I know this has been hashed over many times but the search did not yield exactly what I am looking for.

Trying to get my car running and am stuck on trans. cooler lines. The cooler is in front of the radiator. The lines go to the rad. support and connect to the cooler through bulkhead fittings. That part has been in place for a while and is fine...

However, the issue is routing the lines. I am thinking I would like to run the lines as shown here in the pics below; from the cooler over the K frame and alongside the oil pan, then under the center link and kind of hug the bell housing to reach the cooler taps on the case.




Anyone see a problem with doing it this way?

I am not opposed to adding hard line anywhere if it might help. I still need to install the shifter bracket and cable which is another hassle in itself but I think I want to get the cooler lines in pace first. The lines in the pics are loose just for mock up, they would be secured with final install.

I thought about running them inside the driver's side fender but that would involve a lot of money in fittings. It's still a possibility though.

Thanks for any input.

- Greg

I'd bend hard line and run it along the left inner frame rail. Then short flex from the frame rail to the trans more access if you have to remove the header or starter.
Doug

I would run them with #6 braded hose... I have never used just rubber hose... More expensive, yes better, yes.... Just my thoughts and the way I have always done it..

That much hose can't be legal for track use can it? I'd run hard lines. I'm in the same boat. Stock lines won't clear my TTI headers. I either have to trade them in for TTI's shorty headers, or custom make lines. Some people here told me that they made custom lines and ran them along the side of the frame rail. Then you only need short sections of hose/braided line to go from the frame to the trans.

I parallel the top of the oil pan... that will
put you over the K-member.. but I run hard line..
if this is a 904 or 727 its 5/16 tubing.. a 518
type uses 3/8 tubing... also if running headers
the lines can get close to the headers so I run
a thermo barrier that slides over the tubing...
its good for over 1000*.. works fine on my Rampage..
keep it tight to the pan

That's actually how it was previously. Just felt it was very cluttered on the driver's side there, especially where the firewall meets the front frame rail. The brake lines, headers, wiring etc. are all within close proximity.

Guess I could do it that way again.

The hose I have is -6 (3/8") Russell Twist Lok, NHRA approved. It's made for this type of thing. Trans is a 904. The fittings are all -6/AN type.

The main concern I had with running it next to the oil pan was where it passes by the converter. In the event of something coming loose, I suppose severing the cooler lines might the least of my worries but it does not sit well with me for that reason.

The exhaust is a pain, it really is. Everything is so tight along side that frame rail on an A body, you have to do a lot of imaginative routing to keep things away from heat.

Try playing with a Rampage or a P-body... then you will know
what tight is... in some things .100 is a LOT.... the thing
with hard tubing is its smaller on diameter than hose

I have -6 braided line on mine. Comes out the trans and straight to the frame rail...then up to the radiator.

Count me in the "framerail" group. The whole purpose of the cooler lines and cooler is to cool the fluid. Running them between the engine block and headers seems counterproductive to me to say the least. I also don't like the rubber lines for obvious reasons, especially in the location you have them. I'd say along the block and hanging under the center link has to look worse than any "clutter" they could create at the frame rail (don't want to offend, but hanging under the center link really looks hack to me). I vote for hard line or braided line clamped to the frame rail.

Just my 2 cents......

Hope you get it running and have some fun with it soon.

Thanks for the replies.

SW67 - I understand what you are saying and believe me, I dislike hack jobs as much as the next guy. But again, the problem is mainly caused by lack of space which leads to trying things that may or may not be good solutions. Nothing is set in stone yet which is why I started the thread.

In any event, seems like the consensus is to run them along the frame rail. I can do that, no problem. I think if I do, I would try to run the lines towards the back of the car first where they come out of the cooler taps then over to the frame rail.

The main part where there is a lot of stuff in the way is right below the master cylinder - headers, torsion bars, brake lines, wiring etc. Fore and aft of that spot is no problem but routing stuff through that point can be tricky. I have a bunch of the heat shield stuff around, I will use it for sure.

Buy a set of factory hard lines to get you past the fan belt area. Then braided to core support bulk heads. If you are running any type of blower belt of serpentine belt system, I would jacket the hoses ( Steel or rubber) where they go past the belt area. Loosing a blower belt or serpentine belt at speed can take those lines out. Don't ask me how I know. I run mine through some square tubing in the belt area.

with all the stuff on driver side i ran mine up and over the trans to the pass. side and to the front

I've run my stock hard lines for years up to around the radiator and then I have rubber hoses coming off of them to the cooler which is located in front of my radiator. I do run some heat wrap in a few placed but, I've never had one issue. FYI, my lines are routed as you are proposing however; my lines are above the center link and not bellow it obviously.

I've thought about that. How did you route the lines once past the bell?

Kind of have a similar situation with interference on the right side but not as bad.

Are you running a factory gas tank?, On my dart I'm running a fuel cell and in place of where the factory tank was I welded 2 bars across in between the frame rails to mount the cooler there.

I still have a gas tank, no cell. If I hadda do it again, I'd probably put it somewhere other than where it is now to avoid running the lines up front. Next time.

Went out to the car tonight and stared at it for a while. Running them up the frame rail just presents too many obstacles so I'm gonna run them over the K frame and along the oil pan. Gonna use the Twist Lok hose from the bulkheads to hard lines. The lines will run along the oil pan to the case. They will attach to the Twist Lok hose from the cooler taps. Might have to go get a few more fittings and maybe some brackets to keep stuff in place.

If I wanted to, I could actually just run the lines over the K frame and straight back under the trans pan without any interference and be totally away from the exhaust. But, I am going to bend the lines to make them tuck up as best as possible. Might see if I can get some line armor to protect against debris.

Only thing I am not sure of is if it would be better to go over or under the center link, not a lot of room between the bottom of the oil pan and the link.

i just tucked them up next to the engine

Sorry RMCHGR, without reading your whole question, I say nope! Nope! Nope!.

Keep those lines away from any heat source (engine) (Headers) and especially anywhere that a projectile or spinning part (Balancer) (flex plate) (Convertor) could rupture them. I also highly recommend using copper line as I do and run them along the side inner fender walls all the way back to the tranny. Copper just as in radiators has been known to keep temperatures down a tad and anything helps in keeping these things cool.

copper is a good heat exchanger, but it can have a tendency to work harden from vibration and become brittle. not saying how long this could take, but something to take into consideration. some places ban copper fuel line for just that reason, but i have seen many, many vehicles of all descriptions using copper for all kinds of fluid line applications. i guess it is up to the individual to use copper or not. if you decide to do so, i guess a good inspection schedule would catch any problems that could possibly occur.