4L60E smoking when towing

[upper_tanker]

It would be a mistake to install hose where double-wall seamless steel tubing works just fine.

I have a 40k# cooler that I bought for it that's not installed yet.

I currently have the stock radiator cooler, stock aux cooler, and an aftermarket ahc cooler. The aftermarket aux cooler is just rubber hose to Barb's and is janky as ****. I had one line blow off on me already, which may or may not have been my fault

I have a ton of time into researching this. My dad usually has to replace one or two cooler lines every year in at least one of the plow trucks in his fleet. Granted, those endure more winter weather than mine hopefully ever will, but the general consensus on pretty much every forum that I've read online says that -an swap for oil/trans hoses are far superior to the stock lines if done correctly with quality parts.

I also thought about doing the oil cooler line since I will probably have left over hose. I've actually been procrastinating because it seems like a giant pain in the ass. I figured I'd wait until winter

 

[Schurkey]

Hose has a shorter service life, is more expensive, and is more-sensitive to routing problems than double-wall seamless steel tubing. IF (big IF) there's little relative movement between the parts connected, steel tubing is more reliable than hose.

IF there's relative movement between the parts, hose is needed, but use the minimum amount for a reliable connection, and keep the rest of it steel tubing.

A trans will roll with engine torque, but the steel tubing is so long that normal trans movement isn't a problem.




Most (not all) trans cooler tubes are 5/16 tubing. Going to 3/8 has some benefits--especially if it's not choked back down to 5/16 at the connections.

 

[df2x4]

For what it's worth, I converted to -6 AN hoses and fittings for my entire transmission cooling system back when I did my 4L80E swap in the red truck. It hasn't leaked a drop or caused any issues. I don't doubt that steel tubing is more durable, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend AN hose to anyone thinking of going that route. The one thing you do need to look out for is anything that could potentially rub against the hose like wiring, the braided stainless exterior will chew it up if they rub.

 

[upper_tanker]

For what it's worth, I converted to -6 AN hoses and fittings for my entire transmission cooling system back when I did my 4L80E swap in the red truck. It hasn't leaked a drop or caused any issues. I don't doubt that steel tubing is more durable, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend AN hose to anyone thinking of going that route. The one thing you do need to look out for is anything that could potentially rub against the hose like wiring, the braided stainless exterior will chew it up if they rub.

I was hoping you would chime in, as I'm still contemplating doing this.

I guess my biggest reason for doing it is the 40k# cooler that I have sitting around waiting to go in. As opposed to using regular rubber hose, I was going to go the AN route. How could I get the steel trans cooler line made for the entire system with my new cooler installed? If there's even a company that would make them for me, I wonder how much it would even cost vs. the AN line route?

Also, as far as the life of AN is concerned, I really only drive this thing maybe 100 miles every month or two, and it does not get driven in the winter. I'm almost positive that AN would last the rest of the vehicle's (or my time with it, at least) life the way that I drive it. I was looking for a worry free, as-perminant-as-possible solution. Now I don't know what to do. LOL

 

[df2x4]

How could I get the steel trans cooler line made for the entire system with my new cooler installed? If there's even a company that would make them for me, I wonder how much it would even cost vs. the AN line route?

I'm no help on that, sorry. I didn't even think of it as an option when I was doing my swap. I'm interested to hear others' opinions though. I seem to recall someone here mentioning that agricultural mechanics like you'd find at a tractor dealer would have the equipment necessary to make steel tube lines with the appropriate fittings. I have no idea what it would cost, though.

Admittedly going to AN with braided stainless hose is pretty expensive. I just looked over the parts list in my swap thread and added up all the parts related to the AN lines and fittings, it came out to $459. I'm sure you could probably get steel tube lines made for cheaper than that if you could find someone to do it, but I'm also pretty sure that you could go AN for much cheaper than I did. I used really nice PTFE lined bradied stainless hose from Russell and fittings from Russell and Vibrant Performance, all of which are pretty pricey. I also bought a 50' roll of the hose, which turned out to be way more than I needed.

 

[upper_tanker]

I'm no help on that, sorry. I didn't even think of it as an option when I was doing my swap. I'm interested to hear others' opinions though. I seem to recall someone here mentioning that agricultural mechanics like you'd find at a tractor dealer would have the equipment necessary to make steel tube lines with the appropriate fittings. I have no idea what it would cost, though.

Admittedly going to AN with braided stainless hose is pretty expensive. I just looked over the parts list in my swap thread and added up all the parts related to the AN lines and fittings, it came out to $459. I'm sure you could probably get steel tube lines made for cheaper than that if you could find someone to do it, but I'm also pretty sure that you could go AN for much cheaper than I did. I used really nice PTFE lined bradied stainless hose from Russell and fittings from Russell and Vibrant Performance, all of which are pretty pricey. I also bought a 50' roll of the hose, which turned out to be way more than I needed.

I believe we had a pretty in-depth back-and-fourth conversation about this in one of my previous threads. I don't mind paying that much money for quality parts that I know will last, especially from a brand like Russell. I think that my issue with having a company make me steel lines is that it would be a big pain in the ass unless they had the vehicle and could make and install them at the location. I imagine trying to give them dimensions and bends of the line without them being able to measure/test fit the lines themselves would be a nightmare.

Trust me, I'd love to just tell them what I want to do and just have them make me a set of lines knowing that they will fit the first time around. I just don't have the patience or the time to make a ton of calls/trips back to them to have them the correct length/dimension. LOL

 

[alpinecrick]

Steel line is more durable. Steel line flows better than flexible line because their is less friction with the steel (or any metal for that matter) than any composite material.

Of course there are places where flex line is the best/only option.

 

[wheelman]

First off, I thought I posted this issue here before but if I did, I can't find it.

97 2 door Tahoe, 4x4, info is in my sig. I had the trans built by a reputable builder near me. My rebuild receipt says:
5 pinion R. Planet
street shift kit
Corvette servo
Kevlar band
Beast sunshell
HD Z pack 8 clu. 3-4 upgrade
2000 stall

I didn't do any towing with this vehicle before the rebuild, so I don't know if it did it before.

It doesn't matter if I'm towing an empty open 12'x6.5' trailer, or a 3500 lb camper. After towing it any speed, in 3rd or OD, I am getting smoking coming from the trans. I look under it, and there is fluid all over the rear half of the trans. I'm assuming fluid is blowing out from somewhere. The vehicle doesn't lack any power when I'm towing. Trans temps stays between 135-165 all of the time, no matter what I'm towing, how hot the outside temp is, or what gear I'm in. This is viewed using BAFX OBD2 bluetooth device and dashcommand.

I have checked the fluid numerous times before and after towing, and it's always full or near it. I've also pulled the vent hose off the top of the trans and blew it out.

Any idea what my issue is or what to check next? One of these days if/when I have time, I'd like to spray the trans down and clean it so there's no fluid on it, then go for a drive towing something and check it right after to see if I can pinpoint where it's leaking at.

Ml60E. You screwed up. Rebuilders do not know this trans. You just burned it up. I would never tow anything with my trans and a Chevy trans man. At a Chevy dealer did mind. They are defective and weak.

 

[upper_tanker]

Ml60E. You screwed up. Rebuilders do not know this trans. You just burned it up. I would never tow anything with my trans and a Chevy trans man. At a Chevy dealer did mind. They are defective and weak.

Huh?

Just to clarify, you're saying I burned it up just by towing something with it?

 

[Schurkey]

How hard can it be to get steel cooler tubes? Even making them from scratch wouldn't take more than a roll of tubing, a tubing bender, and a flaring set.

Probably easier to get OEM tubes as a starting point, and just modify to suit.