Leaking transmission oil cooler lines

[erimille]

I'm slowly working on my father in laws 2000 Z3 2.3 automatic, 64K miles. I have a very limited maintenance history on this car so I've started working through the basics (replacing brake fluid, new oil and filter, changing differential oil, etc.) just to get a new baseline. I've been trying to decide if I want to tackle changing the transmission fluid (various readings related to 'lifetime transmission fluid' etc) but i've found myself with an issue that I think helps me answer this question.

It looks to me like (sometime in the past) this car must have met a curb? or something that pressed up against the transmission oil cooler lines as one of them appears to be leaking. I have no idea how long ago this might have been, and due to lack of clearance, i'm struggling with the best way to approach this problem.

transcooler1-s.jpgtranscooler2-s.jpgtranscooler3-s.jpg

Any tips on transmission oil cooler line replacement, routing would be appreciated. Any do's / don'ts in particular would be most helpful. Additional suggestions on automatic transmission fluid change would also be appreciated. Is is simply drain and refill fluids or is replacing the strainer / filter required as well?

Finally, is there a guard (plastic or otherwise) designed to protect these lines? If so, this Z doesn't seem to (any longer) have one... giving a stronger indicator that this car must have met a curb and lost.

Thanks in advance,

--e

[rf900rkw]

Unless you are after a show quality restoration, just replace the rubber lines. That assumes you have a way to cut the crimped ferrels.


You can change the fluid if you want. Some will say it may hurt. The only transmission it will hurt is one that has already failed and is just waiting for the perfect time to leave you stranded. By the same token it won't help. But everyone seems to get a warm and fuzzy from it.

[BimmerBreaker]

Ive gotten those crimp connections off succesfully many times with the careful use of a dremel and a small cutting disc.

[delvec]

Had these lines replaced last year. Leaking in the same place were the rubber is crimped. I Replaced the lines back to the transmission and just topped off the fluid with less then a quart. Yes, it looks like you are missing the protective splash shield under the vehicle. The part number is 51718397359

[erimille]

Thanks rf900rkw and bimmerbreaker, much appreciated. No show quality restoration here, but i'd like to fix it once and be done with it... I was assuming high PSI through these lines when I saw these ferrels. Is this not the case? Can one (somehow) cut these ferrels off, get a new hose and secure these to the metal tube with some sort of really strong clamp? Is it something that can be done without disconnecting these lines from the transmission? Is so, that becomes a much easier task than I had imagined.

I still need to figure out how to get under the car, but that seems like a prerequisite regardless

Thanks again,

--e

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks delvec... sounds like I'm also following in your footsteps. I don't know how long this issue has been with this car, but i'd guess at least 2 years. And while the drip isn't aggressive, it's steady. I'm guessing i'm running low on automatic transmission fluid. What fluid did you end up using to top off whats already in there?

And thanks again for confirming the missing protective splash shield... I'm guessing there is a $170 piece of plastic sitting on the side of the road somewhere in northern Pennsylvania

--e

[rf900rkw]

Split the ferrell by cutting length wise and prying it open. Cutting both sides makes the prying easier, but requires more cutting. Once the ferrell is opened up some, remove the hose. May require a box cutter. Then remove the ferrell.

Replacement house should be hydraulic oil rated. The max pressure is limited by converter charge control, roughly 80psi, so really high pressure hose isn't required. Just don't use auauto parts store grade fuel hose. Most transmission shops stock 11/32 hose that will work. And standard hose clamps.

On the ffluid, it's a bloody 1960s GM transmission. Dexron3 compatible is all you need. And a pump to put it in with.

[delvec]

What fluid did you end up using to top off whats already in there?

--e

I used Dextron VI...The original Dextron II is not available.

[rf900rkw]

Do not, do NOT, use Dexron VI in anything that was not designed to run the super low viscosity stuff. It's like dumping 0W/20 in an engine that calls for 15W/40. Yes, I know GM's marketing claims it's backwards compatible and discontinued licensing the Dexron III name. No other manufacturer agreed, including GM's own Allison division. Every autoparts store still sells Dex3, usually under the Dex-Merc moniker. If it says it meets Allison C4, it's the right stuff.

On our cars, the 5L40 can use Dex VI. Everything else, manuals included, need Dex3.