'63 Bonneville Super Hydra-Matic transmission cooler lines
 

Hi, all...

So, I've got this monstrous leak from my transmission cooler line (or both of them). I suspect the rearward leak is coming from one or both O-rings. Up front, there is an un-g-dly union in the line which crosses over to the driver's side to connect to that side of the radiator (changed umpteen years ago, no doubt).

I can get stainless lines without fittings (just hose nipples on both ends) or with fittings on the transmission side and nipples on the other. I don't have a good reference picture as to how these are truly (as in from the assembly plant in '63) supposed to connect to the radiator. Were there short lines which come from the threaded fittings to short hoses to join with the lines going back to the transmission? Were those wire hose clamps?

I'll probably know more when I get under the car again in the next few days or if I look at my (sinking) '63 GP in the backyard (though I'm not sure how original that one is, or whether the Slim Jim lines connected differently).

Pics would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

Oh, never mind. I answered my own question with some more scanning through the shop manual (which, after 40+ years of owning, you'd think I'd know well enough by now). The answer is on page 10-2 (pic attached).

Apologies for the noise.

Just like my 62. I replaced the hoses when I rebuilt the engine, though I probably didn't need to. Used a good quality hydraulic hose. Originals used crimped hose clamps as I recall, regular hose clamps worked fine.

This transmission was rebuilt way back (the car has been in the family since January of '65). My guess is that it was at that time that the original lines were replaced for whatever reason. Here's a pic of the union on the driver's side, which has dripped for a long time. That's not the source of the main leak, now, though. Those droplets go back on the passenger side, so my best guess is that either I've got a bad length of hose which was spliced in or the O-rings at the transmission have finally decided that they want to retire and move to Florida.

I ordered from Ames a set of lines with fittings on the transmission end (I'm told that O-rings do not come with them, but c'est la guerre...proper oil-resistant O-rings are easy to find - I don't trust any that I may still have in the garage, as it's been a decade or three since I had need). Maybe finally my lines will rest in the proper supports up front, too, as that hasn't happened in my memory. LOL

I worked late last night so I could justify taking a few hours off today to finally get my correct stainless lines installed.

These are the set with nipples on both ends and no fittings. I got Gates 3/8" transmission cooler hose and new worm-type clamps (which, oddly, seem to be what were shown in the shop manual, though I'm surprised that these would have come from the factory with those and not crimp-ons).

I had planned on capturing the trans fluid drained from the cooler and the transmission in a clean container, and then just pouring that back in. Unfortunately, there really wasn't all that much (shows how bad the leaks were; she was fully one quart down on fluid after I took her out for a spin, and I'd swear, if I got 2-3 ounces to drain, that was a lot).

My only real concern is the the line which crosses over to the driver's side seems awfully close to the harmonic balancer. There's about 1/8" clearance (not really visible in the 3rd and 4th pics). Also, I can't get either line to actually "snap" into the guides on either side of the oil pan. Any thoughts on either of those issues?