Trans cooler lines to radiator

Knebel

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So, I just got my American eagle 2 row radiator with 1" tubes. The radiator is a bit slimmer than the standard and it looks like the lines for the trans cooling will be 1" or so too short. How would you guys cheaply extend this without having a flare tool?
 
You could cut off the ends of your lines a bit and then add rubber hose line to connect both ends. While my older cars connect to the radiator with flared ends some of my newer cars stop the metal line several inches before connecting with the radiator outlets. Rubber hose and clamps are used for the last 6-12" depending on line. Now my F100 has an oil cooler so I have rubber lines running between cooler, radiator and back to the transmission. The metal lines were missing, other than stubs, when I got the truck so I simply changed out the lines and then ran them through larger hose as a form of protection as they ran back to the tranny along the frame.
 
Buy a piece of 5/16" brake/fuel line at your local parts store. The kind with the double flares pre-made. Get a short length.

Get two 5/16" compression unions.

Cut the double flares off your old lines and maybe back a couple inches. Cut the new line in half and transfer the nuts from the old line. Use compression fittings to join new line to old line.

You can also just use rubber hose, but you will need to buy hose that won't break down from the trans fluid. The stuff they sell for fuel line will break down... I've seen it... It swells and gets soft. Then it fails at the worst possible time.. Been there.. done that.. So I like to use steel.
 
Hmmm yeah, maybe using 1/8 not barbed fittings in the radiator and then connecting with some hose seems to be a simple swap.

Edit: I have some 5/16 steel line still, do you mean cut off the flare end from the original line, attach that to the radiator,then piece a line in from there to the transmission line with compression fittings? So: radiator flare - comp fitting - steel line -comp fitting- original trans line
 
Buy a piece of 5/16" brake/fuel line at your local parts store. The kind with the double flares pre-made. Get a short length.

Get two 5/16" compression unions.

Cut the double flares off your old lines and maybe back a couple inches. Cut the new line in half and transfer the nuts from the old line. Use compression fittings to join new line to old line.

You can also just use rubber hose, but you will need to buy hose that won't break down from the trans fluid. The stuff they sell for fuel line will break down... I've seen it... It swells and gets soft. Then it fails at the worst possible time.. Been there.. done that.. So I like to use steel.

Just to let you know the lines in the F100 have been there since 2008 and are in fine condition. I see them every week as it is. The rubber lines in the Mazdas and Sable are also fine.

However, your idea to cut the lines and then use compression fittings to join the two halves in excellent!
 
Non-metal tubing and fittings for the AT lines?? NEVER.
100% hard plumbed with flare or compression fittings or nothing,
 
Just to let you know the lines in the F100 have been there since 2008 and are in fine condition. I see them every week as it is. The rubber lines in the Mazdas and Sable are also fine.

However, your idea to cut the lines and then use compression fittings to join the two halves in excellent!
Thanks.

The Cordobas I had years ago had factory rubber hose in the trans lines... and it's great as long as it's replaced with the correct hose. The issue is getting the right hose and most of the knuckleheads at Auto Zone will just sell you the wrong stuff... If they even have the right hose to begin with.

One of the Cordobas had the original lines and they were fine for years. The other.... well, someone replaced them before I got the car. They swelled up and dumped all the trans fluid out one day... Worst possible time... Very sick kid in the car headed to the docs and in the middle of winter. It got worse from there... So.. I really like steel line LOL.
 
Non-metal tubing and fittings for the AT lines?? NEVER.
100% hard plumbed with flare or compression fittings or nothing,

What does your new car use? I have seen many a car from this century using rubber hoses for the transmission lines. Called saving pennies like always.
 
What does your new car use? I have seen many a car from this century using rubber hoses for the transmission lines. Called saving pennies like always.
They also have PLASTIC intake manifolds now. That does not make it "better".
I'm also told my new car doesn't have spark plugs. I wouldn't know. Coming up on 1 year now and I have yet to pop the hood. I don't want to know,
 
Use metal lines, trans fluid can start one hell of a fire when it hits a hot exhaust pipe.
 
I have some 5/16 steel line still, do you mean cut off the flare end from the original line, attach that to the radiator,then piece a line in from there to the transmission line with compression fittings? So: radiator flare - comp fitting - steel line -comp fitting- original trans line

It can be done that way. The way I suggested uses the pre-flared line so it's radiator flare-new steel line-comp fitting-old steel line. Just one compression fitting per line.
 
The new line line looks like this:
3092_st.jpg


Cut that in half. Just be sure to take the nuts off the old line and swap them to the new line BEFORE you tighten the compression fitting.
 
The new line line looks like this:
3092_st.jpg


Cut that in half. Just be sure to take the nuts off the old line and swap them to the new line BEFORE you tighten the compression fitting.
Fantastic! If I don't have some wiggle room to attach the lines how they are, I'll do it that way!
 
IMHO beg ,borrow,or steal a flaring tool,practice using it on some scrap line you will use it again and again.It is one of the satisfying things to put a nice flare on.The less joints you have the less chance you have for a leak.$13.00 bucks at China freight might save ya $20 in atf
 
Where would that loop be located? By the transmission?
lines.jpg


These are for some other Mopar but all Mopars have the same basic shape, if all you need is one inch you should be able to get it in those spots.


Alan
 
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