Transmission cooling lines
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 200
Likes: 25
From: Tennessee
Transmission cooling lines
My 80 has aftermarket headers (previous owner installed) and they're quite larger than the stock headers. Finally decided to make new transmission cooling lines since they've been leaking bad.
If I try to route them like the originals, they'll be pretty close to the headers and touching the starter. Only other way I can think of is going completely around the headers and putting them next to the fuel line, but that doesn't sound safe to me. How far should the lines really be from the headers? I feel like having them an inch or two away is too close. Is it okay if they touch the starter?
If I try to route them like the originals, they'll be pretty close to the headers and touching the starter. Only other way I can think of is going completely around the headers and putting them next to the fuel line, but that doesn't sound safe to me. How far should the lines really be from the headers? I feel like having them an inch or two away is too close. Is it okay if they touch the starter?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 339
Likes: 54
From: Fayetteville NC
Any line touching a starter or anything else could rub under vibration and wear a hole in the line causing leakage. Nothing wrong putting them next to fuel lines as long as they are not touching.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
I had the same problem with the transmission cooler lines on my '81. I put header wrap around the length of the collector next to the cooling lines. Also I used some heat resistant sleeving over the lines.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010403
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010403
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Re-routing the tranny cooling lines should not be a problem. Getting them away from headers is a very GOOD idea, as they would just add more heat to the [cooled] fluid return line.
I suggest that you route them along the frame rail (as you were thinking), but put some insulating wrap around them to prevent passing heat to the fuel lines. That should satisfy all the issues. Adding some length to the tranny lines is not a problem, as long as distance doesn't increase by more than 30% or so.
I suggest that you route them along the frame rail (as you were thinking), but put some insulating wrap around them to prevent passing heat to the fuel lines. That should satisfy all the issues. Adding some length to the tranny lines is not a problem, as long as distance doesn't increase by more than 30% or so.
