Im thinking about running my cooling lines through the frame. There really isnt a whole lot of room to run them anywhere else. The right side of the engine compartment is pretty cluttered with all the A/C crap. Im going to run #6 line I tried mocking them up by running some rubber fuel line hose just to see how they would layout in the frame. One thing that concerns me is where they pass the front spring. Im leery of them getting pinched or cut by the front spring. How do you guys keep them away from the spring? Also chafing of the line is a concern too Any pictures of your setups? alternate ideas? it seems alot easier to run them on top of the right side frame rail and over the control arm. I can secure them to the A/C lines to keep them off the arm.
I ran the braided stainless hoses through the frame. This was 2004 and I don't remember how I kept them from the spring but I'm sure there's an easy way. My main concern was keeping them away from the headers. After I found V8Buick, I found out lots of guys ran the lines the same way. pic is the all I have at the moment. edit, found another pic. I noticed my lines exit the frame where the fuel lines on a Chevy would. I may have chosen that hole because it keeps the lines away from the spring. Also in pic 2, the lines come out of rear the frame and curve up. That's only because the trans is out and I didn't want the ATF on the floor.
Here's where Jeff ran them in the car I bought from him.. looks like he cut the slot in the frame where they exit bit. But I don't think it needs to be bigger if it's just the lines coming through there.. He cut it because the battery cable also reenters there and comes out the smaller hole right next to the starter..
Mine lines basically run the same route as pictured above, except my lines continue to the front of the frame where they mate up to an external cooler. The holes in the frame are already there on a 72. As for the question about the suspension components, there is actually a "cupped" lip on the engine side of the spring that cradles the lines nicely. I ran a large zip tie there just to make sure the would never come in contact. Not even sure why the factory never did this, running "cooling" lines 2" from the exhaust never made sense to me?o No:
Yes they did. My problem is the headers. The headers interfere with runnig them in the stock location Andy- I saw that same hole in my frame where yours are exiting out of. I did'nt notice a pass through from the frame into the engine cradle. I'll have to take another look tomorrow. If I could mimic they way you ran them, that would be perfect. I was going to run pushlock fittings instead of the conventional blue/red fittings. Larry tells me the pressure in the lines is pretty low. The pushlocks are rated for 300 psi and are a hell of alot easier to assemble. Jim- Yes, I know about Jim's kit. But I believe that his kit is #4 line. There's a place a mile away from my house called Moreland Hose. I was going to go there and see what they want for some hose and fittings. They're pretty good.
I ran mine into the frame about where everyone else has and out the front. Hopefully it won't interfere with getting the bumper mounted.
Dave and Andy- what fitting do you have on the trans end? Is it straight or a 45 degree bend? Im thinking its got to be a 45. That way it would angle the line up and out of the way of the header. I ran back out to the garage with a light and stuck it in the frame. I see the pass through from the frame into the cradle. Ok, now I see the logistics of it :TU:
Thats what I wanted to know. Its starting to look like a car again. The only things left are the cooling lines, driveshaft, and hooking the rad up. Then its startup time:beer :beer Two months ahead of schedule. I was planning on starting this in March. But with all the warm weather, I got a jump start on it all. Thank God for global warming. Im gonna go outside and spray some more aeresol cans!
the 2004R ports are already 45* so I used straight fittings. Evidently the 400 comes out straight. I just went into the garage and looked and running the lines the way you did wouldn't interfere with anything and I like it better than what I did. It's almost totally hidden that way. :TU: I think it would be a bitch to do with the bumper on but hey they come off easy enough.
Just got back from Moreland Hose. For Aeroquip FC-332 hose in #6, its $4.10 a foot. This is the blue fabric braided stuff. Basically hydraulic hose. So $57.40 for the 14' I need. The fittings are a little pricey. Aeroquip sells trick looking red/ blue anodized pushlock fittings. They are about 19.00 each. So $76.00 for all 4. Plus I need 2 1/2 NPT to #6 adapters for the B&M cooler. I have the adapters for the trans already. So I figure about 150.00 after the smoke clears
Just a quick update- I did a little searching online and found that Summit has the Aeroquip socketless hose and fittings. They sell the hose in 15' lengths. I got everything for 130.00 and it'll be here on Thursday Those socketless connectors are the way to go. Ive always shyed away from the AN style fittings because they were always such a pain in the a** to assemble. This stuff is great and it goes together in a snap
Guys those are a real great ideas on running the lines , not only for convience and away from the headers but for safety . Back in the day I had a 55 Chevrolet and of course we never thought about rerouting any lines for safety until disaster happened . At about 10,000 rpm one nite the flywheel exploded inside the scatter shield which turned inside out letting the pieces of flywheel cut through the frame , fuel line and brake line , which YES resulted in a major mess and disastor , SO now days whatever it takes for me to secure and keep lines out of harms way I do it . I still have pictures of the scatter shield disaster , even have the scattershield as a reminder of what can happen .
i put Jims kit on my 69,i think he sells the kit complete with fittings for under $100.i got mine for $50 from a member that didnt use it.:laugh:
I realize that, but I upgraded the size from the #4 on JW's kit to #6 hose. I also got the more expensive red/ blue anodized fittings. The biggest difference between my setup and JW's was the extra cost of the fittings
Someone asked me for a couple of pictures and a shopping list for Summit. I thought I would post it here for everyone to see. Fitting and hose- 2 of pt #AER-FBM1522 #6AN to hose barb 45* used at trans side 2 of pt #AER-FBM1532 #6AN to hose barb 90* used at cooler side 2 of pt #AER-FBM2013 #6AN to 1/2 pipe 1 of pt #AER-FCV0615 15' #6 line Aeroquip #FC332 I dont have a number for the fittings that screw into the transmission case. I got those from the transmission shop. It's an Aeroquip part, so I'll see if I can find a number and add it in. The cooler is a B&M supercooler #70266. its one of the biggest ones they sell. It has female 1/2 pipe fittings. I attached it to the condenser since my race car has A/C. All race cars have A/C right??:laugh: The lines come out of the trans at a 45. They go over the collectors and into the frame using the holes designed for the Chevy fuel lines. They exit in the front of the engine cradle and go throught the core support right next the the radiator tank. Here are a couple of pics of the cooler mounting.
