Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Ck your Auto trans cooler lines!

[Motorhead]

I worked on a 2002 4x4 Auto today and as I was servicing the underside, I noticed the auto cooler line rubbing the engine cross member. The truck only has 10k on it and it had rubbed a small area of the line already. I tried to slightly bend the line up as so not to hit the cross member. I ended up sheathing the line with some rubber hose. There is not much support for the lines and not much clearance between the cross member. I'm going to ck my 01 2X4. Chris

 

[TxDieselKid]

thanks for the advise, if it were still daylight, i'd go do it now. Let us know what you find on yours as mine is a 2wd too.



Andrew

 

[Motorhead]

I will ck mine in AM and post. Ck at the radiator side between the rubber hoses at radiator and the eng cross member under eng.

 

[PCrable]

Been There !

Yep...

I had that problem too and found out the hard way. While on a road trip, my cooler line decided to rub all the way through and blow all that new Mobil 1 Synthetic trans fluid all over the bottom of the truck. You know it had to happen on a trip... It couldn't happen while I was just riding around town.



I ended up on the side of the road and luckily had tools with me. I got the line off and then managed to "fix" it with some 1/2" fuel line and some hose clamps after I had cut out the worn through section.



I'll probably go get a new line and have the guys put it on when they install my new DTT trans in a few weeks





Check those lines... My friends here at work is rubbing a little too.



--Phil

 

[Motorhead]

Editing on cooler line ck

I am editing what I saw on the cooler lines for the auto. This problem looks to be unique to the 4X4's only. I looked under my 2 wd this AM and the cross member is completely different than the 4X4. This is meant as a heads up for you 4WD Auto transed guys. These lines have very little clearance between the oil pan and the cross member. Chris

 

[TPhillips]

Thank you Motorhead!!



I just checked, and sure enough, one of the lines was touching the cross member. Already had a rub mark with 520 miles on the truck. Will remedy tonight.



Todd

 

[John]

This is NOT by any means a new problem!



I posted my observence of this on my '98. 5 4x4 several years ago. Although I thought it might be unique to my Ram (thinking the lines could have been inadvertantly bent slightly during assembly), such was not the case.



I really can't believe Dodge hasn't rectified this problem yet!

 

[RichR]

Been Awhile

John ,I rememer that a few years back.

I recentley picked up Toyota and the lines have rubber brackets insulating them. A little attention to details like this would be nice from DC.

Rich R

 

[jimnance]

transmission Lines

I haven't had a problem with the line rubbing the cross member in my '99 4X4, but one of the lines has a very sharp bend and is not supported well. It simply fatigued and cracked at the weakest point - the bend. Bad design. Replaced it with another stock line, but keep rubber tubing and hose clamps in case it gives way again.



It happened at 70K and it wasn't a major leak so I suppose I can't be too unhappy.