Transmission Cooler Line Popped Out/Update

[bowtiegurl]

I replaced the radiator in my 2007 Yukon SLT with a Spectra Premium CU2423.
I drove about a mile and back when I noticed a little smoke from under the hood. Opened the hood to find transmission fluid all over the engine. The top transmission cooler line had popped out. I'm sure I had seated it fully because I heard the click as it seated behind the C clip.I bought a new fitting reseated the line, filled back up with 7-8 qrts of fluid, let it idle watching the cooler line. The line held but when putting into any gear it does not go. Just revs up. All the stories I've read of this happening to other people their transmission's are fine after putting fluid back in. Is there something else I need to do or check? Can't afford to take it to a shop to have it looked at.I let it idle with fluid filled for 25-30 minutes and the transmission got up to 207•. With my old factory radiator it stayed around 178•. Also I squeezed the top radiator hose and I could squeeze all the way to the middle. The hose was warm but not hot. Any ideas?
I stupidly took my Yukon to Certified Transmission here in Kansas City, MO. $59.95 they were supposed to do some diagnostic test which they didn't do. When I picked it up they said they verified I didn't have reverse, first, second, and third, and said I need a new transmission and it'd be $4,500 through the certified transmission remann factory. I told him I could not afford that. But they did not do any pressure test on the coolant lines or transmission they didn't do anything they said they were going to do. So I brought it home. Now out of the blue I have first second and third and drive I would think if my transmission was shot why did these gears all of a sudden come back to working, besides reverse?
I don't know anybody that lives close to me that has a tech-2 bi- directional scanner to run any tests on the transmission. Any ideas of where to go from here?
They also said my transmission fluid was discolored and smelled burnt which is not true it's red and smells very good like fresh transmission fluid. So I got the typical run around like I figured I would for being a woman.

 

[swathdiver]

With the engine running and your foot on the brake, shift the truck into each gear and leave it there for thirty seconds. So put her into reverse, then neutral, then drive, then low and then go back up the list.

Fluid won't be hot enough yet but check the fluid level on the cold mark. Too much or too little fluid and she won't run right either.

 

[Doubeleive]

I replaced the radiator in my 2007 Yukon SLT with a Spectra Premium CU2423.
I drove about a mile and back when I noticed a little smoke from under the hood. Opened the hood to find transmission fluid all over the engine. The top transmission cooler line had popped out. I'm sure I had seated it fully because I heard the click as it seated behind the C clip.I bought a new fitting reseated the line, filled back up with 7-8 qrts of fluid, let it idle watching the cooler line. The line held but when putting into any gear it does not go. Just revs up. All the stories I've read of this happening to other people their transmission's are fine after putting fluid back in. Is there something else I need to do or check? Can't afford to take it to a shop to have it looked at.I let it idle with fluid filled for 25-30 minutes and the transmission got up to 207•. With my old factory radiator it stayed around 178•. Also I squeezed the top radiator hose and I could squeeze all the way to the middle. The hose was warm but not hot. Any ideas?

I will start by saying it's physically impossible for the transmission line to have just popped out on it's own IF it was previously inserted properly.
that being said it's likely if you drove it around with no fluid long enough you could have damaged the transmission bad enough that it's internally fried but really hard to say.
how far did you drive it after replacing the radiator? how many miles? if it was more than 5-10 miles you could have cooked it.
there is really no reason for it to get up to 207 just idling unless the fluid is still low or not flowing, blockage, etc.

 

[OR VietVet]

Maybe @NickTransmissions can chime in.

Are you absolutely sure it is full when warm and idling in Park or Neutral?

 

[j91z28d1]

try jacking the rear up with the wheels off the ground let it idle in each gear for a bit. maybe see if it will shift thru some gears in drive.


if it's still topped off after that and won't move. I am not sure how but it might be hurt?


I had a line pop off a 96 blazer and it made a mess but tranny was OK afterwards. it was my fault, didn't seat right. there's also a extra safety black plastic ring that goes a round then fitting. makes sure the clip doesn't pop out I guess.

 

[donjetman]

May have burnt up/destroyed the pump in the tranny running it low on atf

 

[bowtiegurl]

I will start by saying it's physically impossible for the transmission line to have just popped out on it's own IF it was previously inserted properly.
that being said it's likely if you drove it around with no fluid long enough you could have damaged the transmission bad enough that it's internally fried but really hard to say.
how far did you drive it after replacing the radiator? how many miles? if it was more than 5-10 miles you could have cooked it.
there is really no reason for it to get up to 207 just idling unless the fluid is still low or not flowing, blockage, etc.

If the new radiator is defective, not cooling the transmission fluid down could that cause this problem? The upper radiator hose can be squeezed all the way to the middle at running temp, the lower radiator hose looks huge. My transmission got up to 238° at idle quickly today. I do have some forward motion now in 1st-Drive, no reverse feels like it's in park and neutral makes a whining noise at transmission and acts like it's in drive with forward motion. I drove a mile and a half total when pulling in my driveway that's when I saw smoke from under the hood.

 

[bowtiegurl]

May have burnt up/destroyed the pump in the tranny running it low on atf

Would a burnt up pump make a whining noise?

 

[bowtiegurl]

try jacking the rear up with the wheels off the ground let it idle in each gear for a bit. maybe see if it will shift thru some gears in drive.


if it's still topped off after that and won't move. I am not sure how but it might be hurt?


I had a line pop off a 96 blazer and it made a mess but tranny was OK afterwards. it was my fault, didn't seat right. there's also a extra safety black plastic ring that goes a round then fitting. makes sure the clip doesn't pop out I guess.

Will try that tomorrow.

 

[bowtiegurl]

Maybe @NickTransmissions can chime in.

Are you absolutely sure it is full when warm and idling in Park or Neutral?

Yes for sure.

 

[j91z28d1]

If the new radiator is defective, not cooling the transmission fluid down could that cause this problem? The upper radiator hose can be squeezed all the way to the middle at running temp, the lower radiator hose looks huge. My transmission got up to 238° at idle quickly today. I do have some forward motion now in 1st-Drive, no reverse feels like it's in park and neutral makes a whining noise at transmission and acts like it's in drive with forward motion. I drove a mile and a half total when pulling in my driveway that's when I saw smoke from under the hood.

this doesn't sound right. yeah, if there's no water flow across the radiator from a blockage, or somehow how the internal transmission cooler is blocked, it might explain why it's getting hot so fast and you don't have any tranny line pressure to engage the clutch packs for the gears.

that said, I've never see it happen. but anything is possibly. I know coolent is expensive but might be worth checking into.

 

[bowtiegurl]

this doesn't sound right. yeah, if there's no water flow across the radiator from a blockage, or somehow how the internal transmission cooler is blocked, it might explain why it's getting hot so fast and you don't have any tranny line pressure to engage the clutch packs for the gears.

that said, I've never see it happen. but anything is possibly. I know coolent is expensive but might be worth checking into.

I think this is my next step. If I was to take it to a shop to find out what is for sure wrong, do I take it to a regular automotive repair shop or a transmission shop? I don't trust either. Especially being a woman.

 

[j91z28d1]

I feel like either could do it if they are even a half way decent mechanic but throw the scammer up from behind the counter in the mix and who knows. I'm honestly not sure which would be better. maybe a tranny shop?

I don't trust walking into shops myself, I know I'm going to end up getting screwed too. I do feel like a woman walking into a shop is like jumping directly into the sharks open mouth just for sport lol.

yeah the tranny shop might be more used to checking line pressure at the transmission with a scanner and know what they should be seeing. Hopefully any tech can tell if water is flowing thru the radiator.


did you happen to replace the thermostat while changing the radiator? did you change it because it was leaking or over heating?

 

[Doubeleive]

I will start by saying it's physically impossible for the transmission line to have just popped out on it's own IF it was previously inserted properly.
that being said it's likely if you drove it around with no fluid long enough you could have damaged the transmission bad enough that it's internally fried but really hard to say.
how far did you drive it after replacing the radiator? how many miles? if it was more than 5-10 miles you could have cooked it.
there is really no reason for it to get up to 207 just idling unless the fluid is still low or not flowing, blockage, etc.

really hard to just "Guess" without being there, my best suggestion if you want to try and avoid a shop is to pull that radiator out and exchange it for another one and see if anything changes

 

[bowtiegurl]

I changed it because it was leaking, spraying right on the PCM. No I did not change the thermostat. I knew I should have & kicking myself for not.

 

[j91z28d1]

if it was just leaking the stat is probably fine. good to change but I wouldn't expect it to all of a sudden stick closed because you changed radiator. if it was over heating before hand, I thought maybe the stat was stuck closed.


only thing else besides pulling it out and swapping it, which would eliminate a lot of what ifs if you can. but if you have it out, you could run a water thru it from a hose and see if it flows out the other side.


sometimes things come with plastic caps on the fittings. is it possible one got missed and hose over it, or pushed inside?

 

[rdezs]

The right way to fill the cooling system is to use a vacuum. Amazon has them starting around $35. Sucks all the air out of your cooling system and then draws the coolant in. Otherwise you risk having a large air pocket which does bad things. I would also disconnect both transmission lines at the radiator, and try to blow some compressed air through. Not much, just 10 or 15 psi to make sure it's not plugged... Perhaps a manufacturing defect.

Any competent shop can do both of those things and confirm your coolant is totally full with no air pockets, and that your tranny cooler isn't plugged. Then go from there and check transmission line pressure. I'm hoping you didn't run the torque converter completely dry. When you install a torque converter, it's why you pour a quart or so of ATF in it.... Or else you risk just sucking air when you start the vehicle. (Which pretty much destroys the bearings and seals)

 

[rdezs]

Coolant Vacuum Refill Kit, Cooling System Radiator Vacuum Purge & Fill Tool Kit, Automotive Coolant Filler
https://a.co/d/demKaUc

 

[OR VietVet]

If you get that coolant kit, you need an air compressor too. No big deal for a small compressor that will build enough pressure.

 

[rdezs]

Yep, if you don't use any power tools, the smallest and cheapest air compressor from harbor freight will be more than adequate.