ok the removal as always was the easy part, minus not having a fan removal tool which made it a little harder... but at anyrate, me and my father are having a hard time getting the new radiator to hook up with the transmission cooling lines. they just will not thread in. theres about 1/4 inch of the nut that isnt threaded like its there to help guide the nut in so you dont crossthread it as easy. but i cant get the first thread to bite and pull it in so i can snug it down. and thats on the top one which seems to be a lot easier than the bottom.

any insight on this would be appreciated, im having the hardest time you could possibly have doing this.
help me please.

 

Why did you have to remove the fan to exchange radiators? What brand of radiator are you using for replacement and have you examined the fittings on the radiator to see if they match exactly? Before you try to thread them, are you pulling the nut all the way to the end of the transmission line first? Are you grasping the transmission line and forcing it to the correct angle before you begin threading it?

 

the chiltons book says to remove the fan and shroud, which seems like it would make it a touch easier so the radiator and shroud dont hang up on eachother.
i bought a CSF 2 row radiator, the fittings are identical as i can tell. i got the top line in now, i had to file the nut down so it would slide in easier... now the bottom one is giving me trouble even after filing it down a bit.
the bottom line doesnt want to bend to the right angle...
is it common for the nut to flange out at the end and cause it to not want to go in?

 

To exchange radiators, you can remove the shroud, push it back over the fan (left in place), protect the radiator with cardboard, and pull it right out. Anyway, No, it's not common for the nut to flange out at the end OR to have a need to file or modify anything for properly matching fittings to mate with each other. The factory radiator has fittings that can be unscrewed from the radiator. These fittings are what your line/nut threads into. If your CSF radiator has these removeable fittings, remove one and examine if the line/nut threads into it freely while disassociated with the radiator. If it does, the angle of the line is probably your issue and you need to bend the line to match. If it doesn't, your fittings don't match properly. Also, if your CSF radiator has the removeable fittings, see if you can exchange the fittings with your original radiator.

 

This sounds like the same stinking problem I am having. Can't find a radiator with fittings that allow the transmission lines to connect. My dead radiator the lines threaded on and off no problem. Did you ever get yours connected or what happened? Mine is '98 F-150.

 

You need adapter fittings to match the trans lines.

 

On my 97 F150, 4.6L I had to take the fittings out of the old rediator and put them into the new radiator because the cooler lines would not thread into the new fittings.

 

Well, turns out my transmission lines are 5/16" OD tube, FWIW. Taking the advice of the local radiator shop, I filed down the end of the nut over the flared tube a little, and now it fits fine. I don't know why it fit fine over the old radiator and had to be "encouraged" to fit on new radiator. I didn't have to do any filing the last time I replaced the radiator, but the radiator shop techie said that they have to do that all the time. He said they even give it a tap with a hammer to seat it before tightening the threads sometimes. This seems odd, but what do I know about radiators, not much, but a little wiser now.

 

most fords have an adapter in rad to
cooler lines must be put in if you
thread lines directly into rad with out
them it will block trans cooler flow
and result in trans failure within
100 miles
mitch

 

What is this adapter you are referring to? You are saying it is in between the female fitting on the radiator and the male connector(sliding nut that pulls flared tubing tight to radiator fitting) on the transmission line? It wasn't on the original radiator.

 

bwahahah, i forgot to come back here after i fixed myself. anywho, the nut flanged out after being tightened by either ford or whoever put them in there last.
i used some emry cloth and a file to sand the ends down so they slid right in and started threading up nicely. didnt need to replace the fittings, although its possible and pretty easy to do too.
made my dad feel dumb too cause i was asking him that before he called the local shop and asked, but he'd rather ignore me the first time by lol!

thanks guys.