Has anyone made custom Trans lines?

[Chargerfanatic]

I am using a becool radiator and I am going to put in an trans cooler with flexible lines. What kind of plumbing did you use? And what kind of fitting did you use for the fittings off the trans? Thanks

[Ghoste]

I made my own and I think all I used was 3/8 steel brake tubing.  It's been a while but I'm pretty sure that's what it was.  A tubing bender and flaring tool and away I went.

[Chargerfanatic]

I was thinking of braided flex line because I am going to run it a different way than normal. So the fiiting on the trans is just a flare fitting not an AN thread?

[Ghoste]

Correct.

[The Ghoul]

I was thinking of braided flex line because I am going to run it a different way than normal. So the fiiting on the trans is just a flare fitting not an AN thread?

Yep, what I did was go to summit racings website, pulled up there plumbing section and searched there "AN to pipe" adaptors. You can either do that or find your self a pipe thread to barbed fitting adaptor. Either way will work but I love using the AN fittings. Its a bit pricy when its all said and done, but it makes trans swaps so much easier!! you can just lower the trans down and then un-do the trans lines!

[Chargerfanatic]

I was thinking of braided flex line because I am going to run it a different way than normal. So the fiiting on the trans is just a flare fitting not an AN thread?

Yep, what I did was go to summit racings website, pulled up there plumbing section and searched there "AN to pipe" adaptors. You can either do that or find your self a pipe thread to barbed fitting adaptor. Either way will work but I love using the AN fittings. Its a bit pricy when its all said and done, but it makes trans swaps so much easier!! you can just lower the trans down and then un-do the trans lines!

What size of line did you use?

[Charger-Bodie]

when i built a bigblock dart i had bill rielly of rielly motorsports aka alterktion make me a set of braided lines he sent me the neccesary fittings and all worked real good

[The Ghoul]

I was thinking of braided flex line because I am going to run it a different way than normal. So the fiiting on the trans is just a flare fitting not an AN thread?

Yep, what I did was go to summit racings website, pulled up there plumbing section and searched there "AN to pipe" adaptors. You can either do that or find your self a pipe thread to barbed fitting adaptor. Either way will work but I love using the AN fittings. Its a bit pricy when its all said and done, but it makes trans swaps so much easier!! you can just lower the trans down and then un-do the trans lines!

What size of line did you use?

I think I ended up with -8AN because the stock fittings on the GM trans I was working on was 3/8"
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+4294924496+4294839052+4294849624+115+4294906736
Its funny that you bring this up because I am doing the same thing again with my subarus turbo oil and coolant lines.
I am trying to track down an equivalency chart of some kind that will tell you what ID the AN fitting sizes have. Just to be safe I like to go with a line that's the same if not bigger ID than the stock line. I think -8AN was over kill, if I remember correctly. Isn't the stock tubing only 1/4"?
Ah well, I will post up if I find it.

[The Ghoul]

OK,
Took a bit but I made up this chart using summit racings website info

AN tubing info: rubber line with stainless steel cover
-3 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.140 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.375 in.
-4 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.218 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.438 in.
-5 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.250 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.500 in.
-6 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.343 in    Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.547 in.
-7 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.375 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.625 in.
-8 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.438 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.641 in
-9 AN     Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.500 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.718 in.
-10 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.563 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.797 in.
-11 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.620 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.875 in.
-12 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.690 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  0.940 in.
-14 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.750 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.031 in.
-16 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 0.875 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.125 in.
-18 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 1.000 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.312 in.
-20 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 1.125 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.437 in.
-24 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 1.340 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.703 in.
-28 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 1.500 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  1.828 in.
-32 AN   Hose Inside Diameter (in): 1.750 in.   Hose Outside Diameter (in):  2.125 in.
Info thanks to summit racing

Now this doesn't insure that the fittings will have the same ID openings but it will give you a good Idea.

[Chargerfanatic]

1HOT68- How flexible where the braided lines? I am going to have to make some pretty tight bends since the cooler is going to be mounted in front of radiator. I have one place to run lines through with out having to cut my car up( which I don't want to do).

Ghoule- I think they are 1/4 or 5/16. I guess I need to get my cooler first, then work off of that.

Thanks for all the input.

[Charger-Bodie]

1HOT68- How flexible where the braided lines?

they were pretty flexable as i recall and i used them for the same reason , needed to route them differant than stock

[The Ghoul]

1HOT68- How flexible where the braided lines? I am going to have to make some pretty tight bends since the cooler is going to be mounted in front of radiator. I have one place to run lines through with out having to cut my car up( which I don't want to do).

Ghoule- I think they are 1/4 or 5/16. I guess I need to get my cooler first, then work off of that.

Thanks for all the input.

Yeah you will have to figure out what pipe threads are on the trans and the cooler first, then you can size up lines according to stock dia. and what adapters are available.

[John_Kunkel]

The stock lines are 5/16" which is equivalent to AN5. Since 5 is somewhat of an orphan size in AN it's best to go to AN6. The threads in the 727 case are 1/8"-27 NPT and you can easily find 1/8" pipe to AN6 fittings.

[Rolling_Thunder]

yep!   -6AN  would be your best choice...    a little more flow potential...       anyway -  for people who dont know how to calculate AN fittings - you take the AN number and put it over 16...           

-4AN = 1/4"
-6AN = 3/8"
-8AN = 1/2"
-10AN = 5/8"
-12AN = 3/4"
-16AN = 1"

[The Ghoul]

yep!   -6AN  would be your best choice...    a little more flow potential...       anyway -  for people who dont know how to calculate AN fittings - you take the AN number and put it over 16...           

-4AN = 1/4"
-6AN = 3/8"
-8AN = 1/2"
-10AN = 5/8"
-12AN = 3/4"
-16AN = 1"

I knew there was something simple like that I was missing!!, but the info that I found states that -4AN is 0.218 closer to 7/32 than 1/4" ?

[4aThrill]

I used 3/8 brake lines to ran them thru the inside of the car, get them away from the headers otherwise whats the purpose for the cooler then, if the fluid gets cooled down then heat right back up when it pass by the header so had to route it a different way. and that was fun.

but it works stays cool enough.

[Chargerfanatic]

Another option I had thought of was using a chassis mount cooler like hot rods use. I wouldn't have to go very far. 

[Ghoste]

I like the idea of those chassis mount things but in the end, I think I'd prefer airflow helping out as much as possible.