Tranny line repair
March 7th, 2013, 02:20 PM
#1
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Tranny line repair
while taking replacing my radiator i broke the end of the tranny line that goes to the radiator. what is the best way to repair it? rubber tube or fit the end with a piece of line. or is it just better to replace the line completely?
72 cutlass supreme
350
72 cutlass supreme
350
March 7th, 2013, 02:34 PM
#2
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Location: Fort Pierce, FL
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I think it depends on what you are doing with the car. If you are showing it, a rubber hose spliced in might function, but it would stand out like a sore thumb. A piece of steel tubing flared and replacing a section and would be a better repair might also stand out at a show. But if it just to function for a driver, who cares.
I paid InLIne Tube $75 for a stainless set of lines, regular steel was $65, plus shipping which will bring either to about $100.
I paid InLIne Tube $75 for a stainless set of lines, regular steel was $65, plus shipping which will bring either to about $100.
March 7th, 2013, 03:26 PM
#4
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Location: Northern VA
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You can buy pre-bent trans cooler lines from the usual pre-bent plumbing sources (Inline, Right Stuff, Classic), but they aren't cheap. You can get a length of same-diameter steel brake line and bend your own. Depending on where the break is you can also just replace the short section to the radiator and use a compression fitting to splice it to the remaining original line. The line pressure in the cooler lines isn't very high, so the compression fittings are fine.
March 7th, 2013, 05:48 PM
#5
Old School Olds
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Marble Falls TX
Posts: 8,984
^^^ That will work just fine as Joe mentioned.
if you have enough steel sticking out, then yes,
two Gates 1/4" clamps will work untill you find a more
permanant solution.
If twisted off at the fitting, you will to ferrel or flare the line.
if you have enough steel sticking out, then yes,
two Gates 1/4" clamps will work untill you find a more
permanant solution.
If twisted off at the fitting, you will to ferrel or flare the line.
Last edited by tru-blue 442; March 7th, 2013 at 05:54 PM.
March 8th, 2013, 07:10 AM
#6
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You can buy pre-bent trans cooler lines from the usual pre-bent plumbing sources (Inline, Right Stuff, Classic), but they aren't cheap. You can get a length of same-diameter steel brake line and bend your own. Depending on where the break is you can also just replace the short section to the radiator and use a compression fitting to splice it to the remaining original line. The line pressure in the cooler lines isn't very high, so the compression fittings are fine.
March 8th, 2013, 06:38 PM
#8
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Location: central Indiana
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If you use rubber hose make sure its hose rated for transmission fluid. Most parts store carry transmission cooler installation kits that will have the proper hose. Regular rubber fuel line wont handle the pressure, and quickly deteriorate from the oil.
March 8th, 2013, 08:44 PM
#12
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http://www.harborfreight.com/1-8-eig...ter-92878.html
March 14th, 2013, 01:25 PM
#17
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March 16th, 2013, 01:02 PM
#21
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Make sure the rest of the line is solid enough to be repaired. You said "it was easy to break it when i removed it." If the rest of the line is junk, then you should invest in a complete pair of lines.
March 17th, 2013, 10:47 AM
#22
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I had to do a similar repair to the upper line on my Cutlass. I used a compression fitting just like the one in the pictures on this thread. I bought a length of new stainless tubing and bent it in the shape of the old section, double-flared the radiator end and was good to go. After some driving there was a very small leak, but I cinched it up a bit and has been good so far. When I last checked it, I discovered that now the lower tube is seeping a bit! I'll try cinching that one a bit as well, and see how it goes. Be very careful tightening the fittings that go into the radiator. You don't want to strip those threads. Use the hands of a surgeon! A professional mechanic friend of mine said it's not unusual for new repairs to leak due to vibration, etc. Especially with new fittings going into new threads on your radiator. Chumley
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