure, and I have no idea what else could be there that it could be connected to, as I have never seen any other connections on a radiator.
On your labeled picture, the yellow-circled fitting that I think should have the top line attached (once again, I can't really see because of he perspective) is again circled in yellow.
Perhaps if you could get a picture without other things in the way, and showing ALL of the connections at the same time, it would be clearer.
- Eric
Last edited by MDchanic; June 18th, 2012 at 05:57 PM.
#22
It looks like you have the top tranny line connected to someplace it shouldnt be!
Looks WAY too high up.
Can you give us a picture kinda like this?
The silver lines in this picture are for the tranny cooler - one for in one for out.
The smaller black hose by the cap is for overflow.
Looks WAY too high up.
Can you give us a picture kinda like this?
The silver lines in this picture are for the tranny cooler - one for in one for out.
The smaller black hose by the cap is for overflow.
#24
tranny fluied is deep red. If it is light pinkish, then is it possible the internal transmission cooler in the radiator is leaking. It almost looks like the upper tranny line is connected to an incorrect fitting but its not clear in the picture. in any case, I think you are going to completely drain & flush the transmission and verify
#26
Look down inside the fillers of both radiators.
You will notice that on your old one, there is a flat plate about ¼" thick, with a curved top edge, along the rear edge of the tank, which you can easily see when you look in. This is the transmission fluid cooler.
Now look inside the filler of the new radiator (drain out some fluid if you have to). You should see the same thing in the same place.
If the spot opposite where the top line enters the radiator tank does not have this part (and if there is just a hole there leading to the top line), then you know what's wrong. Look a little lower, opposite one of the lower fittings that I circled in yellow, and see if the cooler top corresponds to one of them.
You might try taking pictures inside of the filler openings, but I doubt they'd come out well.
- Eric
You will notice that on your old one, there is a flat plate about ¼" thick, with a curved top edge, along the rear edge of the tank, which you can easily see when you look in. This is the transmission fluid cooler.
Now look inside the filler of the new radiator (drain out some fluid if you have to). You should see the same thing in the same place.
If the spot opposite where the top line enters the radiator tank does not have this part (and if there is just a hole there leading to the top line), then you know what's wrong. Look a little lower, opposite one of the lower fittings that I circled in yellow, and see if the cooler top corresponds to one of them.
You might try taking pictures inside of the filler openings, but I doubt they'd come out well.
- Eric
#27
I think the upper transmission line is hooked to the wrong fitting. I never saw one that connected to the top of the tank like your recent picture. I think it is a pipe thread (up top), not a flare fitting, which would explain the leak.
Does the top line pump fluid in or pull it out? If it pumpes it in, then you'll have a radiator full of transmission fluid, that can be flushed. If it is the return line, the transmission will be full of coolant...and that may kill the transmission.
Does the top line pump fluid in or pull it out? If it pumpes it in, then you'll have a radiator full of transmission fluid, that can be flushed. If it is the return line, the transmission will be full of coolant...and that may kill the transmission.
#28
Here is a photo I found of a radiator with the side tank removed, that shows the built-in cooler (okay, so it's a little thicker than ¼"), so you know what you're looking for.
- Eric
- Eric
#29
I think the problem is that the parts store gave him a generic radiator. the top line is connected to what looks like the heater return line that is used on mostly big cars. the cooler is the one right below that with the big nut holding it in place. at this point you need someone to come look at it and help you out but most likely you need to drain and flush the trans and cooling system and make sure the lines are hooked up correctly.
#30
As compedgemarine said, the upper line is hooked to a heater return port. Unfortunately on TH350, the lower line is the infeed to the transmission, so if the engine was run, the trans has coolant in it as well as the radiator having tranny fluid in it. The radiator, and possibly the block need to be drained and the tranny needs to be flushed.
#31
That's right, heater return line. You may have a tranny full of water! Pumping high pressure hydraulic fluid into rad causing it to over flow out the overflow.
Also what is that rubber hose clamp set up you have connected to the A/C condenser? That ain't going to work. See if you can locate a CSM on a web site called wildaboutcars.
Mike
Also what is that rubber hose clamp set up you have connected to the A/C condenser? That ain't going to work. See if you can locate a CSM on a web site called wildaboutcars.
Mike
#32
As compedgemarine said, the upper line is hooked to a heater return port. Unfortunately on TH350, the lower line is the infeed to the transmission, so if the engine was run, the trans has coolant in it as well as the radiator having tranny fluid in it. The radiator, and possibly the block need to be drained and the tranny needs to be flushed.
If this is correct, flush that tranny QUICK! Ethylene glycol will strip the friction material off the friction clutches.
#35
And just to clarify for the kids watching at home, I've circled the transmission cooler as seen through the filler hole (it does seem to protrude about ¼" past the opening).
You can see that in the original radiator, it comes nearly to the top of the tank.
Now, looking at the new radiator, you can see that the upper trans cooler line is connected roughly where it was on the original radiator (red circle - and what is that fitting that seems to be connecting the trans line flare nut to the radiator?!?), but there is a fitting that looks much more like a trans cooler fitting down lower (yellow circle).
If the lower fitting (yellow) is in fact the trans cooler fitting, then the top of the trans cooler should be visible MUCH lower down in the tank than in the original radiator, and if the top fitting (red) is a water fitting, then you should be able to stick your finger in through the filler hole and feel the back side of round opening of the tube.
- Eric
You can see that in the original radiator, it comes nearly to the top of the tank.
Now, looking at the new radiator, you can see that the upper trans cooler line is connected roughly where it was on the original radiator (red circle - and what is that fitting that seems to be connecting the trans line flare nut to the radiator?!?), but there is a fitting that looks much more like a trans cooler fitting down lower (yellow circle).
If the lower fitting (yellow) is in fact the trans cooler fitting, then the top of the trans cooler should be visible MUCH lower down in the tank than in the original radiator, and if the top fitting (red) is a water fitting, then you should be able to stick your finger in through the filler hole and feel the back side of round opening of the tube.
- Eric
#37
Its night time on Guam , ill change everything tomorrow, i may need to get towed to the Shop so i dont run the tranny.
So my plan is to train the tranny, flush it, and drain the Radiator, then top everything off with the correct fliuds, should this fix my problem?
So my plan is to train the tranny, flush it, and drain the Radiator, then top everything off with the correct fliuds, should this fix my problem?
#38
Plus get the correct radiator for use with an automatic transmission which I do not think you have.
#40
Well, for one thing (assuming that that top fitting you attached the top cooler line to is really a water fitting), I'd take the radiator back to Advance Auto and get one where the trans fittings are in the right place, since there's no way that you could get your line connected to the right fitting without replacing it with a different line.
They gave you the wrong radiator.
Now, it may not have been the brightest idea for you to connect a trans line to a water fitting, but we can see that the fitting was right there, and it looked like it should go to it, so it made sense to you at the time.
I doubt you could get Advance to pay for the damage, but you should be able to get the right radiator out of them.
- Eric
They gave you the wrong radiator.
Now, it may not have been the brightest idea for you to connect a trans line to a water fitting, but we can see that the fitting was right there, and it looked like it should go to it, so it made sense to you at the time.
I doubt you could get Advance to pay for the damage, but you should be able to get the right radiator out of them.
- Eric