albertross

howdy everyone,

Does anybody know where I might purchase replacement auto transmission cooler lines? The pair on my 93 have started to leak (moderately, nothing extreme) at the various hose/tube connections. I started with the local auto parts stores, moved on to the internet, and this evening went to a local dodge dealer where the parts manager reported that chrysler no longer makes these. He suggested making my own. Before I embark on that path, does anybody know of an alternative solution or stockpiled source?

Tuckerdee

Hmmm...I just had a cooler line split (from the transmission to the water/oil heat exchanger) and I got a replacement from the Dodge dealer. So I think they're available.

Anyway...figure out what fittings you need, what size and length of hose, and go to some sort of a power transmission shop and they make up anything you need. If you don't know what you need, you can take the lines off, take them with you, and the counter people should be able to figure out what it will take. I have a place just around the corner that does conveyor systems, hydraulics and the like. I can get any bearing you can think of for a lot less then auto parts stores. My make up hydraulic hoses with any sort of fitting on the end you can dream of. All crimped on...none of those leaky barb fittings with hose clamps!

JD730

Both of my 93's had the cooler line start leaking right up by the water/oil heat exchanger.(stupid salt) I tried to get one the first time, it was the rear line going into the cooler. Went to Dodge and they said its on national back order and what they wanted was mind boggling. So off to the hydraulic place to get some real parts to fix it.

I dropped a piece of new steel line out of the cooler, (pipe thread going in) and used a coupler to put them together. The second truck I dropped some new steel down, as before, but I hooked them together with some rubber line.

I would put something together you feel comfortable doing. I have one repair thats all steel and one that rubber and both work excellent.

Mike

Tuckerdee

I would have gone that route if I could have. When my line blew up (picture about 12 quarts of transmission fluid all over the underside of my truck!) I was in the middle of Nebraska pulling my fiver. Didn't have a lot of choices of how or where to repair her. And there is a new design for the fitting at the heat exchanger. Apparently about every truck ever made with this design has had it replaced. Vibration just causes the pipe to crack vertically along the distance of the flare/end.

What did you do with the temp sensor that's in that line? (The new pipe from Mopar has a new sensor installed as well.) Did you just cut the section out and install it in your fabbed piece?

JD730

Yeah, I know about the 12 quart deal, I blew the front cooler lines apart coming back down my road from a test drive with my newly installed 47RH. Theres still oil residue all over the place.

I've never heard of them spitting the line vertically, mine rusted through. First one happened on my way to school, didn't know it till I got there, fixed that on the 5th floor of a parking deck in 20 degree F weather with the wind blowing. Patch job to get it the 55 miles home and into the garage. The second one went the day before we where due for some snow and I was ready to hook the plow up. I was prepared that time.

Anyway, initially I retained the temp sensor switch in the line. I only had to replace some line on the passenger side,(I used some new 1/2 in tubing and compression ferrel type fittings, one is pipe to tubing and one is tube to tube, nice solid repair.) but when I changed the trans out I kinda messed the other end of that line up when it didn't want to come off. Wound up ringing it off and putting a good hydraulic hose to the rest of the steel line. No temp sensor in that truck.

The other one I used the same 1/2 in line to drop out of the cooler, but I had to cut the line down below the bends and I used 1/2 in hose to connect them. I was not going to try a 90 degree bend in the tubing I had.
No problems with either one yet.

What I have found is if your external lubrication system is working well the lines on the driver side and underneath stay in good shape, the lines going to the water/oil cooler seem to rust out sooner. I've seen it on others in my area too.

Redleg

I replaced a length of mine with standard transmission line. The inside diameter is still larger than the port comeing out of the pump/oulet.