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Possibly stupid hydraulic questions (cooler-related)

anthrax323

anthrax323

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Antonio, TX
As the XJ resurrection projects goes deeper and deeper, I'm now at the point where I'm ready to reassemble my hydraulic systems...

I've removed my factory auxiliary transmission cooler (whose hard lines don't fit through the hole provided in my Rigid FbG bulkhead reinforcement plate) and am about to order a Derale 15331 dual-circuit cooler to replace it, also acting as a power steering cooler:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/15331/10002/-1?parentProductId=

Now, hydraulic fittings are a new world for me. I know that the cooler will be on the low-pressure side of each system, but I'd still like to get it right.

Here's what I do know:

  • Power steering return line is 11/32" ID
  • The Derale inlets/outlets are 8AN fittings (from what I've read, another stupid US-proprietary measurement)
Here's what I don't know:

  • How to fit the output of the transmission to the new cooler (it's that female quick-disconnect fitting much like a fuel line with 4 internal tabs retaining the male fitting on the auxiliary transmission cooler)
  • How to convert the 8AN inlets/outlets to 11/32" barbed fittings (I know the PS return is 11/32" - how about the transmission?)
I've Googled pretty extensively on this subject but am so unfamiliar with it that my attempts have likely been misguided. Any input would be quite welcome.

Thanks in advance!
 
Search for part numbers to convert your trans cooler lines to AN-6 (you could do -8 instead, for more flow, and less adapters.). With the ammount of work you have planned, do it right with AN fittings. Its all easy once your converted to AN fittings... just expensive. GREAT, but expensive.
 
btw, did you just call AN-8 a stupid US-propriatary measurement? Because AN fittings were invented when the rest of the world was either Nazi's, or cavement uncappable of flight... COULDNT BE FARTHEST, from a stupid, propriatary measurement.... If you dont beleive me, go look at a couple race cars....
 
Thanks a ton for the info man - I'll see what I can piece together.

xcm said:
btw, did you just call AN-8 a stupid US-propriatary measurement? Because AN fittings were invented when the rest of the world was either Nazi's, or cavement uncappable of flight... COULDNT BE FARTHEST, from a stupid, propriatary measurement.... If you dont beleive me, go look at a couple race cars....
Click to expand...

Hahaha, eeaasy there buddy :) . Not trying to start a units and measures holy war, lol. I'm just a whore for the metric system.
 
Thanks for the info xcm - much appreciated.

So the transmission fittings are now known (M14x1.5), but my attention is moving on to the radiator...

Does anyone know the threads for the transmission cooler lines on the factory radiator? From what I can find, the upper transmission circuit fitting is a 5/8-18 thread, but I'm not entirely sure on the lower. I'd like to go ahead and convert all fittings to -8AN for the sake of simplicity (and pick up stainless steel lines for the high-heat run from the transmission forward).

Anyone else tackled this before?
 
Just ordered the cooler from a local performance shop, should have it by Friday...

That being said - holy crap, -8AN fittings are friggin huge. Looks like I might go with -8AN to -6AN reducers on the cooler itself to open up more options for barbed fittings and reduce cost on the stainless lines they'll be making for me for the transmission runs (-8AN stainless line runs $7.25/ft).
 
hubs97xj said:
Nm, I am guessing you mean braided stainless hose.
Click to expand...
Yessir. Shooting for braided stainless lines throughout most of the system (terminated with threaded female AN fittings). Seems like it'll make it easier from the standpoint of carrying fewer spare parts on the trail (namely a single spare hose and a couple male/male unions to bypass the cooler should I hit another farking animal while in the middle of nowhere).
 
Now that I think of it... Are there any caveats to plumbing the entire transmission cooling system in -8AN / 0.5" ID tubing rather than something closer to the stock 0.375" plumbing?
 
FYI..

The AN designation originally stood for Army/Navy and was used for Military vehicles until the Racing crowd discovered the benefits of the fittings. Think post WWII ex-GI Hot Rodders here. Like, say, my dad was...

Just thought you might like to know. It was the AAC (Army Air Corp) that got the ball rolling. Military grade AN fittings have holes in them to accept Safety Wire as every fitted connection in an aircraft is safety wired together.

On another note: the original Heim Patent has a Third Reich Logo on the top as they were first patented in Germany.
 
o-gauge-steamer said:
Military grade AN fittings have holes in them to accept Safety Wire as every fitted connection in an aircraft is safety wired together.
Click to expand...

Not all, but yes...

AN fittings are awesome, they withstand 3000psig hydraulic fluid so nothing in your Jeep should put out anything that will give them issues...
 
Thanks for all the insight and info, guys - I must once again apologize for my haste in labeling the AN standard as I did :) . I'll focus my angst against NPT from here on out.

Looks like I'll be doing -8AN throughout the whole system with the exception of power steering, which I'll reduce to -6AN at the cooler and just use 3/8" barbs to connect to the remainder of the system.

On that note, though - the power steering return lines are all 11/32". Would it be foolish to use 3/8" lines? I'm not sure how much of a difference 1/32" of an inch would make, but I do know I'm having a hell of a time finding AN-to-11/32" barbed fittings.
 
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