I noticed a leaky transmission line going into the cooler and when I went to remove it the cooler basically fell apart. I went and bought a new one and I'm trying to install it. My problem is that I need to go from the 3/8" steel lines to the 11/32" hose that came with the cooler. The issue is that the tranny lines are in spots where it's basically impossible to flare the line. Not to mention, even if I could flare them I don't think I could fit the 3/8" line into the 11/32" hose. A 3/8 compression fitting into a hose barb would be nice but they are special order. Any suggestions? How bad would it be if I didn't flare the line and just jammed it into the hose with a couple hose clamps?

 

[QUOTE=Any suggestions? How bad would it be if I didn't flare the line and just jammed it into the hose with a couple hose clamps?[/QUOTE]

Big chance of the hose coming off and dumping the fluid on the road. I would not recommend it.
Why not buy the stock replacement?

 

I didn't use stock because I was excited to find a new cooler for only around $60. Now I wish I would've done what you said. It's already mounted and I'd like to avoid taking it off and returning it. I may try to find a compression fitting that reduces from 3/8 to 5/16 and flare the end of the 5/16 piece before it's on. Then clamp the hose to the flares end of the 5/16 tube. Does that make sense?

 

Install a cooler from a SuperDuty. Fit like a glove and dropped my transmission temps 40-50F while towing. Gotta take apart the whole front end to shoe horn it in, but it really wasn't a bad job. I used a cooler from a 2004 F-250 with a V-10. The diesel version has fewer plates.

 

When I added a trans cooler to my 86 F150 way back when that did not have the extra cooler, I called the salvage yards and found a stock unit that fit perfectly. The mounting holes were already predrilled in the frame. Worked out great.

 

I went through this about a year ago....I did get a Dorman replacement cooler line. It wasn't formed correctly and was a pain to get in. A few months later (2-4) it was starting to leak in the same location. THIS time I replaced it with a new FOMOCO unit and hasn't leaked yet, The fitment was a bunch better and getting it to snaked in to correct location was easier too.

Went it comes to replacing the cooler itself, I'll try to get what oldnnew suggests and get the v10 cooler