Seadawg

Here's my problem. I was blowing the doors off a C7, and my punishment was my headers wore a hole in the metal transmission line. It must have been rubbing for a while, it has a pin hole in it. Made a ton of smoke too.

Anyway, I need to repair it temporarily, while I either replace it or repair it permanently. What options do I have?

It is a manual transmission Grand Sport, 2011 year.

Any ideas welcomed and appreciated!!

C4SMAJ

..you could cut the line and insert a piece of rubber fuel line....but being next to a header that would not last long....you could get a piece proper size metal tubing from Auto Zone and cut the line in two places....use fuel line and clamps to install that new metal tubing line next to your header... you could get a brass compression fitting and cut the line at the leak and install it....I installed a compression fitting on a C4 with an auto and drove it for many thousands of miles like that....I hit something that kinked the trans line....not a lot of help but its all I got.....good luck....

Seadawg

Thanks, that is help, its confirming ideas. I have a guy trying to get me a compression fitting tool that might help with the permanent fix.

I'm gonna try to bypass the front cooler temporarily, just gotta sleep on it tonight, and knock it out tomorrow.

MKenM

Although the reference is to a brake line on an older vehicle the fix is the same. Take a peek.

Seadawg

Thanks. IF I can get it off without a ton of work (it may go under the torque tube plate), I think I might try getting one of the boat places to TIG weld a small blob in the hole, to give it more beef in the area. I saw it last night it is literally a pin hole.

Then, bend it out of the way of the headers!

I'll post repair pics out here, to hopefully help others out in the future too.

AORoads

I am no help, but just for info: how long do you think this line is, and how complicated is it to get it out and replace it? The only thing I'm thinking of is, a new one you could fit in place and "adjust" or put a permanent bend in it off the car that would avoid as much as possible rubbing in the future. But, I'm not saying the above suggestions aren't possible long-term fixes. Just asking a question. Good luck and tell us what you do.

wayback

Do you mean inverted flare tool? There are no special tools needed for compression fittings. Either one would fix your problem. Just splice in a new section and reroute it away from the headers.

Nosferatu

I can't help ya too much. I would say try and find out why it did this to prevent it from happening in the future. Best of luck!

Seadawg

thanks guys, just took a break to wipe the sweat (hot here in Florida today). I'm dropping the exhaust now, to get to the torque tube plate, gotta get it off to get that looonnnggg line outta there to get it either flared or TIG welded. Will post pics later.

Seadawg

Weeelllllll, after tugging and pulling on the exhaust under jack stands, and in the Florida heat, I gave up and JB Welded it for a temporary patch. I'll get it to a shop soon, for the permanent repair....

Here are some pics.





The rub area, that made a pinhole in the trans line





1st layer of JB Weld





Some ThermoShield between the trans lines and the header

Don-Vette

That thermo shield will keep the line from rubbing through again. Keep an eye on it.

Seadawg

Yea, it's holding for now. It only leaked out less than a quart, it was a tiny hole. I'm dropping it off tomorrow at a friend's muffler shop, they will drop the exhaust, then bend the line out of the header touch area, cut it, and splice it back mechanically. I miss my 4 post lift!!!

Then, in a week or so, I'll change the fluid, since I have about 60k on the car. Gonna go with a good synthetic Dexron III compatible