Alright, So I may change my transmission cooler lines. They are a bit rusted out, but not leaking yet. Is there any threads or guides out there to assist with the changing?.. Any special procedure? This may sound very newbie like, but does auto trans. fluid run through these lines or engine coolant?
Thanks
------------------ Richard 1985 Fiero SE V6 1986 Fiero GT
[This message has been edited by Bluearmz (edited 05-03-2012).]
Any rubber need trans oil rated hose. (Hot oil will eat some hose stock.)
Metal line, need a bender to help stop crimping kicks etc.
Get that at most auto parts places. tools get at harbor freight etc.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
You can get coated brake lines at places like Advance Auto Parts. You don't need bending tools for these lines. They are dark green in color. I flare the ends and used rubber tranny lines to make the connections. Oh, and I doubled clamped them.
Last Friday I was cruising home and heard a small pop. I look into my rear view and see a window of white smoke. I thought I blew a antifreeze cooling hose. I pull over and flames shoot out of the driverside vent. I grabbed my extenguisher and opened the Rear Hood and put it out.
Turns out what I thought was a cooling hose was a burst transmission cooling hose that sprayed the entire engine with transmission fluid and almost exploded in flames. It was SCARY. Thank god I had the extenguisher with me, otherwise it would have burnt to the ground. THe only thing that was slighly melted was the plastic clip on wire harness covering that needed to be replaced anyways.
I caught a ride to the PeP boys and fixed it within an hour on the side of the Hwy and was back on my way home.
THE WORST of it all was driving home with, Transmission fluid, extinguisher power, Simple Green and a little Antifreeze to wash it off, burning off the engine the whole way home. I was SO embarrassed that people were looking at me thinking "There's another ON FIRE Fiero". Especially when it could have happened to any car. Not a Fiero only thing. LOL!
Sounds like a close call!!! Sorry that happened to you.... So I think I am going to buy the lines that they sell at the fiero store. Is this something I can do myself without a lift and all?... I do pretty much all the work on my car except major engine and transmission work.
Is the Fiero Store Kit easy to install??
------------------ Richard 1985 Fiero SE V6 1986 Fiero GT
It's pretty easy with the FS kit. You'll have to do some wrangling with them, as they are not exact. You'll probably just cut the lines to get them out, but try to preserve as big of sections as you can so you can use them as reference to tweak your new lines to fit right.
I know this is a really old thread but I'm guesting more people have had to deal with this since 2012. I just purchased new cooler lines from the FS. So I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to install them. I don't think it's even possible without major disassembly. Any ideas?
I hope that you are using only transmission oil cooler line for the connection at the transmission. It is made to take the chemicals in transmission fluid. Regular fuel line will deteriorate with time. As for replacing the lines, they do make a number of bends and they can be difficult to reproduce. If you make your measurements and cuts precise, they will fit.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
One of the tranny cooler lines blew out on the highway. I pulled over once I saw the white smoke trail and saw tranny fluid gushing out of the line right in front of the rear wheel. There was no notice at all, never even leaked a drop before it blew. I do almost all my repair work myself but after looking at the lines, i decided to bring it to a local shop. I ordered up the FS stainless steel lines. Was a little disappointed in the workmanship of the shop but to be honest, it wasn't an easy job. Two techs spent about 5 hours and that was using a lift! I'm sure it could be done at home but you have to decide what your time is worth and how much aggravation you want to put yourself through That said, the FS stainless lines are good quality and should outlast the car....
Yeah, I could see it taking a while to do. I used a combination of coated brake line (see previous post) and rubber tranny lines. Took a couple of hours at home. Not that bad really.
Connecting new cooler lines - Can anyone tell me which way fluid flows through the tranny cooler (86 GT)? Input at the top of the cooler, output at the bottom? I should have taken notes but I thought it would be easy to find on PFF. In the photos below, "A" goes to the cooler so I just need to know the direction tranny oil flows through the cooler - top to bottom or bottom to top?
[This message has been edited by jwalker (edited 07-12-2015).]
It really makes no difference which way you hook them up on the transmission. Keep the loop in the one hose.
I have read that the radiator is cooler on the outlet side than on the inlet side. If this is so then it would make sense to follow the coolant flow pattern with the trans oil lines. I will measure the temps at the radiator top and bottom this week to see if there is a difference, if it is significant. or if this info is inaccurate. Just for reference, on my Fiero the trans oil leaves the Champion radiator internal trans cooler at about 140*F. This would appear to be safe operation for the 4t65eHD.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Resurrecting an old thread. Does anyone know what the "loop" is for on the tranny cooler liner near the engine? I had a shop replace my lines and they eliminated the rubber hose loop.
------------------ 1984 Indy Fiero
[This message has been edited by ag9123 (edited 03-18-2016).]
I'm guessing here, but the trans lines are secured to the frame, while the transmission is attached to the cradle, and then the frame via rubber mounts. The transmission will wiggle around, and a loop in the line would be the best way to prevent stress.
Has the Transmission fluid CHANGED all that much ? for the past 50 years most of us have been using Rubber Fuel line to connect transmission steel Lines, with no ill effects. Trans lines Don't hold "a lot of pressure" compared to a fuel injection hose or hydraulic hose.
The reason I asked is because one line has the rubber loop (12"?) while the other line just has a short rubber hose between the cooler line and the fitting in the trans. Both lines move with the engine the same amount.
Has the Transmission fluid CHANGED all that much ? for the past 50 years most of us have been using Rubber Fuel line to connect transmission steel Lines, with no ill effects. Trans lines Don't hold "a lot of pressure" compared to a fuel injection hose or hydraulic hose.
It has little to do with pressure. Fuel line is rated for 40 degrees C, which is less than half the temp of normal transmission fluid and about a third the temp of genuinely hot fluid. Using the wrong hose for the wrong application is asking for an expensive repair bill, never mind a fire like the OP.
[This message has been edited by thesameguy (edited 03-19-2016).]
For an emergency repair to get you home safely I have used rubber fuel line if I didn't have anything else, but I also try to change it to the right rubber lines as soon as possible. In some cases I have been lucky enough to have a set of compression fittings on trany lines if it was a rust threw issue with a short section of brake line to go past the rot section, but the best way is replace all the line front to back, steel and rubber. As someone else said the loops are for stress relief in case something moves to prevent those lines from being stressed or worse ripped out of where it is. You see the same thing on brake master cylinders, just a safety thing.
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Several years ago I blew a line in my truck coming back from the Carlisle Swap Meet. I managed to get it to an Auto Zone where I did a temporary parking lot repair using steel line with a 3" piece of hose and 4 hose clamps. My line was broke off at the radiator. Bending that line in the parking lot with minimal tools was a b itch .
[This message has been edited by Thunderstruck GT (edited 03-22-2016).]
