AOD trans fluid spraying out of radiator?!?!

jaymac · Mar 20, 2007

I thought it was originally a busted tranny cooler, so I swapped that out, and now it's still all wet arounf the radiator after driving home. So, I'm assuming that the trans cooler tank in the radiator is craked/broken somewhere, right? That's the only other palce it could be spraying from, I believe. Has anyone ever experienced this??
If this is the case, on to my next question, What is the best DIRECT FIT rad? FMS, Fluidyne? I want a zero-headache, zero-extra-parts-needed-halfway-into-the-project installation. Can anybody give me some help from experience? Thanks,
Jeremy

Aryan15 · Mar 20, 2007

Where is the trans fluid coming out of?

jaymac · Mar 20, 2007

I can't pinpoint it. After I wiped it dry and drove home, the whole area around the front bumper, drivers headlight, top of the rad. by the filler neck, even the passneger side tank was wet the other night. So I think it;s just cracked thru and leaking, but the coolant is not leaking... weird...

Aryan15 · Mar 20, 2007

On my car, the cooler in the radiator consists of a tube in the driver's side tank which transfers heat to the coolant. I've had the quick disconnect fittings leak but I don't see how the tank could leak fluid but not coolant. Check the fittings and your seperate trans cooler, I think you said something about a trans cooler.

jaymac · Mar 20, 2007

yeah, I already replaced the coler and the hoses, etc., It's not leaking from the fittings on the radiator... I don't get it, but it's spraying violently out of somewhere...

HISSIN50 · Mar 20, 2007

J - make sure the PS cooler isnt what is spraying ATF all around............... It's in front of the radiator.

I think the HD 3 core rad's can be had with a heat exchanger (like stock). Otherwise, a stock replacement would probably work, or stepping up to a Fluidyne (I believe they have plug-n-play units with heat exchangers) would work.

Good luck bud.

time only · Mar 21, 2007

Just wondering if those are not power steering fluids.... Check hoses and the PS cooler in front of the radiator.

jaymac · Mar 21, 2007

no, I'm 99% sure it's the tranny fluid itself from the rad. Unless the fluid I put in the tranny feeds the PS cooler too. Every day, the tranny fluid drops low again, leading me to believe that it's gotta be the rad. leaking. from somewhere...

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 21, 2007

If the trans cooler in the radiator is what is bad, replace it right away. An Escort at work had that problem. Well, the lady brought it in for a slipping transmission. First thing I did was check the trans stick, and it was filled all the way up....but with antifreeze/water. The fluid was pink. Her trans could not be saved after a new radiator/trans flush. We replaced the transmissions and all lines the next day. I would get the fixed before this happens to you.

As far as a replacement, Autozone has a 3 core copper replacement. That would be a good one if you are on a budget. Otherwise an aluminum Steeda or Fluidine would be great. Check radiator shops too....the one they made for my Cobra was only 300 bucks, and it was custom.

jaymac · Mar 21, 2007

so I'm not crazy? It could be a problem with the tranny cooler in the rad., even if the rad. itself is not leaking coolant?

Also, does my 88 even have a PS cooler? I've been all around that area lately and haven't noticed one. I guess I'll check again...

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 21, 2007

It COULD be the problem, but you want to pin-point it to be sure. Yes, the 88 has a P.S. cooler. It starts near the bottom of the rad support on the driver side. It runs through the rad support, up to the top of the rad support then loops down back through the bottom of the rad support, back to the rack and pinion. There are no fins on it, it is just a steel peice of tubing. That could be leaking too, but P.S. fluid is a neutral color, or dirty, depending how old, and obviously tranny fluid is red, so you will have to be sure of the fluid. Can you see it leaking while idling lookin under the hood?

HISSIN50 · Mar 21, 2007

Our PS systems use Type F ATF.

jaymac · Mar 21, 2007

it's not the PS cooler. That fluid is maintaining just fine. The tranny on the other hand, contin ues to look fluid. i could see nothing leaking/spraying under the hood when idling, but it's coming out of somewehre HARD. When I park and open the hood, it's dripping from the front corner of the bottom lip of the hood, by the headlight. it's wet all behind the headlight, and wet BIG TIME by the bottom drivers side of the rad. tank. However, it's not wet around the tranny lione fittings, just on the tank and ALL The surrounding areas. it's gotta be the tank...gotta be...
Any way to bypass the tank and see if that's the problem?

HISSIN50 · Mar 21, 2007

Do you have an aux trans cooler? You can bypass the stock heat exchanger and just run the aux cooler for a day or however long you need diagnose this.

Something I might try:

It seems to me that the heat exchanger uses 1/4" NPT fittings. You might be able to *very carefully* plug one end and apply light air pressure to the other end (pressurizing the exchanger slightly). You might be able to hear hissing or see remaining fluid pushed out when you do this. It's kind of the same idea as pressurizing a cooling system.

It was already probably answered, but if your coolant is changing colors, that's another sign.

Good luck.

tbovee · Mar 21, 2007

Try checking the lines from the trans to the radiator. They go from the pass side front of the motor to the center and then across and up to the drivers side to the cooler. maybe they have rusted and the fan or air flow across the radiator is blowing the fluid around?

time only · Mar 21, 2007

Wet behind the headlight on driver side. No aftermarket tranny cooler hook up.
There is only 2 fitting going in and out of the factory rad for the build in tranny cooler and it is on the other side of the rad. There is only the PS cooler in front of the rad. I would put my hand on it and shine a light at the whole lenght of that PS cooler,it might be cracked . And turn the steering wheel to put some load on that pump.

jaymac · Mar 22, 2007

time only said:
No aftermarket tranny cooler hook up.

No, I do have an aftermarket cooler. First I thought it was that, so i replaced it. not the problem.

time only said:
There is only 2 fitting going in and out of the factory rad for the build in tranny cooler and it is on the other side of the rad.

Nope, they're on the driver's side.

time only said:
There is only the PS cooler in front of the rad. I would put my hand on it and shine a light at the whole lenght of that PS cooler,it might be cracked . And turn the steering wheel to put some load on that pump.

The power steering is not leaking. The fluid level is constant. The ADO fluid is draining on a daily basis and needs to be refilled. it is AOD fluid. No question.

I ordered a rad. from Autozone and will hope to put it in sometime between Tomorrow and Friday. I will prob replace all the hoses going from the hard lines and hope the hard lines themselves aren't rusted through, causing the problem.
it won't hurt to replace the rad. anyway...

$uperstang · Mar 22, 2007

Yeah the tranny lines are on the driver side. If it is leaking that hard you should be able to find the leak, very strange???

jaymac · Mar 22, 2007

thats the thing - it's not leaking - it's SPRAYING!! There's fluid soaking EVERYTHING under the hood, so I can't possibly find the origin...It's crazy. I'm beginning to suspect one of the rubber hoses could be a culprit also, so I got new hose to replace the old ones when I throw in the new Rad. Either way i'm replacing the rad. The new one is bigger and most importantly, new, and that's important where I have underdrives, an AOD, and no electric fan. Overheating can become an issue in summer traffic.
So, I guess we'll see!!

HISSIN50 · Mar 22, 2007

If you clean everything up, can you look in under the hood (while wearing eye protection and other safety stuff - seriously) and try to see the source of the spray while your significant other cranks the engine? It's probably a small hole to spray that wickedly.

Good luck.

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