Transmission cooler install- Pictures
#1
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Do it once, do it right. I keep hearing of all the leaks and problems people are having with transmission coolers with hoses and barbed fittings. I don't want to worry about it once I do it. The factory cooler lines are hard piped, and permanent, plus they help to dissipate heat, so shouldn't the aftermarket cooler be the same? Here's how I did mine.
I bought some 1/2 mild steel flat stock from Home Depot and bent it up to the width of the a/c condenser coil.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00992.jpg)
I then placed the metal braces in place on the condenser coil, placed the cooler over them, and marked the mounting holes. I then drilled them out to the diameter of the bolts I was using.
I then cut the heads off the bolts and TIG welded the bolt to the straps I made.
I then mounted the cooler to the condenser coil using lock nuts.
Finally, I bent the 3/8" hard lines (in this case brake lines) flared the ends and installed the new lines.
Add some fluid and that's it. Took me the afternoon and it's done right.
I bought some 1/2 mild steel flat stock from Home Depot and bent it up to the width of the a/c condenser coil.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00992.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00993.jpg)
I then placed the metal braces in place on the condenser coil, placed the cooler over them, and marked the mounting holes. I then drilled them out to the diameter of the bolts I was using.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00995.jpg)
I then cut the heads off the bolts and TIG welded the bolt to the straps I made.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00996.jpg)
I then mounted the cooler to the condenser coil using lock nuts.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC00997.jpg)
Finally, I bent the 3/8" hard lines (in this case brake lines) flared the ends and installed the new lines.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC01006.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/steve7h/DSC01002.jpg)
Add some fluid and that's it. Took me the afternoon and it's done right.
Last edited by CBX; 01-08-2006 at 12:14 PM.
#4
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Very nice. ![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
However, the factory does use rubber lines/clamps as well on one hard line going out of the cooler and back to the trans. It's a flare end on the hard line going to the rubber hose. That is where I spliced into mine for the aftermaket cooler. Then I put a barbed fitting to splice the other end (bought a better fitting than what came with the kit, made a much tigher fit into the hose) and the cooler already came with flare fittings for its input/outputs. I used 5/16" Goodyear hose (Goodyear is a lot thicker on the outside than other brands of 5/16" trans hose is, allowing greater clamping force without bottoming out the clamp) and fuel injection clamps to hold all the lines together. Bascially I scrapped all the worm gear clamps and the crap 11/32" hose that came with the B&M kit and used better hardware.
Never had any leaks doing it that way, ever. On the other hand, I used to have leaking issues when I used the 11/32" hose over the factory hard line (too big) or the worm gear clamps. I think those two items are what cause most people to devlope leaks.
![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
However, the factory does use rubber lines/clamps as well on one hard line going out of the cooler and back to the trans. It's a flare end on the hard line going to the rubber hose. That is where I spliced into mine for the aftermaket cooler. Then I put a barbed fitting to splice the other end (bought a better fitting than what came with the kit, made a much tigher fit into the hose) and the cooler already came with flare fittings for its input/outputs. I used 5/16" Goodyear hose (Goodyear is a lot thicker on the outside than other brands of 5/16" trans hose is, allowing greater clamping force without bottoming out the clamp) and fuel injection clamps to hold all the lines together. Bascially I scrapped all the worm gear clamps and the crap 11/32" hose that came with the B&M kit and used better hardware.
Never had any leaks doing it that way, ever. On the other hand, I used to have leaking issues when I used the 11/32" hose over the factory hard line (too big) or the worm gear clamps. I think those two items are what cause most people to devlope leaks.
#5
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Originally Posted by RPM WS6
Very nice. ![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
However, the factory does use rubber lines/clamps as well on one hard line going out of the cooler and back to the trans. It's a flare end on the hard line going to the rubber hose. That is where I spliced into mine for the aftermaket cooler. Then I put a barbed fitting to splice the other end (bought a better fitting than what came with the kit, made a much tigher fit into the hose) and the cooler already came with flare fittings for its input/outputs. I used 5/16" Goodyear hose (Goodyear is a lot thicker on the outside than other brands of 5/16" trans hose is, allowing greater clamping force without bottoming out the clamp) and fuel injection clamps to hold all the lines together. Bascially I scrapped all the worm gear clamps and the crap 11/32" hose that came with the B&M kit and used better hardware.
Never had any leaks doing it that way, ever. On the other hand, I used to have leaking issues when I used the 11/32" hose over the factory hard line (too big) or the worm gear clamps. I think those two items are what cause most people to devlope leaks.
![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
However, the factory does use rubber lines/clamps as well on one hard line going out of the cooler and back to the trans. It's a flare end on the hard line going to the rubber hose. That is where I spliced into mine for the aftermaket cooler. Then I put a barbed fitting to splice the other end (bought a better fitting than what came with the kit, made a much tigher fit into the hose) and the cooler already came with flare fittings for its input/outputs. I used 5/16" Goodyear hose (Goodyear is a lot thicker on the outside than other brands of 5/16" trans hose is, allowing greater clamping force without bottoming out the clamp) and fuel injection clamps to hold all the lines together. Bascially I scrapped all the worm gear clamps and the crap 11/32" hose that came with the B&M kit and used better hardware.
Never had any leaks doing it that way, ever. On the other hand, I used to have leaking issues when I used the 11/32" hose over the factory hard line (too big) or the worm gear clamps. I think those two items are what cause most people to devlope leaks.