MAC702

I believe my transmission is the 48RE. This is one of those rare times that my 1995 Service Manual (given to me) may not be exact in its information since it covers the 42/46/47 transmissions.

My truck is a 1996 Ram 3500 with automatic transmission and diesel engine, most specs should be in my signature if you have those turned on.

I had a leaking fitting where the transmission cooler line converts from hard steel to flexible hose. The service manual correctly showed me the procedure for squeezing the plastic tabs for removal. I went ahead and took them both off since I had to be there anyway.

Then, of course, no one in town has the new hose assemblies. I had to order them. I watched the NAPA guy look up the parts in the book: Dorman 624-332 and 624-333.

I get them home and then see that the new hoses don't have plastic inserts, but instead have steel clips inside. I ASSumed they would do the same thing.

So after great effort, I push them on hard enough (I have no idea how hard or easy it should be) to hear the clicks. But of course, fluid pours out the pressure side (I'm assuming) when you run the engine. I'm assuming it would flow through the other one, too, if it ever got around to refilling the cooler to make the return trip.

So, should I have gotten the parts from a dealer?

They are simply hose-clamped on the cooler end. Would hose clamps hold on the transmission side also? It doesn't have the same crimp at the end designed for hose clamps, of course.

I guess they saved 2 seconds per part by using these $70 hose assemblies instead of hose and clamps on the assembly line. It was a Sunday when I did the research, so I never even got around to checking the prices at the dealer.

gorms

2 hose clamps at each connection point will work fine, if you have to cut the quick-connects off to fit hose over the hard line. Just make sure the line is clean before you slide the hose over.

MAC702

I should have researched ahead of time and planned it that way.

I wound up fixing the assemblies that I bought. Turns out that the one had a bad o-ring inside. Had to run all over town to find that special thicker-than-normal o-ring. The dealer didn't even sell them separately (or know how to find the correct one.) A different NAPA store had them.

Thanks!

infidel

The plastic couplings were a known problem and were even a recall item on the gasser Rams.
Problem is when Dodge upgraded to the metal connectors you had to replace the lines too.
If you have any plastic couplers left in your system replace them one way or another, they can fail at the most inopportune time, loose all your fluid and destroy your tranny.

I lucked out on my auto. Lame dealer mechanic thought it was a gasser and replaced all the lines under the gasser recall.