Hi guys,

my radiator died the other day and the last transmission cooler line nut is keeping me from replacing the rad.
Please take a look at the attached image and you'll notice two things:
- The screw of the coolant hose clamp is upside down, so I have no way of removing it. It's also too seized to move while breaking my arms.
- The line nut seems to be rounded off on the top and does not move.

I managed to loosen the top line with my wrench, banging around on it a bit, but that bottom one will not move.

Any ideas how I can get it off my old radiator?
Would I get anywhere using a line wrench (which I do not have and the local shops don't have in inches)?
Any experience with cutting a slot in regular box wrenches and using them as line wrenches?
Cutting the transmission line up is not an option. Not yet, at least.

 

Hello,

I just recently replaced my radiator and transmission cooling lines. And from the looks of it, you will NEED to replace your trans cooling lines as well. That being the case, you have 2 options: try to use some small vice grips to clamp on to the line nut and back it out or simply cut the line with a Dremmel.

Your transmission cooling lines are rusted and shot. Even if you manage to back the line nut out, would you even want to reuse it? I'd hope not... You can find pre-bent lines on ebay from a brake-line store out of Michigan. I believe they were $40 free shipping. The job wasn't easy.. but it wasn't difficult either. Just took some patients and persistence..

Good luck!

 

Hmmm, Germany. That explains why no inch size line wrenches are available. 13mm might be close enough, though. Most likely it's going to require a Vice Grip type wrench, judging by the looks of it now.

I was going to suggest PB Blaster to help loosen it, but that probably isn't available there, either. Maybe another rust penetrant product that is available there will help.

 

Yep, Vice Grip type locking pliers on the transmission line. Tighten the pliers really tight, tight enough it takes both hands to squeeze the pliers to lock them on the tube nut.

Then try turning by hand but don't force it too much... If it don't loosen, use a hammer to hit the vise grips to "shock" the threads some.

Also try to tighten the nut just a touch, sometimes this works as the threads are cleaner deeper in and if you can move it in some it breaks the rust up and then you can turn it out.

As far as the upside down rad. hose clamp.. Lay under the car and go at it from the bottom. If clamp has a wrench/hex head on it, use a socket in a power tool (cordless drill, impact, air ratchet, impact, etc) with an extension to reach it better

 

Thanks for your input, guys. I didn't have enough space to get in there with vise grips and pliers didn't catch on at all, just ratcheted through.

In the end I was able to follow some advice regarding a monkey wrench.
The nut came loose with less effort than I had expected, but apparently it required enough force to be too much for the normal wrench.
13mm wrenches are sliiiiightly too large, which is why I once bought that 1/2" wrench for these cases

Yes, I agree on the pipes. Those are done and need to be replaced soon, but except for used lines, you can't get pre-bent ones here in Germany and shipping them over from the US is extremely costly.
That leaves me with having to buy proper bending and flaring tools and getting the pipes as yard goods from local suppliers.
Perhaps I'll have someone do that for me. Depends on whether I have the time or not.

I got the clamp off after I removed the radiator. Though I used WD40 to penetrate the rust a bit, I needed some leverage on my hex socket to get it off.
Luckily, it was indeed a hex bolt.

So, tomorrow it's new rad time! Thanks, folks!

 

"Yes, I agree on the pipes. Those are done and need to be replaced soon"

QUESTION: Why do some people "band aid" these car's???? Fix them right or get another car.......burns me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go pick up some straight Transmission lines, a cheap azz bender and tube flare and do your own. It won't be the last time you use these tools. It's time NOW

OR, put the rusted shot lines back in the car.

YA GOTTA PAY TO PLAY....IMOO, JUST SAY'N

Rant over.....blast me if you want!

 

I do agree for the most part Bob... But in this case look at where the OP is... He is in Germany.

So I'm pretty sure SAE/std. size fittings, tools, etc are not as easy to come by in Germany.

 

You can get the unbent lines from any US parts store probably in Germany as well and bend to fit , cheaper to buy unbent and a tubing bender than prebent and ship to Germany.

 

You have German cars here and parts for them here, so I am sure the German parts houses stock stuff for American cars, less availability probably but someone will have it. Maybe not prebent third gen part but the tube and fittings that can be bent to fit.

 

Take a look at the thread linked in my signature, Bob.
I do not "band aid" my car; I am trying to restore it to a decent condition, step by step.
It was much worse as I bought it.

We do have parts stores here, but they are so thinly spread that I can't simply go to one to get parts.
The nearest one is about 114 miles distant from here.

I didn't know the lines were THIS bad, especially the lower one, and was hoping they could be saved with some TLC.
Not so, apparently.

Well, I'll try to get some new lines and bending tools in for my two weeks of maintenance after easter.
Got quite a lot to do.

 

NCC... Don't let some of these guys get to you. They just forget how well we have it here in the states.

I have lived in a very rural part of the southern USA my whole life and I remember when we didn't have all the chain auto part stores like auto zone, advance auto, napa, car quest, O'reilly, etc on every other corner. It was a 20 to 50 mile drive to the nearest part store... That was bad enough.

I can't imagine 114 mile trek to a part store like you..

A lot of us here in the USA forgets how good we have it and how easy it has become for us to do thing like restore cars.

It seems like now anywhere you live in the USA, you are no further than 10 miles from an auto parts store.

Need speed/performance parts.. Call up summit racing and you have your parts at your door in 1 to 2 days now with std. shipping, etc etc.

Like I said I live in a rural area and I still have 1) O'reilly, 3) auto zones, 3) advance auto parts, 2) Napas, 1) car quest, 4) no name local mom & pop type part stores, and 2) engine machine shops in my 30 mile radius

 

Nah, there's got to be completely different stuff to really pi** me off

I could get stuff for regular European cars within a 10 minute drive from here, but guys with euro cars in the US probably have the same issue I'm having with my American car in Europe.

But I know what you mean. When I wanted to get custom stoff machined, I'd need to travel similar distances.
My home is also quite rural and the industries are far away :/

So everything is connected to a few days of waiting, having the postal service deliver stuff to my door.
Especially with the easter holidays ahead, this means I won't be doing much the next four days -.-

 

NCC and Night rider

Let me start out by apologizing. I understand the overseas thing and the availability of parts, I get it. I'm not try to get to you or get ya mad. I hope we're good on that.

I also know what its like to have to travel long distances for items weather it be for car, home, dogs, you name it. I lived in the Mojave Desert, north of LA, for 23 years. Shopping was 40 miles away. We loaded the car/truck with a cooler and went to town and picked up what we needed. I UNDERSTAND.

I commend your efforts and it shows you take great pride in your car.
And going the extra mile, or miles in your case, to get the proper/right parts will be beneficial to YOU and the car in the long run.

I hope this all works out!

Remember.....
perseverance, dedication, and determination...

 

That line is in bad shape, but it can be fixed for free. First of all, the problem with rusted hydraulic fittings is that the line rusts itself to the nut, and twists the line apart upon removal. Luckily, you can still get it out if you have patience. Normally a torch can heat up the nut enough to break it free from the line, but not in this case because the rad is plastic.


Plan "B" is to take a sharp tool to pick as much crap out from between the line and the nut. Next, soak the line/nut area with penetrating oil overnight. When you get the vise-grip on the line, make it tight, but not so tight that you crush the nut. And jerk the vise-grip quickly, do not "ease" it loose. It will come out. Worst scenario is that you end up where you are right now - flaring a new line.


Sehr viel Gluck!

 

No hard feelings here
Thanks, and I see how important that determination part is.
It's easy to give up after hours of fumbling around without getting any results and that's just not me
Well, except if I break my fingers or something like that.


Kind of like using an impact wrench, yeah.
The line has rusted right up to that nut. As I finally had it out, I was able to get it moving a little bit back up the line, perhaps half a cm, not more.
Barely enough to get the nut into the new cooler fitting.

At least now I can make my way to the next lift and begin working underneath the car.

Danke

 

For new reader's future reference since it is now 2022-- use a BLOWTORCH full tank rig or small bottle torch as long as it BLOWS fire. - heat it up, metal will expand. unscrew nut..Most 'car guys'...have no idea how useful a BLOWTORCH can be for loosening stuck parts on cars-- I learned that back in the 80's from my ol' ace mechanic pal. Every reply here is weak & feckless for getting the job done...& no your car won't blow up...

 

Three simple words will explain why fire ain't the answer here;

PLASTIC. RADIATOR. SIDES.

Yeah, Aluminum core with plastic tanks on each side, , you go taking a torch to the plastic radiator then come back here and tell us all how it worked out.....

Nice first post BTW, , I'm sure you'll be most welcome here

 

Note to all morons: don't use a blowtorch on plastic....is that better...? LOL...
later dopey!