Thread: Trans Cooler Line Help

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  1. #1 Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    On a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.8l, can anyone tell me which trans cooler line (top and bottom) is the inlet and outlet on the stock trans cooler on the radiator?
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  2. #2 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    top line should be the pump line, pumps it into the top, flows out the bottom.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  3. #3 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Are you sure? ^

    I know for sure the line that's facing the rear of the car on the transmission is the return line, I don't know 100% what the flow direction is on the cooler, but I thought it was the other way around.

    The line seen here is the one that flows back into the transmission:



    You can follow it up and know for sure.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
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  4. #4 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    you could always take both lines off and clicj the starter, only one will push fluid out.

    i did a tranny flush with my brother in his yukon the top line was the pump line, we put a clear tube to a pail from that line and pumped the old fluid out.
    makes sense hot in the top, cooler out the bottom. just like a rad.

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  5. #5 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Yeah radiators are like that so the air gets trapped in the rad, then as the car cools it sucks fluid in to fill it from the overflow. I thought since transmission reservoir are in the pan they want the air to end up there and not get stuck in the cooler. Idk, like scotty said you'll know when you take the line off and momentarily turn it over.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
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  6. #6 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    theres a few how to's dirtdog did one didnt he?

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  7. #7 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Yeah he did an imperial trans cooler install on his GXP, I'd assume it's the same. I was gonna make a write-up for us basic people with hayden tube and fin styles but I never committed to it.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
    Sold.
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  8. #8 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    Killa Bee Scottydoggs's Avatar
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    he noted what lines pumped iirc

    same tranny. so.......

    98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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  9. #9 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    bottom of factory trans coolers are usually on the bottom and return line is on top. Personally i think thats stupid and prefer to work with gravity so i reverse that.
    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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  10. #10 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    I don't think gravity has a different effect one way or the other because it goes up just as high either way. Would be a good thing to test though.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
    Sold.
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  11. #11 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Thanks guys for responding, what I'll do is just follow up the transmission line that runs straight into the pan area, which would be the cold return line, I'll follow that up and see if it connects to the upper or lower connection on the factory radiator, and that will be the line I hook to the external trans cooler...

    Another question with installing the external trans cooler...I will be mounting it horizontally in front of the ac condenser and just wondering if the top or bottom connection of the external trans cooler should be attached to the factory return line?? Will it make a difference either way?
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  12. #12 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    This may provide some additional guidance for your installation.

    http://www.grandprix.net/upgrades/cooler.html

    I don't quite understand your second question but it doesn't matter how the cooler is oriented. Take a look at this instruction manual - their diagrams may help simplify things.

    http://www.haydenauto.com/Upload/Hay...il-coolers.pdf
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  13. #13 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Hey guys, just so everyone knows the transmission line that runs straight into the transmission pan (like the picture posted at the top of this forum) runs into the top of the radiator. This means the fluid supply line runs to the bottom of the radiator and flows back to the transmission from the top of the radiator...bottom of rad=inlet and top of radiator = outlet

    Could not install the shift kit or trans cooler since the supply line running to the bottom of radiator was leaking and no parts store has in stock around my area.....I imagine the stock supply line couldn't handle the max line pressure created by the p1811 max adap trans code...

    I will keep everyone posted on the install of both shift kit and cooler when I'm done..
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  14. #14 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Cooler lines can take lots of pressure, but not while rusted. Sometimes the crimp where it turns into a rubber hose leaks but that's a bad design. New lines are not always carried at parts stores but are on rockauto for a pretty good price.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
    Sold.
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  15. #15 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Robriley, after getting home from work today I checked where my cooler was tapped in, low and behold I was wrong! The return line comes from the top of the radiator, as you've stated, and that is where your cooler should be spliced in. Sorry to mislead you; best of luck moving forward!
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  16. #16 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    That's ok, I'll be doing both the cooler and shift kit today so hopefully all goes well....I also decided to purchase fuel injection hose clamps instead of the standard worm clamps. I will let everyone know how it goes!
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  17. #17 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Sorry, I've done a lot of reading so the top line is for sure the return, even on an '04 GP N/A I'll assume it is, then splice in at the top run to the cooler, just want to make sure, thanks.
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  18. #18 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
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    Just so everyone knows the shift kit installation went pretty smooth, I took my time and cleaned everything up, swapped the springs according to the Transgo shift kit instructions, and a few hours later i had the pan bolted back up ready to go. I then had to replace the supply line to the bottom of the radiator since it started seeping as a result of the P1811 max line pressure command...After struggling using a 3/8" transmission line disconnect tool and spending about a half hour too long not being successful with this disconnect tool, I used a tiny flathead and hammer and popped the clips out in a few mins. After about 5 hours total of installing the shift kit, the supply line, and running back and forth to the parts store...I decided to hold off installing the transmission cooler for the time being.

    I had removed the plastic grill pieces that run along the hood latch area, both the headlights, taking measurements, trying to figure out where to route the transmission cooler lines....it was just too much of a project to tackle for the day. I'd like to hear from others that have installed the transmission coolers on Grand Prix's, how you guys routed the transmission cooler lines? My transmission cooler lines said not to have less than a 3" bend when routing the lines, one of the few possibilities of routing the trans lines was a small hole behind the passenger side head light...the battery sat right there past the hole along with the top radiator fitting pretty close....on top of all this there was a vertical bar running from the top of the hood latch assembly down to the bottom of the ac condenser which prevented me from mounting the Imperial High Performance Trans Cooler without modifying this vertical bar....

    Like I said before I live in upstate NY which gets pretty cold in the winter, anyone that has installed a transmission cooler in these Grand Prix's, let me know how you guys routed the cooler lines..

    Thanks!
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  19. #19 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    here's how I routed mine since the cooler is most efficient at the bottom of the condenser.







    It's currently sitting horizontal at the bottom of the condenser.
    Last edited by 02NavyBlue; 02-22-2014 at 05:12 PM.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
    Sold.
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  20. #20 Re: Trans Cooler Line Help 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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