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Making hard transmission cooler lines, advice

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Tobtech56

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have a 700R4 installed with my 350 and I want to make hard cooler lines to go from trans to aux cooler then through radiator cooler and back. I currently have no lines at all so I am starting from scratch. I would like some advice on what type and size tubing to use and what type of fittings to use on the transmission side.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
From what I've read cooler line pressures can be upwards of up to 80 psi.... no real reason to go with a larger line size than the smallest fitting in the circuit and I believe typical is 1/4"..... Flare fittings are fine....

If you don't mind the look you can use hydraulic lines for power steering pumps to make funky turns or bends.....

One of my next upgrades is gonna be one of these in front of the Radiator in addition to the radiator cooler.... colder transfluid is better........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALUMINUM-30...ER-DUAL-LINE-TRANS-/261427197989?hash=item3cde467825:g:s0UAAMXQydtTKJR7&vxp=mtr
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
abdiver7777 said:
From what I've read cooler line pressures can be upwards of up to 80 psi.... no real reason to go with a larger line size than the smallest fitting in the circuit and I believe typical is 1/4"..... Flare fittings are fine....

If you don't mind the look you can use hydraulic lines for power steering pumps to make funky turns or bends.....

One of my next upgrades is gonna be one of these in front of the Radiator in addition to the radiator cooler.... colder transfluid is better........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALUMINUM-30...ER-DUAL-LINE-TRANS-/261427197989?hash=item3cde467825:g:s0UAAMXQydtTKJR7&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. I plan to use an auxiliary cooler as well as the radiator. When you say flare fittings are fine does that mean the transmission side are male flares? I want to start getting a parts list together and I am hoping to find out exactly what connectors the transmission has. The car is not here right now so I was hoping to get some specific ideas. I would assume the connectors on a 700R4 are all the same.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
#5 ·
Tobtech56 said:
Thanks for the input. I plan to use an auxiliary cooler as well as the radiator. When you say flare fittings are fine does that mean the transmission side are male flares? I want to start getting a parts list together and I am hoping to find out exactly what connectors the transmission has. The car is not here right now so I was hoping to get some specific ideas. I would assume the connectors on a 700R4 are all the same.
Click to expand...
Not positive but I believe the transmission cooler ports are 1/4" NPT so you can just buy NPT to Flare fittings and and a good flaring tool and a spool of soft copper tubing and go to town.... I would expect that there are kits for this that have everything you need..... Call and talk to these guys.....

http://www.transmissioncenter.org/700r4_Parts_List.htm#Coolers

Make sure that if you use any kind of flex line that it is appropriate for use with petroleum products and rated for high temp and pressure just like a power steering hose or hydraulic line.... (Hydraulic lines are expensive)
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
abdiver7777 said:
Not positive but I believe the transmission cooler ports are 1/4" NPT so you can just buy NPT to Flare fittings and and a good flaring tool and a spool of soft copper tubing and go to town.... I would expect that there are kits for this that have everything you need..... Call and talk to these guys.....

http://www.transmissioncenter.org/700r4_Parts_List.htm#Coolers

Make sure that if you use any kind of flex line that it is appropriate for use with petroleum products and rated for high temp and pressure just like a power steering hose or hydraulic line.... (Hydraulic lines are expensive)
Click to expand...
Thanks. Have some time tonight so I've been looking around on the web. It looks like they are either 1/4 NPT or NPS. I have a 45 degree flaring tool so I'm good there. Thanks for the link. I forgot about that place. I think I got my speedo gears from them. Been working on this car so long I've forgotten where I bought some of the stuff. I see you are also in Orange County. Do you attend many car show or cruise nights? I am working on getting my car on the road sometime in Feb.
 
#7 ·
Tobtech56 said:
Thanks. Have some time tonight so I've been looking around on the web. It looks like they are either 1/4 NPT or NPS. I have a 45 degree flaring tool so I'm good there. Thanks for the link. I forgot about that place. I think I got my speedo gears from them. Been working on this car so long I've forgotten where I bought some of the stuff. I see you are also in Orange County. Do you attend many car show or cruise nights? I am working on getting my car on the road sometime in Feb.
Click to expand...
I like to go to the shows and look but I don't go to show my car.... it's really just a really nice cruiser restomod with lots of flaws so not a show car.... I pretty much just like to drive it once/twice a week to work.....

Give me a shout if you ever need a hand.... I'm frequently checking on my aging parents who live in the North side of the city of Orange.....
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Will do, thanks.
 
#9 ·
Check here:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/4d7af2_33ddd07b87f24d29a47df08065cfb21a.pdf
Kit #CFT55D3
Everything you need with no guessing. :)
I would also recommend simply by-passing the radiator "cooler". All it really does is add heat to the trans fluid. If you can put a big cooler in front of the radiator that will work better then piggy backing a smaller one of the rad.
Mark
 
#10 ·
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#11 ·
abdiver,
I'm surprised I haven't run into you on the freeway yet. I drive mine into Anaheim once or twice a week......

probably just a matter of time.....

I'm working through the aging parent thing too.

Ace
 
#13 ·
astroracer said:
Check here:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/4d7af2_33ddd07b87f24d29a47df08065cfb21a.pdf
Kit #CFT55D3
Everything you need with no guessing. :)
I would also recommend simply by-passing the radiator "cooler". All it really does is add heat to the trans fluid. If you can put a big cooler in front of the radiator that will work better then piggy backing a smaller one of the rad.
Mark
Click to expand...
Your link doesn't provide the company info......

Now I'm curious to record temperatures before I install one of these.....and then after.....

I assume that the proper piping is to install the supplemental cooler after the radiator... If the coolant temp is approx 190F I would think that the trans fluid temps would leave the radiator around 200F - 250F .... If this is the case then I wonder how these coolers are rated for heat transfer capacity at various ambient temps?

The sales info doesn't really tell you any of that info on these billet type coolers.... I like the look of them over the tube/fin style....
 
#14 ·
#17 ·
abdiver7777 said:
Your link doesn't provide the company info......

Now I'm curious to record temperatures before I install one of these.....and then after.....

I assume that the proper piping is to install the supplemental cooler after the radiator... If the coolant temp is approx 190F I would think that the trans fluid temps would leave the radiator around 200F - 250F .... If this is the case then I wonder how these coolers are rated for heat transfer capacity at various ambient temps?

The sales info doesn't really tell you any of that info on these billet type coolers.... I like the look of them over the tube/fin style....
Click to expand...
The wagon is running a remote cooler that is mounted to the pass. side frame rail. It's not even in the air stream from the engine fan. It was like that when I bought it. The TH350 has no cooling issues. Even in stop and go traffic. :)
My '00 Monte Carlo SS is running a remote cooler also. The trans cooler in the factory radiator broke down and was causing the engine to overheat. Unplugged the lines to the radiator and added a remote cooler. The engine temp actually dropped about 5 degrees at highway speeds.
Mark
 
#18 ·
What I did

I made my own lines from 5/16" brake line I got at Auto zone, I used 2 5' long pieces, works fine. I also used a coat hanger to bend a pattern before I ever started bending the tubing.Use a good quality 180 degree bender for the tubing some will flatten the tube, doesn't affect the volume but does affect velocity. I went to the pull-a-part junk yard and got an old trans cooler off of a Chevy Suburban and plumbed it in series so the trans fluid goes through it first and then into the radiator ( I wanted to take heat out before it got to the radiator). I use a 2500 stall converter so I thought and still do that this was a good idea to use both.

Joe bowtie-trifive
 
#19 ·
Since you are using an external cooler the lines will be special to fit. I would use NiCopp which you can buy at Advance Auto, Pep Boys, Summit Racing. This stuff is easy to bend & flare, looks good and shouldn't rust. A 25' roll can be bought for around $50 or less. I used 3/8" to replace my neighbors Explorer trans lines as well as my 57 fuel lines. It sells in 5/16" and 1/4" as well.
 
#20 ·
X2 on the NiCopp tubing Duke :):tu
 
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