Super quick transmission question

Well this job went from "Suck to Blow".  (Thank You Mel Brooks for that one....)

Ford in the infinite stupidity used quick connects as mentioned.  5/16" going into the transmission.  From there about 2" away the pipe kicks up to 3/8".  I'd love to see how that was machined!

So I picked up (and I'm sorry if this repeats) 5/16 steel fuel line from Napa, and arranged for compression unions from 5/16" x 3/8" to match the existing pipes.  Bad sections have been removed, etc..

The supply house has let me down.  Parts should have been to me on Monday, and so far nothing received at Fastenal's local branch.  They state the order was processed over a week ago, but no tracking as it was store to store transfer.

Cutting this back to size. 

Any thoughts on pulling ALL  the line(s) out and replacing with 5/16".  I can use compressions for a one to one from the steel to the nickle/copper that I can obtain from our local supply house.  (Which will suck, as I used the better part of a 3/8" roll to gut and replace the bad sections.)  If memory serves, Ford did the same nonsense at the radiator going from 3/8" to a 5/16" quick connect.  I'd have to double check. 

Any downfalls to changing it over to all 5/16"?   Wife wants her car back, and I need to finish up a few more projects.

Lame ford parts, as now I have to mix fuel line quick connect tubes which are all steel, over to glorified brake tubing....  Wife said to just clamp a hose onto it.  Can't see a 3/8" hose sealing onto a 5/16" steel line without risking leaks or blowing off.

S-

This is probably not what you want to hear, but I would keep it as original as possible.

As I’ve said many times, I prefer not to second-guess Ford’s engineers. Yeah, I’m sure they made a good many dumb choices, most of which I would bet were for cost-cutting reasons, but unless I am specifically told by someone here or at Ford that there is a better way (or it is obvious), I’m going with the OEM setup.

My feeling is, I didn’t go to engineering school, I wasn’t part of the Design Team for my car, so I don’t know why a particular decision was made—or not made. As such, any mods that I blindly make (without that expert advice or observation) are no better than asking my 9-year-old neighbor to fix the car.

I would prefer not to go down the “they’re all idiots, those engineers” path. I DO prefer to think there are logical good reasons why a decision was made, and hopefully just to save some $$ and not because they are, in fact, idiots.

Well after turning a wrench professionally for 6 years, and continuing for another 24+ years as a hobby.  (changed careers, as my other training is electronics as well automotive)  Yeah, in this case they are idiots.  Probably did the quick connects to save assembly line time.

Each rubber seal in those 'quick connects' is rock hard and leaked like a sieve.  I am researching changing the fitting on the radiator and transmission over to a flared fitting.  I had that '89 Bronco II with the A4LD and it did use flare style fittings for the cooling lines.  Tomorrow I'll hit the Napa store and then a local transmission shop with the hard parts and see what can be arranged.  I'm at the point where if I need to re-plumb it back to 3/8" if that's all they have?  I'm okay with it.  That 5/16" end to a 3/8" line (in my humble opinion) was a time saver when designed, but long term sucked eggs....  (how does one suck eggs....and is that a bad thing?)

S-

Your experiences can only help the rest of us. Please share what you find.

Finally done. Just have to double check the fluid level sense it's had some time to mellow. I've always hated how car makers made a dipstick so it rubs on the sides of the tube after filling it. So naturally it's darn near impossible to read with having skid marks of transmission fluid all over it.

I'll dig up the receipt with a parts list. Enough to say that I picked up 2 super long 5/16 brake line and bent new line from the transmission to just past the power steering rack. Compression fittings in a real easy spot just in case of a leak.

Wound up going to a hardware store that has a lot of odd and weird plumbing supplies. The teenager (go figure? This kid knows his stuff!) Grabbed two pipe threaded connectors and 2 adapters to screw into the pipe threaded connectors, some teflon tape.. And we're back in action with HARD LINES and not that quick connect garbage. Okay Okay... NAPA did have the quick connect for the radiator, so we used that one as I already ran the line to it. Lines are secure and have enough flex in total length so it shouldn't crack or damage where it's mounted.

Not to be outdone? Started the engine, wouldn't stay running unless I held the throttle by hand. I did clean the throttle body and redid the TPS again. Found the EGR valve split/cracked apart. Installed our spare off the other engine and it runs like a top!

A top with a CEL. I'll post a separate thread once I pull the codes. We pulled them last night and it was "system rich, No O2 sensor switching) I swapped it with the spare. Used part of course. The light came back on once it hit 'closed loop'. So I'll repull the codes and see if it's the same one. Probably go with a RockAuto "Bosch". That's what FORD used. A Bosch O2 sensor with a Ford logo stamped into it. Really freaky to see that.