Transmission cooler install- Pictures
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2005
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Transmission cooler install- Pictures 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.
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.
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.
Last edited by CBX; Jan 8, 2006 at 12:14 PM.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
Likes: 2,557
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Very nice. 
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.
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.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 332
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Originally Posted by RPM WS6
Very nice.
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.
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.
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