Hey all,

I think that I have bit off more that I can chew.

My tranny cooling lines are leaking, so I have, as per JTIS, disconnected all the transmission cooling line fittings, but I can't figure out how to get them off of the vehicle without removing the entire suspension subframe.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

2003 3.0 Jag S-type

 

This is a bit of a puzzle?? The JTIS does not show the sub frame being dropped or removed to replace these leaking lines. Note; The reports on this usually say the leak is from where the metal line meets the rubber section. Is yours leaking at that point?

BUT the only post I read of a dealer doing this required dropping the sub frame and of course added a good bit of time and cost to the repair. Without a lift it will also be more difficult. Be careful how you remove the lines from the transmission. It is a plate type mount and the JTIS warns against prying it out of the transmission.

Can you post the part number and price you paid? When you get them changed please post back how you did it as it seems the 6 cylinder cars suffer from this the most. It has been reported on the V-8 too just not as often.

Here is a diagram showing the lines attached to the transmission.
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Where exactly is it leaking?

 

Alright, time to update... I have been tackling several issues with this car and am now making some headway.

I have an uninsulated garage and we have been below -15deg for most of the month. Finally a Chinook allowed me to get back under the car.

- "clubairth1" thanks for the pic. I did have the JTIS software so I had already followed those steps.

- "bogart" My cooling lines were leaking near the rubber crimped connections close to the radiator. Once I got the lines free, it wasn't actually the crimps leaking, but the metal fittings themselves, that contain a swivel with an internal O-ring and that is where each line was leaking. I have a local hose shop that can repair these for $50 if I can get it off the car.

Here I go regarding the tranny lines:

- I managed to release the 2 tranny cooling lines at both ends (transmission and radiator).

- Once released, I removed the support brackets along the lines. The lines were now 'floating' free.

- I could not free these lines from the vehicle though as the routing/shape of the aluminum lines would only allow me about 1" of movement in any direction.

- I spent a long time trying to figure out how to remove these and have concluded that you must drop the front suspension sub-frame assembly.

- So I've given up on that course of action, unless a someone can inform me of another way to do this.

My temporary fix for the winter:

Self sealing silicone tape, such as "Rescue Tape". After seeing this stuff used around oil and gas plants and on a friends farm for hydraulic repairs, I decided with this leak, to just 'cast' the swivels with the tape. The leak is at low pressure anyway.

The results have been excellent, I have run about 1800Km's on the repairs without a hint of leaking. More than likely, this repair will be sufficient for a longer term than spring, but I'll update if the repair ever starts to leak again.

I found the best way to do this is to:
- disconnect the transmission cooling lines at both ends
- remove the cooling fan
- remove the lower radiator hose up to the thermostat

This will give plenty of access to each of the 4 connections that could be leaking and allow you to properly tension the tape and get the recommended 5 layers (which provides a 950psi seal).

I recommend watching videos on how to wrap hydraulic lines with this tape on youtube.

Hopefully this helps and I hope we can all figure out how to remove these lines for proper replacement or repair on these 3.0 Stypes.

Chris

 

Here are a couple of pics of the wrapped lines.

 

Nice job, and a great write-up with photos. I hope this temporary repair gets you through the winter with no further leakage. Keep us posted....

 

+1

 

Interesting that you used tape on the joints. I recently did a transmission oil change and found I had a leaking line but one near to the pan. These swaged joints are prone to leaks. I cleaned up the joint with methylated spirits and then used a product in the UK called "super steel" its a metallic epoxy resin. Sets rock hard. I used this on my line and sealed it great. I also used a tape as well ,probably very similar to yours. My jobs nowhere as neat ( as evidenced by my picture ) as there isn't room to properly wrap the tape around the pipe.
To get the joints remade isn't a problem just getting the things off the vehicle.
Why they use these type of connectors in the first place is beyond me as the lines are under no real pressure at all.

 

Someone was looking for a pic of S-type trans cooling lines. I don't see how one can get a hole int the metal part of the lines. The leak would come from either the fitting at the trans or where the hoses connect to the lines.

Here is an image of 2000 S-type trans cooling lines. The rubber hoses were only clamped to the metal lines. Not much pressure in the lines.

 

Twas me Joe, Thank you

I know what you guys are thinking.

 

Here is a simple solution that I used on a Corvette a few years ago....same issue with leaking lines, and it looked like I would have to pull the engine to get the lines out.

Only one line had developed a pin hole leak. I cut it in the middle and pulled out each half seperately. Bought a new line at a Chevy dealer, cut it in half also....inserted one half from the fron of the car and the other half from the middle (near the tranny). WHere the two halves met, I slpliced them both together with a hi-pressure hose and four hose clamps (two on each end of the rubber hose).

I sold the car to a frined who still drives it with no issues...the transmission line pressure is not high enough to blow the rubber hose...

Cost was about $6 and seved a he!! of a lot of work...

Worked for me and I would do it again in a heartbeat....good luck

 

You wanted them for the cars fitted with the ZF transmission.

 

Yes, I saw that...bummer

 

These lines aren't the ones from a 2003+ 3.0. Ours have flexible rubber lines inserted prior to the radiator connection.

Here is a picture off of ebay Item #140344795984

 

Prepare yourself, replacing those cooler pipes requires lowering the subframe on it's bolts about 1 1/2 inches, lowering the steering rack, raising the engine about 2 inches and taking them out towards the front, below the radiator. And I don't think it could be done on jacks, it would require a lift. The first time is a bit**, the second time isn't so bad.

 

Suppose someone wanted to do it a little differently - by cutting them (and later re-joining). How many cuts would be needed and where? Would a single cut be enough? If so, where?

 

Just another perspective, do you know the type of connector and how much the tool costs to swag on the fittings? Can you rent it from the local hose repair shop? If so, can you do it under the car?

 

Not a chance of doing in situ. Pipes would have to be made up off the vehicle.

 

Hi Centaur15,

Can you tell us how long your rescue tape wrap lasted? I am in same place now as you were nine years ago with weeping (not leaking as yet) lines, and if I can buy myself a few months using your technique, I would count that as a good outcome.

 

Roger: The last post from "centaur15" was in June 2013; so, it is highly unlikely that he will step in and answer your inquiry...