Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Long story short awhile back my radiator busted. I replaced it with an aluminum radiator for FBodies only to find that the new radiator would not accept my transmission lines. They would not thread. Just turned and turned and turned. In short I went with the solution of an external transmission cooler and mounted it between my radiator and condensor ... I started thinking back this might not be the best place as I realized the radiator would probably get too hot for the cooler to be effective. I also spliced the rubber lines into the existing rubber lines on the pressure side using a nipple and clamps. It lasted one day. I was on the interstate heading to work the pressure side broke free and spilled transmission fluid everywhere and before I realized what happened my engine was revving in place while in drive... Meaning I was slowly just slowing down. I'm on the shoulder of the highway waiting for a tow truck as we speak but all the fluid is gone and the motor was revving in place when I stopped. Is my tranny and converter finished?

JOHNNY59

iTrader: (398)

in short and I know it's not what you want to hear, but yes!

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

I had a trans line break on me once on a honda, I fixed the leak and re-filled and continued to drive it till I sold that one like a year later, trans never gave me an issue after fixing that line. but for me it was low speed pulling into work when it happened.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Yeah. I was afraid of this. I just invested $800 in parts getting it back on the road too. The new radiator, New turn one power steering pump, New braided power steering lines with AN fittings. Replaced the alternator and everything was perfect no leaks no sign of any issues and then this....

What would have been the best way to handle the transmission lines?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

I had this exact same thing happen to me going from Orlando to lauderdale........

I rolled off an off-ramp and into a gas station.....engine would just rev. I fixed the hose with a new clamp......filled my 4L80E with fluid.....took forever to fill it up.

It drove off normally and I finished about another 80 miles to lauderdale. Tranny seemd fine and lasted another couple years.


Fill that sucker back up after fixing the hose.....at least see what happens, it might be fine. If theres no fluid in the tranny and converter......the tranny internals could be fine....could be........

And get the cooler out in front of the condensor....NOT leaning against it though.

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LLave

iTrader: (3)

Meh, i will give it a solid maybe. Fix the line properly and fill it up. See what happens.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

I will do this. I was alittle worried about the position of the cooler but so happy to get my car back on the road I didn't really take action. How should I mount it there though? There's plenty of space but nothing to support it to. How did you do it?

Edit: Oh and another big question is what's the best way to repair the line so this doesn't happen again? Are braided lines with AN Fittings going to be necessary?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Remember, its gonna take a long time and a lot of fluid to fill the tranny and converter back up.

Ask someone in the tranny section exactly how much it takes to fill an empty tranny.....BUT there's also some fluid still in there....so don't over-fill it.

The tranny cooler should be mounted so that AFTER the ambient ram air goes through it, the warmed up air has time to mix with other ambient air swirling around and being rammed towards the condensor BEFORE it hits the condensor. To do this, it just needs to be mounted so there are a few inches of space between the cooler and the condensor. This way the hot air coming off the cooler doesn't cause a hot spot (area) on the condensor and radiator. That hot spot makes that (area) useless for cooling capacity and means everything will run hotter. Your A/C won't work as good and your coolant temp will rise.

Two bolts
Two metal sleeve spacers
Drill two holes
Mount it
(10 minutes, you're done)

I have only rubber hoses on mine...16 years now.....they don't come off. Use two clamps also, not one......back up in case one lets go. Inspect weekly.

Yes....metal braided is the way to go. A shop here quoted me like $200.00 total parts and labor to make all my tranny lines metal. With all welded on metal fittings. Im doing it soon.....

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Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Awsome thanks for the info there. I am going to remount it the way you described. Hoping to god my transmission survived, I'll be finding out this afternoon. I took it to a transmission shop and requested that they replace with metal lines because, well..lesson is this is too important of an area to skimp around on... If my transmission didn't survive though, should I get a mild stall converter and anything else I can do to my transmission to make it stronger when I have it rebuilt?

budgetbuilder

As far as clamps go you should use the fuel injection clamps not the worm gear clamps do to the amount of pressure through the lines. I would fill it back up and go from there. The worst that can happen is you find out your tranny is toast.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Well. It survived.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Sweet man....so the tranny is operating normally....?

Make sure the tranny shop does a FULL metal line set up though......metal fittings too. Meaning no more rubber anywhere....no clamps anywhere.

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JOHNNY59

iTrader: (398)

good to hear, but for how long?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

The faster the tranny fluid poured out....the better it is for the tranny.

Mine lasted two years after that happened to me. And I just decided to have a rebuild done at the two year point because it was getting ready. I dont think any real damage occurred....no fluid, no tranny spin, no damage can happen. Its the guys that have a slipping tranny or low on fluid and have low pressure and hot fluid causing crappy shifting....that destroys the tranny.

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Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, the transmission shop told me it is shifting normally and they dont feel it slipping or performing abnormally in any way. Of course they cant gauruntee that it will hold up but as of right now it is doing what its supposed to be doing. I'll be seeing first hand tomorrow their solution for the lines. If I see rubber Im going to have to have some custom braided hoses made for both the pressure and return side.

Im unsure, I feel like I may have taken a good chunk of its already high mileage life out of it. My trans has over 180k on it. I just hope it holds out long enough to give me an opportunity to have it rebuilt.

I only need about a year more out of it then I can have it rebuilt the way I want to have it rebuilt. Mild stall, built to handle 500 HP.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Well...don't let people sell you a ridiculous package of parts just to handle 500 HP.

I had 500 RWHP/500 RWTQ from 2002-2012 with my 427ci. My friend rebuilt my tranny every 3 years or so. He charged me a grand total each time...including his labor of 6-7 hours to rebuild it each time....$300.00-$350.00....including R&R of the tranny at his shop. It does not take much to make a 4L60E handle 500 HP.

Now if you plan to be launching it at the track a lot....thats different. Or spraying it........ My car was always a 100% street car on street radials and the tranny was great. I would have him rebuild it every 3 years or so just when I felt the smallest little hint of anything wrong. Like if I didn't think it was shifting perfectly or maybe a little strange shift at a different rpm....whatever. It was so cheap every 3 years I just gave it to him on a Saturday morning and he gave it back the same day.

BTW......I still have that same tranny now behind my new 390ci....it hasen't been rebuilt in about 5 years now and its perfect.......

I'm going 4L80E soon......When I do I was planning to give my 4L60E to my friend again....have him rebuild it fresh....then sell it to someone who needs a built 4L60E for a screaming deal.

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