So I was yanking my radiator last night and everything went smoothly...except for the part where my wrench slipped and I kinked a nasty gash in a trans cooler line about two inches back from the fitting. It looks like my trans cooler lines are on there way out anyway, so I'd like to replace them soon.

I've read here that hard line routing can be a real hassle, but I can't find anyone online that lists trans cooling lines for '64 A bodies with the Slant. Dante sells a kit for the V8, but I doubt that's going to serve my purpose.

Later in that post, I saw that Pierre and BoatAnchor used rubber tubing as "temporary" fixes. I'm curious as to how well they held up. I also saw that Dan was interested in trying flex hose as a solution. Has any more research or practice been done on this idea?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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Chuck and the Flying Valiant

If there's any way you can slip the two lines out without bending or damaging them then you should be able to replicate them using new steel line and a tubing bender. It's a good tool to have if you don't own one already. So you nicked the steel line with your wrench and it split? That seems crazy, I've never seen steel trans line get that brittle. If you have to use rubber line for a temporary fix then I recommend cutting a section from the steel line where you split it and putting some flares on either side then use a small piece of "actual rubber transmission line" for the patch, not fuel line, they're different.

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It wasn't hit by the wrench. I was using one wrench on the fitting and another on the radiator fitting to keep from over-torquing the fitting while I loosened it. The one on the radiator slipped and the momentum on the fitting twisted the tube until it split open.

Thanks for the tip on the tubing. I'll go pick some up and get some tube cutting tools.

ETA: Hmmm...It looks like Classic Tube has replacement pre-bent tubing if all else fails (just found a link on the A bodies forum). I would like to try and do tube bending on my own, though. Nice to know I have a fall back.

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Chuck and the Flying Valiant

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

[quote="armyofchuckness"]It wasn't hit by the wrench. I was using one wrench on the fitting and another on the radiator fitting to keep from over-torquing the fitting while I loosened it. The one on the radiator slipped and the momentum on the fitting twisted the tube until it split open.

Oh, I can see that happening. This is a great opportunity to practice your double flares as well (hopefully you have this tool and a good tubing cutter). Just to save you some anxiety with this, I find that when I think that I have created the most pristine, text book double flare, I then realize that I have forgotten to put the fitting on. I'm pretty sure everyone has done this at one time or another, if not they will.

Good luck and happy wrenching.

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Thanks for the link, Dan. And thanks again, Pat, for the suggestions. Yeah, I can totally see myself forgetting the flair. We'll hope for the best.

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Chuck and the Flying Valiant

It's held up just fine, and is still running to this day on a 70 mile round trip commute.

I did have to replace the cheaper worm drive clamps with EFI style hose clamps, but that's the only alteration I made to the original repair. Worm drive ones kept loosening.

Good to know. Thanks, Pierre!

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Chuck and the Flying Valiant

If you use rubber hose, MAKE SURE it is dedicated transmission cooler line hose, not fuel line. Fuel line will break down fast...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks, Lou. I'll definitely remember that.

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Chuck and the Flying Valiant