Hooking up a Trans Cooler Q.

flt-blk · January 05, 2005, 12:08:25 PM

I have a bare TH350 and an aftermarket transmission cooler. The
transmission doesn't even have fittings on the in and out lines.

Question:
What type of pressure comes out of the transmission? Do I need to use hard line or can I use soft line in and out of the cooler?

HotRodLadyCrusr · January 05, 2005, 02:09:28 PM

Big Olds has a 400TH and has a soft line.

phat rat · January 05, 2005, 04:22:24 PM

Quote from: "flt-blk"I have a bare TH350 and an aftermarket transmission cooler. The
transmission doesn't even have fittings on the in and out lines.

Question:
What type of pressure comes out of the transmission? Do I need to use hard line or can I use soft line in and out of the cooler?

Depends on your comfort level. Also what does the cooler take? When I first put my cpe together it was hardlined from tranny to radiator. Now I've got a cooler back near the rear-end and it has barb fittings so it's hardlined to the cooler then a short piece of rubber hose connecting them. The more hardline the less trouble your apt too have down the road. My .02

GPster · January 05, 2005, 04:38:55 PM

The pressure isn't the only thing to be concerned about. That fluid can be very hot. There are rubber lines up to the task and gas line isn't one of them. A good parts store can point you towards a product that is up to the application but it's more than what you have laying around. GPster

Dr Flowgood · January 05, 2005, 08:52:32 PM

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There isnt much pressure in the trans cooler lines (at least on the chevy stuff Ive messed with) it flows through the cooler then dumps back in to the pan. Unless your return line is restricted its pretty low pressure.

BUT , like mentioned its hot stuff and it is flamable too. Id do it in as much hard line as you could. if it was me.

Doug

Crosley.In.AZ · January 05, 2005, 09:37:08 PM

depending on a variety of things...

if the tranny has a shift improvement kit , engine vacuum , easy throttle or hard throttle....

Coooler line pressure runs from 20 to 60 psi

flt-blk · January 06, 2005, 09:18:49 AM

It's a stock transmission, and hopefully only in the car for a year until I
get the big motor built with a 5sp.

It looks like I should hard line it to the cooler with a short length of soft line to prevent vibration damage to the cooler. I will be careful on my selection of hi-temp hose too.

Thanks for all the input.
TZ

Dave · January 06, 2005, 05:38:01 PM

Quote from: "flt-blk"It's a stock transmission, and hopefully only in the car for a year until I
get the big motor built with a 5sp.

It looks like I should hard line it to the cooler with a short length of soft line to prevent vibration damage to the cooler. I will be careful on my selection of hi-temp hose too.

Thanks for all the input.
TZ

I did my 32 with braided stainless lines but the cooler is close to the tranny. I did a lot of planning on a mount and stuff before i did it and it seems to work fine. I do have exhaust running parallel with the cooler so I made a heat shield out of 1/8 aluminum plate to go behind the cooler..
Dave

Crosley.In.AZ · January 06, 2005, 07:47:50 PM

Quote from: "flt-blk"It's a stock transmission, and hopefully only in the car for a year until I
get the big motor built with a 5sp.

It looks like I should hard line it to the cooler with a short length of soft line to prevent vibration damage to the cooler. I will be careful on my selection of hi-temp hose too.

Thanks for all the input.
TZ

======== most parts stores like Car Quest, NAPA or similar will have a 5/16 inch hydraulic hose.

This hose will take the chemicals in the tranny fluid and the pressure

Pope Downunder · January 10, 2005, 05:17:01 AM

Quote from: "flt-blk"I have a bare TH350 and an aftermarket transmission cooler. The
transmission doesn't even have fittings on the in and out lines.

Question:
What type of pressure comes out of the transmission? Do I need to use hard line or can I use soft line in and out of the cooler?

A mate of mine just lost a rubber hose on his TH350. Apart from the obvious mess, it damaged the trans, and caused a small fire; a real mess.

If you use rubber hydraulic hose make sure it is the right type, and carefully routed and secured.

BTW the threads on the transmission case are special, parallel type, not tapered.

Personnally, I prefer to run as much of the solid line as possible, with just flexible connection between the vibrating bits and the chassis mounted bits. It is a little more work.

Glen · January 10, 2005, 08:45:33 PM

there is a company called "Gotta Show" they make a bunch of products, but I have been using their trans cooler line kits, they have steel braided lines with AN fittings (not red or blue) and a short hard line at the trans.

They work great and you can cut to fit.

enjenjo · January 10, 2005, 09:38:16 PM

One thing to remember, rubber is an excellent insulator, so using it will hold heat in until it gets to the cooler. Steel line will disapate a certain amount of heat going and coming .

1939coupe · January 11, 2005, 12:07:28 PM

I have a TH400 in my coupe and used soft Hyd. line to connect my cooler and have had NO problems. Just make sure it's Hyd. line not Fule line.

48builder · January 11, 2005, 12:21:02 PM

I am using a GM 4L60E (or whatever it is) tranny from my '95 Z28 donor car. The wrecking yard owner tells me that it can sometimes be bad to run a tranny coooler because the fluid can get TOO cool, which is bad for the tranny.

I was thinking about using a radiator with no internal cooler, and the use a seperate tranny cooler, but do I run the risk of the fluid being too cool? I never heard this before.

Is there a guideline for sizing a tranny cooler?

Thanks,

Walt

BELLM · January 11, 2005, 01:06:02 PM

Hey Tyler e-mail me your address and I will send you a pair of fittings for the tranny for hard lines. Eddie_Bell@msn.com.