Transmission lines
 

If I'm going to make new transmission lines, can I just make them out of regular steel lines from the parts house like used for brake lines?

I was going to use -6 steel braided lines, but then the new radiator got here and the fittings are on the driver side of the car. Given that, I believe hardlines will be easier to route and mount now.

Thanks,
Brandon

I would not use the "cooler" in the radiator and just get a nice plate style cooler with an fittings and braided line and mount where you want

I don't think brake lines would be large enough.

What should I make the lines out of? I've done a search for 4l60e hard line sizes and I'm not coming up with anything

I have made them out of hydraulic hose, and worked fine, but i prefer the hard line like you get at the parts house,
don't have to worry as much about leaks. I used 3/8 and had no problems.
Just be sure to get the proper fittings.

I use NiCopp almost exclusively for rigid brake, fuel and transmission lines. The stuff is a dream to work and doesn't rust.

I am not a fan of steel braided lines on street cars for several reasons.

The lines on a 4L60E are 3/8" and require a special flare to match the factory fitting. I have a hydraulic tool from Mastercool that does these and several other OEM flares. You can replace the fittings on the transmission side with single flare adapters to use common flare tools then make the lines with NiCopp.
If you are interested in NiCopp for fuel or transmission lines google CNC-625. This is 3/8" NiCopp line in a 25 foot roll.

I am going to be using the cooler in the radiator.. Not sure why this is a bad thing....

I am running -6 braided lines and using npt to AN adapter fittings at the radiator.

Because most on here have older radiators and the "coolers' in the radiators are just tubes running through coolant. Those tubes do deteriorate and bust in turn push coolant through your transmission, taking out the transmission.

The other reason is the "cooler" in the radiator is sitting in coolant that is 180-220 degrees. That's heating up the transmission fluid, not cooling it down. You will see lower tranny temps bypassing the radiator "cooler" and using a nice plate style stand alone.

I agree an aftermarket cooler is a good idea, but if your temps don't get hotter than recommended then you could be fine without one. I also feel that a lot of swaps have people getting new radiators anyways. My cheap ebay has a built in cooler.. I have a 4l80e and my car should weigh less than a truck that it came out of so I won't be doing an external cooler till I have proof that it needs it otherwise its just more money that may be better spent elsewhere.. just a thought.

Go for it,all you need is a cheapo bender,flaring kit and a lot of patience. It is time consuming and you will destroy a couple of pieces as you learn, that is why most people go with braided lines, they can be a lot easier.

Once your tranny heats up, it is HOTTER than coolant. Keep the radiator cooler hooked up and use the external one AFTER the radiator unit. The radiator unit is more efficient than an external unit.

Sorry bud but this is 100% false

Especially if you have a aftermarket converter! I run mine currently through my aftermarket Superior radiator, and then through a stock GM Silverado trans cooler. Even with my Yank SS3600 my fluid never gets over 195* even in the summer, when its 100* outside. If you have ever looked at the Silverado cooler, its a little bitty thing, but it was free, and stock lines came with it, so it went right on.

If you bypassed the radiator you would see temps drop.
195 degrees for a tranny is not exactly cool.

I drove around today on a 95 degree day in 3rd (4400 stall unlocked) and the hottest my tranny temps got were 163 degrees.

BOOM. You nailed it. The coolant helps warm it up, as the engine warms faster than a tranny would, then helps keep it cool once tranny temp starts exceeding coolant temp, which it WILL Tranny temps can exceed 250-300 when working hard if not cooled right.

The stock radiator "cooler" is designed to heat up tranny fluid in cold weather situations. All of us drive our cars in warm weather which the transmission fluid does not need any help heating up.

Imo around 165 degrees cruising around is perfect.
190 degrees before you start bashing on it your temps will exceed 230 degrees which is to high

Hey Slogo,

Do you have a link to the type of fittings I would need to fit into the 4L60E that would allow me to use a regular flare for a 3/8" brake line? Also, according to Griffin website, the fitting on the Radiator are 1/4" NPT. I'm not sure what type of fitting I would have to connect to these in order to run a standard parts store 3/8" line and use be able to use the standard flaring tool I would rent from the parts house. I don't own any other flaring tools so all the lines I'm going to make will have to be done with the rent-a-tool.

Thanks,
Brandon

Well, this thread has kind of gone off the rails, but to the OP, if you are going to hard line the lines, and don't own a decently good quality flaring tool, then do as Gofastwclass said, get a roll of Nicop line, you will thank me. The standard steel line the auto parts stores sell will work fine, but can be a bear to flare, especially with a subpar flaring tool, which is what the free rental you get will be. I always hard line trans lines, I feel they are just better and easier to keep from touching things they aren't supposed to touch, although it is harder to bend them and get them to look nice. As for the fittings, I just go to the junk yard and pull them out of an older transmission, but if you have your original, just take them out of that, then remove the quick connects on your 4l60e and install them, they will thread right in no problem.

This is what I use. Auto parts stores can probably order it but will probably cost more. Another benefit ids you can bend it by hand a lot easier than the steel lines, and if you bend it in the wrong place, can usually un-bend it enough to be able to reuse it, which is difficult at best with steel line.