Cooler lines

[dirtautoguy]

several years ago I installed a trans cooler on my 1996 K1500 with a 4l60e. I can’t remember the part number for the cooler but I know it’s bigger than stock.

My truck came with the cooler in the radiator. I added this cooler and ran the lines so it goes into the radiator cooler and then to the aux cooler and back to the trans.

This has worked great for many years however I noticed that it had started to leak as I had used rubber hose and nipples to add the cooler. I had room to cut the bad part of the hose and put a fresh piece of hose back on the nipple.

This will work for now however I would like a more robust plumbing system for the auxiliary cooler but I’m not sure what my options are? I’m fairly certain there are cooler lines for stock trucks that would fit and still run trans-radiator-aux cooler but I’m not sure which lines those are? And if this would be a better option?

Any ideas? Thanks

 

[df2x4]

Does your AUX cooler have threaded ports? If so you could go with flexible AN lines and fittings.

 

[dirtautoguy]

They are threaded. I’m pretty sure it’s a b&m cooler with 1/2 npt threads.

After some research I really like the idea of an fittings. I’m thinking stainless steel would be sturdier than nylon but I also read somewhere that’s not true can someone elaborate on this?

I don’t care much for shiny or bling. I mean I want it to look neat and organized but it doesn’t need to be flashy.

 

[df2x4]

I went with Russell ProFlex -6AN line which has a braided stainless exterior. One thing I did not think about at the time was that the braided stainless lines are abrasive, you need to be careful where you route them and what they're up against. If I were to do it again I'd probably go with a nylon exterior, something like the Russell ProClassic or ProClassic 2.

 

[Hutchinson]

X2 on the braided hose/ AN fittings,.... I put the TruCool 40k cooler up front of radiator,.....took out the small stock trans cooler and used those brackets (had to cut/ modify them) to mount the 40K. Bypassed the radiator and ran 6AN from tranny, straight to the 40K.
To fit the 40k up there, you have to test fit it (repeatedly), to know where/ how to cut the stock small trans cooler brackets,... it’s a tight squeeze, but it fits, without touching our front grill (1/8 to 1/4 inch gap between 40k and grill at top corners). Looks good behind the grill, with braided hoses/ red and blue AN fittings,.....and people ask, WTF is that?

 

[dirtautoguy]

I have decided to go with an fittings as I believe they will be the most durable.

I’ll have to double check but I think since the truck didn’t come with a aux cooler the trans lines are hard lines to the radiator.

I think what I’ll do is go from the hardlines and just replace the rubber lines that I put in.

Here are a list of fittings I have come up with:

Make 5/8 inverted flare-6an to come out of the radiator

Female 5/8 inverted flare-6an to connect existing trans line

2 1/2npt -6 an for cooler lines

Corresponding an hose and connectors

Is there any others I’m missing?

It gets really cold here for a good chunk of the year so I want to keep the radiator cooler. I may even put a thermal bypass in if it looks feasible.

 

[Hutchinson]

I’ll look, tomorrow if I still have receipts for what I bought / give you the part numbers.

 

[df2x4]

I have decided to go with an fittings as I believe they will be the most durable.

I’ll have to double check but I think since the truck didn’t come with a aux cooler the trans lines are hard lines to the radiator.

I think what I’ll do is go from the hardlines and just replace the rubber lines that I put in.

Here are a list of fittings I have come up with:

Make 5/8 inverted flare-6an to come out of the radiator

Female 5/8 inverted flare-6an to connect existing trans line

2 1/2npt -6 an for cooler lines

Corresponding an hose and connectors

Is there any others I’m missing?

It gets really cold here for a good chunk of the year so I want to keep the radiator cooler. I may even put a thermal bypass in if it looks feasible.

You can check my 4L60E to 4L80E swap thread if you want some part numbers for the AN fittings. I used Vibrant Performance 5/8" inverted flare to -6AN adapters for the radiator and Russell 1/2" NPT to -6AN adapters for my Tru-Cool M7B cooler.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/97-c1500-4l60e-to-4l80e-swap.38819/

 

[Hutchinson]

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[Hutchinson]

The above is what I purchased, but it simply two lines directly from trans to 40k cooler (bypassed radiator and removed old trans oil cooler).

If you live up north, it’s best to go through your radiator, warms your trans fluid up when you first start in the morning. TrueCool sells a thermal bypass block, but, no need if your running through radiator. I forgot which fitting on the side of a 4L60e is the discharge (to radiator/ cooler) and which is the return,....I think I remember the top being the discharge (please research it).

Your correct, the stock lines from trans to radiator are hard tubing. I bought all new tubes/ snap-in connectors, but swapped those out quickly,.... and swapped In a 40K cooler.

The reason I swapped, didn’t have 20 miles on my new trans/ motor, was out ******* the truck after my first dyno tune (a little),.... one of the new trans cooler lines popped off the new snap-in fitting. I was doing bout 50mph, and all of a sudden my truck looked like an engine blew on NASCAR. White/ thick smoke boiling out from behind the truck. Fitting/ tube that popped off on trans, was aimed right at my new headers,.....sure made a lot of smoke. As I was slowing down, I was thinking “well mother*ucker, done blew my new engine.” Luckily, it was a simple fix,.....thus, I went with hoses throughout/ won’t have tubes popping off issues ever again. When I first put the new tubes/ fittings on, I thought, man I just don’t like that,....should’ve listened to my gut in the first place.

If I were doing the work, I’d swap it all out from trans to radiator, and cooler,....all flex hoses throughout. Eliminate all future leak issues.