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I never seem to be able to get the search function to work very well and I know this has probably been asked and answered a dozen times or more but...
I bought trans cooler lines from ILT months ago for my 70 442 convertible I installed them on the Turbo 400 with no major issues when i put the engine and trans back in the frame. Today I installed the radiator and when I went to hook up the cooler lines - not even close. The bottom one is probably an inch short but at least pointing in the correct general direction. The top one is not even close! It's probably two inches short and a good three to four inches below the connection on the rad. I don't see any way to modify them to make them fit.
Has anyone had any recent experience with a supplier who actually makes these lines that fit? Thanks for any help
I bought trans cooler lines from ILT many years ago for my '70 CS rag top. The stainless cooler lines fit perfectly. I will say that I have had issues with ITL and their affiliated companies, Motorcitysupercars and Motrocitymusclecars on many other replacement part items. There are 2 different trans cooler lines that ITL and their related companies offer on eBay; one for the TH350 and one for the TH400. Perhaps you received the wrong pair of lines. I'd guess that the TH350 lines are shorter. The configuration of the two different sets of lines looks totally different too.
What is the distance between the fittings on your radiator? I checked with a 1970 radiator that has the fill cap almost level and its around 12" between the fittings. Then a 1971 radiator with the cap looking like a 45 degree angle and its more like 8" between them. Here's some pictures of what I'm describing. Do you think this could be the difference your encountering?
OK, I read back through your post and understand they're also short. Do you have them in the factory clip as they go under the side of the engine? Can you post some pictures for us of how it looks in your car?
You have the wrong cooler lines. 2blu's pics show the difference in radiator hookup spreads. Since your upper line is 3 - 4 inches below the radiator connection, you need the wider spread cooler line - which is shown in pic #1 in his post.
Tom's Cutlass - I checked my records and I did order the right lines. What they shipped - who knows
2blu442 - As always you come through with the best information. My rad looks exactly like your top picture. Cap is almost flat, the top line mounts just below the top of the tank and it is just over 12 inches centerline to centerline on the connectors.
Hairy Olds - Thanks. I found your comments on Eric's (I think) thread when he had exactly the same issue on his W30. I have already called Right Stuff but they are out of stock on both OE steel and stainless and have not been able to give an estimate of when they will have them again. Something about the fittings not being available.
By doing some "rearranging" I did get the bottom to fit. The top I can get real close but I know its wrong and it really bugs me. I have easy access since the fenders are off and I may be able to force it but I have a couple of concerns. One is just the pressure it will put on the fittings. The other is that it will pull the core support back just enough at the top that I am going to have fender alignment issues when I try to put them back on.
After several calls, ILT has agreed to replace them. At one point they did tell me that there were two different styles. They described them as 7 inch and ten inch. Although they weren't clear about it, I'm assuming the difference is what 2blu shows in his pics - essentially the difference in the length of the vertical rise up along the rad. It will be interesting to see what I get
I thought I would add an update and maybe help others out a little. After much discussion, ILT agreed to send me a new set of lines. Unfortunately, what I received was exactly what I already had so it was of no use at all.
Following up on Hairy Olds comments, I checked with Right Stuff Detailing and when they were back in stock, ordered a set. I got them yesterday and while I have not yet put them on the car. they appear to solve all of the issues I had with the ILT lines. In a side by side comparison, both lines are about an inch longer. The one running to the top rad fitting rises about an additional inch or so and the angle is different. By eyeball, they look like they will fit perfectly.
I will never buy brake, fuel or trans lines from ILT again. Right Stuff will get all of that business going forward.
Just be sure you got them for a 70. The 71 and 72 have the upper port in the radiator lower. Even at that I got a set for ILT and thought I had the wrong thing. I got a second set for the right stuff and you could not tell a difference in them. I then got out a set of originals (that I should have done first) and check them. Both ILT and Right Stuff were just like the factory. Here is what they look like when installed if you have the correct lines. I did have to bend the top line a little but the bend was back at the "C" clip in the picture.
Just switched out the trans cooler lines. The Right Stuff lines were an almost perfect fit. The required just a little tweaking but basically went right in. I highly recommend them.
September 2nd, 2017, 04:54 PM
