I am installing an aftermarket ac. As such, i am running out of space. I have always run an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator, back in the day when i ran the car alot harder. Now it is a crate 350 with a turbo 400 weekend driver. I never knew that the two holes (plugged) on the radiator fill side were an option for cooling. I live in a hot part of calif, but i do not run the car hard. I have read alot of post to use the external but would like to minimize what I am adding to the front end.

1- I have some 3/8 tubing for fuel injection- is that ok to use for tranny line or should i get tranny line tubing?
2- If i choose the radiator option for cooling the tranny, is the routing top of radiator fill side to bottom of tran connection, and bottom of radiator to top of tran (intake to radiator)?
thanks.
68camrs

I have a condenser and a trans cooler with fan mounted in front of my radiator and it doesn't look to bad.I made a bracket out of pencil tubing.

I have the rs hideaway lights, lots of tubing in that area right now that i had to drop in the grill area to get the condensor in. Just trying to get a usable cooler (if the radiator one will do the trick) until i get passed the major project. Nice 69 by the way, i luv the orange and white on that body style!!

1- Additional question, if should be a fairly new radiator, but should i flush the tranny cooling side first, and with what, if i go that route?

With the radiator cooler, the tranny will cool fine... as long as the cooling system can handle the load.

I'd use hardline. Tho "back in the day" I've done plenty with plain ole rubber fuel line.

I have a 4 core radiator in my car with internal trans cooler, A/C, and a 4,000 stall. I drove my car everday for years with this setup. Modesto is as hot as Fresno, as long as you have a good cooling system you shouldn't have any problem.

I guess the factory new what they were doing as they still run the trans with the radiator. I am running a 8" torc converter and I guess I went a little extreme sorry for the confusion I was just tellin u wat I did.I didn't know it was a RS set up.I need to look at user names more closely.

1- I have some 3/8 tubing for fuel injection- is that ok to use for tranny line or should i get tranny line tubing?
2- If i choose the radiator option for cooling the tranny, is the routing top of radiator fill side to bottom of tran connection, and bottom of radiator to top of tran (intake to radiator)? thanks. 68camrsUse a hardline kit from trans to radiator, or braided hose lines.

The top cooler fitting is return to the trans, GM fills the oil cooler from the bottom up.

Use a hardline kit from trans to radiator, or braided hose lines.

The top cooler fitting is return to the trans, GM fills the oil cooler from the bottom up.

Thanks - Just to clarify that point-

Top of Rad tank to Top fitting on Tran.
Bottom of Rad Tank to Bottom fitting of Tran.

Thank All.

1- Additional question, if should be a fairly new radiator, but should i flush the tranny cooling side first, and with what, if i go that route?

Yes, there are aerosol cans of with attached hoses specifically for flushing trans coolers available.

After trips to 5 diff autoparts and hardware finally found the fittings that worked for me. Finally found an adjustable 90 degree fitting at carquest. Edelmann 5/16 and 5/16 part #822550(in case anyone else needs this setup). Three feet of tranny hose and four clamps, done. Assuming i have the correct connections, top rad and top tran connection points and bottom of tran to bottom of rad I am finished.

Thanks to all for your input.

Just got the fender back on and battery in. First test of this connection. I had a moderate leak at the fill line to the radiator connection (bottom). Tightned this fitting and it went to a trickle. Still not right. This fitting is not inverted (saw that it needs to be in another post). Top fitting appears to work ok for now. Just wanted to update before someone else used this fitting for this issue. Sorry for the bad information.

The back in the day radiator cooling lines were inverted flare fittings, if you dont have one, thats prolly where the leak is. The newer cars have an O-ring type set up. Once you get past that , you should be fine.
As for location, I have heard many issues, if you live in cold areas to the north, but pulled heavy loads, the factory cooler was first , then routed to the external cooler, then on the the return on trans. Remember the older cars had coolers at the bottom of the tanks and first Gen cars had the "cooled side" verticle tanks. Some newer models are using the hot side so figure that. Some reasoning was that you do want to get fluid hot enough to dissipate any moisture you could pick up. Thus in hotter area and duty, the radiator/transmission was always by-passed. Of course this was some preferance to differant towing methods. Main idea is to keep trans temp down.
For race applications, I always used the external cooler or heat sink of the sort. I have even seem people just loop the lines back into the return port on the trans, but thats not the right way to do this. Its your call.

Thanks Don.!!!

Added o-ring with this fitting. No leak at op temp 10 min and load rpm. Not road tested yet.
Rich.