HELP: tranny cooler lines

[colbystephens]

ok, so we got the tranny mounted up to the motor in our th350 to 700r4 swap. we are having a crazy hard time getting the hard lines hooked up. any tips? are the threads on the hard lines for a th350 not the same as for a 700r4? they just won't thread. help, please. Thanks!!

 

[lamberthkp]

they should be the same . they were on the one i swaped out, i did have a time getting them hooked up, i think i had to bend the lines very carefully to get the threads to match. GOOD LUCK

 

[colbystephens]

so i just gotta screw with it, huh? man, that sux.

 

[colbystephens]

bump

 

[colbystephens]

so after spending 6+ hours trying to get the cooler lines hooked up, we gave up. my buddy will probably have the truck towed to a freakin tranny shop and have them do it. man - we can swap a whole tranny, get everything bolted up, but cannot get the cooler lines on!

 

[diesel4me]

Buy new lines??

Its about 5 bucks for a new 60" length of tranny line,and the chances of getting a new ones fittings started are much better than an old battered one is..as far as I know the lines are 5/16",with SAE flare fittings,unless GM decided to make metric tranny lines too??..could be,for I havent fooled with many later trucks with 700R4's yet..the few I've put trannys in before with 700R4's had the usual lines..

It is a PITA to get at them where they thread into the tranny..I didn't mind my 74 K20 having a 3" body lift when it came to changing tranny lines,or getting at the bellhousing bolts!..I'd keep plugging at it,you'll get them on eventually..it'll be costly to tow it to a shop and pay them to do it..

 

[colbystephens]

now that's interesting info. how do you go about bending the tranny lines without getting a fold/crease in the? do the new lines have fittings on both ends? thanks!

 

[diesel4me]

yep--ready to screw on!..

The steel lines come pre-flared with new fittings on them,and are easily bent by hand..they sell special tools to bend them,but I never use them on anything under 3/8" inch..

I put an old pulley in my vise and pull the line over it to make 90 degree bends ,but most of the time I bend them after I get the tranny end threaded in, right under the truck.(you can use trees,poles,trailer hitch balls,etc too--just dont bend it too sharply in one spot,spread the bends out a bit)....its a bit difficult,but not impossible..and you wont be worried about rusty lines giving out on the trail somewhere either..I usually run mine up under the hood,instead of along the oil pan like GM did..they usually rust out just as fast here either way though..

As a last resort you could use "partial"lines, joined with the proper rubber hose used on tranny coolers with clamps,or hydraulic "return line" hose,but don't use regular gas line hose..

I prefer all metal ,but I have my 82 K20 jerry rigged with hose --front driveshaft rubbed thru the steel line,and I've been too broke and lazy to fix it right,since it hasn't hardly snowed here yet!..

 

[colbystephens]

right on. i think we'll try this tactic next - we're getting pretty sick of his truck b/c everytime we do something, it's about a 1000 times harder than it should, in theory, be. but, he'll have a strong running truck for under a grand when we're thru - and it looks great too.