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Tranny cooling lines...

M

Mike's '84

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I'm replacing the cooling lines that come off the side of my POS R-700 and run to the core up front. I don't want to take the truck apart putting the new ones back in and am thinking I can use steel braided line. Has anyone here ever done this?

I'm also replacing the oil cooling lines that were leaking like a sieve. I would like to not have any drips under this Blazer. Bugs the hell out of me...

Thanks guys...
 
Wow good artical. Tells me everything I need to know. I don't know if I can re-install hard lines without taking the truck apart. The original lines got wrapped up in the front driveline...long story...and I just thought it would be an easy if not expensive fix.

The oil cooling lines were shot as well so I had to change them.
 
Brake line tubing, tubing bender and a flaring tool. I did mine and they turned out great. The brake line will come with the right fittings on the ends and it's the correct diameter also. I also added a union (put those on the tubing in an easy to get to area) on each line to make it much easier to get the tranny end threaded in..........works like a dream. I just took some heavy wire and did kind of a mock-up and proceded to bend from there.
Good luck! I can post up a pic if you want me to..........Roger
 
Thats what I did, used the hard brake lines with the fittings made on it, I used tubing benders at first and then just bent it by hand to fit.
 
I bought 3000psi rated hydraulic line from surpluscenter.com, and have been running that for 3 years with 0 issues. got an approximate length, ordered the lines a bit longer, the appropriate adapters, and away I went. Ended up cheaper than prebent hard line was.

I believe the lines I ordered were ORFS style, either 1/4" or 3/8". the transmission side adapters are NPS (national pipe straight, NOT taper) to ORFS. the cooler side are inverted flare (been a while) to ORFS. Not very detailed info I know, but its been a while

Their web-store still had my order history. the hoses were 1/4"x106", but that length is because the trans cooler is on the drivers side of a diesel rad. The hoses cost me $16 each.
 
I did something similar with mine ('82 Jimmy, 6.2). I removed the trannie cooler function from the radiator, and installed an after market cooler from DeRale. HUGE difference in temps for engine and tranny.

Anyway, the other responder's cooment about brake line with a flaring tool is spot on. Failing that, you could use quality (cannot stress that enough) rubber hose, so long as it's rated for pressure. Double-clamp at both ends, and a little gasket sealer wouldn't hurt either.

Best of luck.

Skip Ryan
Colorado Springs
'85 Jimmy 1/2 ton, 6.2, 700R4, 208
'93 Jeep Wrangler, Low-Output 2.5, AX-5, 231
'89 Ford Taurus, 3.8, auto, fwd (kid's car)
'98 Ford Expedition, 4.6 and I don't really know (wife's gas-guzzling behemoth)
 
OK You guys have persuaded me to go for it using a copper like tubing that bends real easy. I'll start at the tranny and work my way toward the front after putting the middle of the two lines up tight against the oil pan. This tubing I'm told is better that the steel because it sheds heat better. I pick them up this morning...
 
Be sure that tubing isn't just rtegular copper tubing,as it will "work harden" and get hard and crack from vibrations after awhile...I tried using copper tubing one winter when my plow truck had a rusted cooler line pop,I put several turns in it like a pig's tail near each end where it connected to the tranny and radiator and it lasted three years,it rubbed against the frame and wore a hole in it,and when I removed it I noticed it wasn't flexible like when I installed it..fold it over and it'll snap !..
I wanted something that wouldn't rust and copper seemed ideal,plus it transfers heat better--but it has to be the right stuff to be used on automtive applications..:(


I see Auto-Zone now sells some special brake line in rolls that has a copper/steel composition that is rated for brake pressures,that would be good to use--if you can afford it..its NOT cheap!..

I have had poor luck using long lengths of rubber hose on tranny lines,even the proper stuff rated for hot oil transfer...short runs less than 2' seem to pose no problems,but the two times I tried using rubber exclusively,it split and leaked.leaving me stranded..a good crimped hydraulic hose might work OK,but you do lose some cooling effect from not using metal cooler lines too--...
 
diesel4me said:
Be sure that tubing isn't just rtegular copper tubing,as it will "work harden" and get hard and crack from vibrations after awhile...I tried using copper tubing one winter when my plow truck had a rusted cooler line pop,I put several turns in it like a pig's tail near each end where it connected to the tranny and radiator and it lasted three years,it rubbed against the frame and wore a hole in it,and when I removed it I noticed it wasn't flexible like when I installed it..fold it over and it'll snap !..
I wanted something that wouldn't rust and copper seemed ideal,plus it transfers heat better--but it has to be the right stuff to be used on automtive applications..:(


I see Auto-Zone now sells some special brake line in rolls that has a copper/steel composition that is rated for brake pressures,that would be good to use--if you can afford it..its NOT cheap!..

I have had poor luck using long lengths of rubber hose on tranny lines,even the proper stuff rated for hot oil transfer...short runs less than 2' seem to pose no problems,but the two times I tried using rubber exclusively,it split and leaked.leaving me stranded..a good crimped hydraulic hose might work OK,but you do lose some cooling effect from not using metal cooler lines too--...
Click to expand...

The shop doing the work said that this copper-nickel composition will keep pliable over the years. He did say to of course check for abrasion, and use some kind of wrap if its close to touching anything. But he ran out of tubing and will order more, so it will be next week before I get the tranny lines back. The oil lines came back looking like new. Can't believe I ran for so long with leaking lines...
 
OK...the tranny cooling lines are in and I'm pretty proud of my handy-work. Turned out pretty close to what I was hoping for.

One qestion...the top line from the tranny goes with the top fitting of the radiator Correct? I'm a bone head for not taking a pic or writing it down but it has been months since I pulled the old lines. I was thinking unless there's a check valve of some sort in the core it I'll be fine even if I reverse the flow. Or will it just not cool properly if I got the lines wrong... Am I over thinking this?
 
I forget which one goes where,but B&M and TCI websites have charts that tell you which one does!...
 
Mike's '84 said:
One qestion...the top line from the tranny goes with the top fitting of the radiator Correct? I'm a bone head for not taking a pic or writing it down but it has been months since I pulled the old lines. I was thinking unless there's a check valve of some sort in the core it I'll be fine even if I reverse the flow. Or will it just not cool properly if I got the lines wrong... Am I over thinking this?
Click to expand...

Usually it does if I remember correctly, however, it doesn't really matter, as long as the fluid exits the trans, flows through the cooler and back to the trans, it doesn't really matter which way it travels through the cooler. There is no low pressure side cap like a radiator.
 
folkenheath said:
Usually it does if I remember correctly, however, it doesn't really matter, as long as the fluid exits the trans, flows through the cooler and back to the trans, it doesn't really matter which way it travels through the cooler. There is no low pressure side cap like a radiator.
Click to expand...

I was hoping that was the case folkenheath. It is working well at present. The top line sure does shed a lot of heat on the way to the core. The bottom line is cooler to the touch, but I haven't taken the truck out of town yet.
 
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