Part number request - AW4 cooler lines to radiator

[Rob Mayercik]

Sprung a leak in the little right-angle adapter connecting one of my trans cooler lines to the radiator (perfectly positioned to spray ATF all over the inside of the LF wheel well) over the weekend.

Was hoping to find just the adapter, but have had no luck so far - it's looking like I might have to replace the whole radiator to get the fitting.

Anyone know where I could maybe source just the two adpaters besides a junkyard?

 

[xkhanx]

Top or bottom?

If bottom, amazon is where I got mine from. Search using their year/vehicle function.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

In my case, it's the bottom one.

Amazon, eh? Have to give that a try.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[DrMoab]

Cut, flare, rubber hose. $5 or less and you'll never have that issue again

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Cut, flare, rubber hose. $5 or less and you'll never have that issue again

Huh? it's the adapter itself (QD fitting on cooler line end, right angle bend, compression nut to radiator) that sprung a leak, not the cooler line.

 

[DrMoab]

Gotcha. So it wasn't leaking around the fitting itself? The snap lock one where it goes from the fitting to the line?

 

[kastein]

What I generally do is use a piece of 3/8 hard line. IIRC it's a regular 45 degree SAE flare (internal or external, depending on year) on the radiator end, so just match the fitting to the hard line you buy, make sure you get SAE threads not metric. Bend in the right spot, cut a few inches down, put a half-hearted single flare on it, slide a pair of appropriately sized fuel injection hose clamps (the full circle ones, not the spring clips or the regular hose clamps) over the metal line, warm the hose up till it's pliable somehow, slide it as far down the metal line as you can, then crank the clamps down on it.

The half-hearted single flare is only there as a ridge to keep the clamps and hose from sliding off, so don't make a full flare or you'll never get the end of the hose over it. Ask me how I know. Don't go without the flare either, or you'll never get the hose to stay on it...

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Gotcha. So it wasn't leaking around the fitting itself? The snap lock one where it goes from the fitting to the line?

Don't think so - I can't see the QD fitting by looking in from the wheel well (inner fender liner long gone), so I don't know how it could have sprayed ATF all over the outside of the frame rail and the end of the axle tube from there.

To be honest, I'm starting to wonder about the radiator itself also - it's only 4 years old, but I've been seeing some temperature increases when climbing hills at highway speed, and on the trails back in June at NACFest.