Turbo 350 or 400 trans cooler lines

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Is there any negative consequence to simply plugging off trans cooler line fittings in the case on the Turbo Hydro 350's and 400's? I have a couple of those I want to use and the last owners of these transes had the trans cooler looped around using short pieces of neoprene hose. I don't want a hose failure and the resultant high pressure mess and wanted to know from some of you trans guys if these passages could be simply plugged off, or is there a need to recirculate the fluid through them?These are race only manual shift transes. No street use ever intended.

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

Is there any negative consequence to simply plugging off trans cooler line fittings in the case on the Turbo Hydro 350's and 400's? I have a couple of those I want to use and the last owners of these transes had the trans cooler looped around using short pieces of neoprene hose. I don't want a hose failure and the resultant high pressure mess and wanted to know from some of you trans guys if these passages could be simply plugged off, or is there a need to recirculate the fluid through them?These are race only manual shift transes. No street use ever intended.

NO NO NO

Don't plug the cooler lines, because lube circuits and converter charge run off of the cooler circuit......

What I do on rebuilds I just connect the cooler in & out passages inside the front pump and put plugs in the case.....

I also would recommend NOT using a hose looped between the inlet and outlet fittings....

Too much heat and pressure will cause the line to push off and that's not good....

Just bend up a short piece of steel line for the loop.....

Bob

[ss3011]

If you plugged the fittings , it would stop any flow through the torque converter, and stop all the flow into the lubrication circuits , not a good idea . If you are worried about rubber hoses , which is not a suggested loop , plumb it with 3/8" metal tubing , with the appropriate fittings . Works well !

[Mike Taylor 3601]

have to loop or bypass cooler circuit in pump.
Mike Taylor 3601

[Greg Reimer 7376]

All I need to hear.Thanks for the responses. I had heard pros and cons, the correct answer wins again.Got out the tubing bender and the flaring tool.

[Alan Nyhus]

Greg, I used a piece of PTFE lined -6 hose with swaged ends. This was on a PG, but you get the idea. -Al

[Greg Reimer 7376]

I have a Glide done similarly to that one in the photo,also one or two that are plugged off.Do Glides oil differently, or would they have been modified as well?

[Alan Roehrich]

The cooler circuit, the lube circuit, and the converter charge circuit are interlinked. If you block the cooler by just plugging the ports in the case, you'll cause problems. The cooler can be looped in the pump, allowing you to plug the case. I simply use a short piece of 5/16" steel line bent into a tight 180, then cut and shortened, and installed between the two fittings. Takes about 20 minutes, costs about $5.00, and works every time. I've run into problems with modified pumps and cases not wanting to fully charge the converter, leaving it less than full of fluid, and not working correctly.

[ss3011]

Some Powerglides have a one way bypass valve inside the pump. If for some reason the cooler got plugged the bypass would allow oil to flow and keep the oil flowing through the converter and lube circuit . It would still overheat the trans but save the "hard parts" . For racing it would still be better to loop the cooler fittings , which would give more flow.

[Makinchips]

Is a cooler necessary in a glide bracket car?