This weekend I took on a project of replacing radiator in my '85 XJS with a recored radiator, but from '86.

The disassembling part was going well until I got to the part of removing transmission oil return hoses. That's when I realized I might have a problem. The design of the connectors for the transmission return hoses changed between MY'85 and MY'86. In '85, it was simply a hose clamped to the radiator T-piece. In '86, there is a screw-in connector, which requires a hose with a nut and O-ring. See the pictures below. Same thing going on on the back end of the hoses.

What should I do? Should I try to make a new hose that would be clamped to the pipes that go to the transmission at the back and be screwed on to the radiator by making some kind of connector in the middle?

Anybody had to deal with this issue when replacing the radiators? Any clever solution?

Old design ('85):


New design ('86):

 

Hi V1rok

This is a very easy fix without any need to make anything

Go to your local hydraulic Shop and tell them you want a couple of 'Tails' to screw onto the threads of your Rad, including one with a bend to go on the Top one

Then just push your Oil Pipes onto these 'Tails' with a couple of Jubilee Clips to Secure them

The 'Tails' as you probably already know, would be the sort of thing you would use on the end of a Compressed Air Hose to screw onto an Air Tool

Whereas the 'Bend' might come as a separate item, that you Screw onto the Rad before you Screw the 'Tail' into the other end

The thread on the Rad should not be anything Special and if you explain what you're wanting to do, they will be able to sort you out with the fittings you need for just a few dollars

 

Does anybody remember what is the correct size of the tran oil cooler hose?

It seems like 5/16" but I am not sure. Are OEM hoses measured in mm?

 

Memory, HA, 8mm, or 5/16.

Or, you could do away with that all together and it an external trans cooler, less load on the cooling system, and worked well for me for as long I can remember.

I remove then from the radiator as soon as the car comes home to me.

 

 

The two hoses are extended using barbed hose joiners and led forward through the gap at the side of the radiator to an external transmission cooler, sited behind the bumper. This is a really good mod (Grant's mod, copied by me too) as it takes a heat source out of the coolant and means trans fluid can never get into the coolant, or vice versa, and ruin the tranny if the cooling coil in the radiator RHS tank fails. here is a pic of mine in the process of installation.

 

Here ya go.

About a 12 stubbie work time.