02 Explorer Sport Trac 4L auto trnas cooling line query

[rumblecloud]

Just curious how difficult replacing said lines is? I know...depends, right.
Truck sits most of the time and one of the lines by the radiator started leaking awhile back I guess. Started it yesterday just to give it some road love and it wouldn't move. Checked the tranny fluid and there was none. This morning I found the leak. Considering having it done or doing it myself. Gonna go check it now to see how bad they are corroded and how difficult it will be. Thanks for your input.

R

 

[franklin2]

If the end fittings are good, I cut them off and re-use them. For all the line in between I use the copper nickel you can buy in rolls on Amazon that will never rust again, and I use brass compression fittings to couple the new line to the old short end pieces. If your end fittings are standard flares, you can flare the line and replace the whole thing if you like. That copper nickel line is wonderful to work with. Bends by hand and flares easily.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

They usually aren’t too bad to work with. I usually use aluminum tube anymore but anything works. If I’m switching to rubber line like most of the stock lines I just use my flare tool to put a bulge in the end of the hard line. IIRC the transmission end and the rad end are both standard double flare and the line is usually 3/8”. I cut off the factory ends and re-use them when I can.

My green Ranger I changed the auxiliary cooler for one out of an F-150 that had a threaded connection so I went to AN lines on that

 

[rumblecloud]

I'm gearing up for it. The splash guard protecting the radiator and cooler connections will have to be dealt with. Naturally the bolts that secure it are pretty much part of the frame after 240-some thousand miles, I guess that's to be expected. After that, it doesn't look too bad.

The one line that is leaking looks pretty useless. The oil cooler is loose and was/has been moving around - not a lot, but enough to allow the line to rub against a bracket that held it in place, so that's probably what caused the line to go.

Thanks for the advice on making my own lines. I didn't know I could - or should - do that. Once I get the old ones off I'll look more into that. I have a coil of the copper nickle stuff so maybe I can use that.