Radiator Replaced, Leaking Transmission Fluid

SkyVolvo · Post by **SkyVolvo** » 14 Dec 2010, 19:31

: leak 003.JPG (159.96 KiB) Viewed 3976 times

I had my radiator replaced a few weeks ago - then, separately, had the lower radiator hose replaced about a week ago (groan) - and now have what looks like transmission fluid leaking from the area. In fact, I think I recall seeing it when I saw the coolant leak from the radiator hose, but focused on the more dramatic problem first.

Is this the transmission fluid return line, and, regardless, is this something I should see if the shop will fix, as something related to the radiator replacement?

Post by **confused_al** » 14 Dec 2010, 19:56

Very likely the ATF line dose not fit back in well, new o-rings and clamp should installed if they are as old as your car.

brady55 · Post by **brady55** » 14 Dec 2010, 20:02

agreed the hose may not be in all the way, or the o rings are bad. take the clamp off and make sure the hose is all the way in first.

SkyVolvo · Post by **SkyVolvo** » 14 Dec 2010, 20:07

Is this something they should have done to begin with when they replaced it? I'm all for paying fair money for fair work, but they didn't replace the lower radiator hose when they did the radiator, and I had to go back in two weeks later when it started leaking, and pay for that all over again. To have to take it in a third time for something attached to the radiator seems excessive.

Or - wait, are you saying I can just check the hose for tightness without draining it? And then, if it is on tight...probably the o-rings, and it'll have to be removed and replaced?

Post by **jblackburn** » 14 Dec 2010, 20:48

You will have to get a pair of pliers and push the little clamp holding it on apart a bit, then while holding that, shove the hose into the radiator with a good amount of force to get it to seat properly. If it still leaks after that, you're going to need a new O-ring on the end of it, which is absolutely not something you should be made to pay for; they should have done that when it was replaced.

brady55 · Post by **brady55** » 15 Dec 2010, 16:26

these are all things you can do and do not need to pay someone to do. also you will not drain the transmission by undoing the hose a little will come out but thats it.

GilbertBettinson · Post by **GilbertBettinson** » 03 Jan 2019, 07:58

I have the Volvo XC70 2007, D5, AWD with automatic transmission. I have had a slightly different experience concerning transmission fluid leaking into the radiator cooling water. I had a catastrophic failure inside of the combined transmission fluid/cooling water radiator that caused significant amounts of transmission fluid to leak into the radiator water and radiator water to leak into my automatic transmission gearbox. I fitted a new radiator on the drive at my house, but with great difficulty. This radiator should only be removed via the bottom of the car, but I had no choice in this and removed/replaced it through the top. I drained the transmission fluid, refilled it, ran the engine until hot, drained the fluid again and then refilled it again with new fluid. Job done as per posts on this site and, so far, no further issue! Draining and bleeding ALL of the coolant from the engine, heater etc was carried out but was laborious. Obviously, transmission oil had coated everything inside of the engine, cooling pipes etc and I had believed that I was successful, again using advice from this excellent site. However, when the time came for an initial run, I encountered some irritating issues that readers may appreciate knowing about. The expansion tank hose running from the top of the new radiator kept splitting at the connection to the expansion tank causing coolant loss and the warning message "coolant low level" to appear. Also, residual transmission oil had collected at the top of the radiator and was being pushed through the expansion tube towards the expansion bottle. I cut and reconnected it four times before resolving the two issues causing it. The tube was not perished, but the worm-drive clip I used to connect it slightly cut into the tube causing it to split under pressure. I have now used a nylon Tywrap which seems to have resolved the splitting problem. So, why the pressure at this end of the tube? On inspection, I discovered that the fitting at the top of the expansion tank was almost totally blocked, despite my having cleaned it thoroughly when it was out of the car. There was a piece of scale inside of this connection as you may find in the bottom of a kettle. Scale removed; the car now runs like a dream. I hope this persuades other owners to check these two items before pulling their hair out as I did!

Post by **scot850** » 03 Jan 2019, 12:03

Well done for persisting and finding the root of the problem. A weird one for sure and a good reason for flushing the coolant system from time to time!

Neil.

LdeM · Post by **LdeM** » 16 Jul 2020, 19:13

Same problem I'm worried about. Thanks.
See my post Compatability 07 and 04 radiators. The upper nozzle broke on my 04. Salvaged a radiator from an 07, and found that the transmission lines attach differently, so i'm using the lines from the 07, but the upper connection is not firm, and the tube can be rotated.
Afraid it will leak.