Black iron pipe. Can it be used to run transmission fluid?

[Barn Owl]

I am adding an additional cooler to my transmission. It already has the oil/water cooler, but like some others have done, I am going to add a oil/air cooler in series. This will add an extra layer of protection by removing some of the heat load from the engine cooling system. I purchased a Hayden 1290 off Ebay and am going to mount it in front of the radiator. My question is this: I need to run what will be lengthly hoses from the transmission side to the radiator, can I use black iron pipe to run this hot but low pressure oil? I am thinking two 6' lengths of pipe for the round trip, my thinking is that it will be twelve additional feet that will also contribute something to cooling the oil. I will have hoses made to make the twist and turns required to connect everything together. What are your thoughts? I will post this to both boards to catch the non-crossovers.

[chev49]

i probably wouldnt use it cause i have lotsa extra truck lines and a kit to make up the ends...that being said, i would probably use it on my shop well cause it isnt code.... BTW i'm installing new pipe from my apartment well to the apartment and the mobile home... need free laborers for digging under the foundation,etc.... wonder how many i will find on here.... pipe is currently on top of ground waiting for God to bury it to the proper depth..

[chev49]

And the trencher was sold last year...

[bevans6]

I don't think it's the right tool for the job.  I would use one continuous run of the appropriate hose for each run, with one connection at each end.  That's the right way to do it.  Transmission fluid is neither very hot nor at pressure, in the greater scheme of things, and the right hose and ends are very available and inexpensive.  Each connection you add is a failure point, after all.  The iron pipe won't add any cooling to speak of, and if you size your heat exchanger properly, you'll not need added cooling in any case.

Brian

[oldmansax]

I would use it if I wanted to. It's strong enough & able to stand accidental hits. You can support it with no problems. It will radiate some heat. You can minimize failure at the joints by using bell couplings only. Make sure to use some hose at each end to protect against vibration failure..

Remember, OEMs use some type of pipe for transmissions lines if the run is over a few feet.

TOM

[luvrbus]

If you need bends to make it work I wouldn't use pipe if you want steel the hydraulic hose parts places can bend tubing for a nice smooth flow with the right ends that is the way I do it I don't like long runs of hoses

good luck

[demodriver]

 Black pipe wont handle any vibrations.

I would suggest a low pressure hydro line. It may be a little more expensive but money well spent IMO.

[luvrbus]

Why won't black pipe stand vibration ? every RV made uses black pipe on the propane lines what am I missing here

good luck

[pipopak]

I would be concerned about the roughness of the pipe on the inside. On a long run may add significant drag to the oil. Regular pipe used in transmission lines is steel, which is a lot smoother.

[bevans6]

My RV (a truck camper) uses copper pipe on the propane lines, fwiw.

Brian

[luvrbus]

Ok let me change that to 99% of the RV's lol

good luck

[Melbo]

I see no reason that it can't be used for transmission oil. It won't rust with oil inside. If used for straight runs it would not have resistance that would make any difference. If properly installed it should not leak at the connections. Any abrasion would not pierce the pipe any sooner than on a hose. AND besides all that I used a lot of black iron pipe fittings when I installed my new transmission cooler AND I wouldn't do anything your not supposed to do on a bus.

HTH

Melbo

[RJ]

I am going to add a oil/air cooler in series. This will add an extra layer of protection by removing some of the heat load from the engine cooling system. I purchased a Hayden 1290 off Ebay and am going to mount it in front of the radiator.

Laryn -

OK, let me get this straight:

You've bought an auxiliary oil cooler to help take some of the heat load off the engine cooling system, right?

You're planning on hanging this cooler in front of the radiator, right?


Duh, is it me, or do I not understand how hanging an oil cooler in front of the radiator is going to help reduce the heat loading on the engine cooling system?  Where's the hot air coming off the oil cooler going to go?

IMHO, it would be far better to have some louvers punched into the transmission access door (or use expanded metal like the A/C condenser access) and hang the oil cooler there.  Shorter hose run, too.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[luvrbus]

I left that point alone RJ but makes no sense to me hanging a cooler on the radiator adding 200 + degrees to a cooling system but we all do it different

good luck

[Ed Hackenbruch]

RJ,  when i first got my 5A and saw that the PO had put  tranny coolers in front of both radiators i had the same thoughts/concerns as you.  The first few times that i ran the bus i thought that the gauge for the tranny oil temp was broken, it never moved at all.  Then we went up the hill from Laughlin headed to Las Vegas when it was 107 degrees. The needle finally moved and i realized it worked.  With the long runs of hose and the use of two coolers it seems that the heat is spread out enough that it does not make much of an impact on my water temp in the course of normal running. I usually run either at, or just below, 180 degrees. That trip up the hill i did go to 205 degrees an made a lunch stop at Searchlight to let things cool off for a while.  I have made that same trip a couple of other times, (just this spring in fact) and even though it was not near as hot, and even though my tranny oil temp gauge did not move these times, my water temp did go up about 10 degrees above normal.  That is a long slow climb for me, so is the Grapevine.