My first engine “build”

Thank you sir! Makes sense why I didn’t have a gasket in my kit.

I also, any idea what this pink with black wire and single post connector might go to? I can’t find it on any wiring diagram and I guess I missed it when unplugging things. Comes out of the firewall harness.
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3 steps forward one step back… hopefully just one step.

Almost done with the wiring, assuming I got it correct. Grill and Radiator back in. Need a lower rad hose and why the hell are the trans cooling connections on the radiator 3/8 and the transmission hard lines are 5/16? WTF!

Need to finish up routing the heater hoses and order and install an electric cooling fan and shroud and I’m basically at the point to fill fluids and turn the key to find out what all I screwed up.

The one step back is I’ve been chasing a trans fluid lead, actually two. Getting the pan to seal up has proven to be a PITA. I’m about to order a new pan. The second leak I think is from the rear main seal on the output of the trans. Gonna have to pull the tcase and tail housing and see what’s going on. Fluid is coming out a weep hole on the bottom of the tail housing.

I’m hoping I’m not going to have to pull the transmission. 😬

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Pulled the tcase and transmission tail housing. It didn’t seem that the seal in the tail housing that seals over the tcase input shaft was even touching the input shaft. Couldn’t feel it engaging and it didn’t seem to clean the input shaft when you installed and removed the tail housing.

Couldn’t find solid information online about the seal so I Took the tcase and tail housing up to a transmission shop.

Side bar; I noticed a nice Grand National in the lot and noticed from across the lot that it wasn’t an 8.5 or 10” rear end underneath it. It looked like a D44 from 40’ away.

I asked the guy that was helping me (the owner of the shop) and it was his car. I mentioned the rear axle didn’t seem to be stock and asked if it was an 44, and he perked up then corrected me that it was a D60. He was happy to help me out at that point. 😁 gotta love gearheadz!

Anyway, he got me sorted with a seal. back at the house I pulled the old seal dropped the new one in and you can feel a positive engagement as it seats over the input shaft.

Oddly, for ahits and giggles, I stuck the old seal on the input shaft and it fit properly as well. But you certainly couldn’t feel it engaging and it didn’t wipe the shaft clean when it was installed. Unfortunately, it’s all recessed and you can see it when installing the tail housing.

Sooooooo, not sure WTF is up. It sure acts like fluid is getting around the seal. Guess I’ll just pay close attention to the reassembly and install.
 
I’m about fed up with trying to find the right trans cooling line fitting for the radiator. Part of the problem is probably because I don’t know exactly the name of what to search when looking for the radiator cooling line fitting.

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It’s a two piece with a single flare on the tube to create a compression fit like a brake line.

To be honest, I’m not sure if it’s M16x1.5 or 5/8x11 it’s damn close for both.

But I can’t find anything local and online is proving a challenge as well.

So any help on what exactly I have and what it’s called to narrow the search would be helpful. Closest thing I’ve found to reduce down to 5/16 is on Amazon but it’s one piece of that makes a difference. Not sure if the flare is the same.

 
Shreddinlettuce said:
Why not just run an external cooler, the ambient air should be cooler than the coolant in the radiator
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I don’t see the sense in buying an external cooler just because I can’t find a fitting the right size in an effort to avoid a reducer and 2 more hose clamps. I’ll go with the reducer on each line if needed. They’re already in my amazon cart.

I just like fewer connections if possible. It’s cleaner.
 
For about $40 you get better cooling simpler routing and both the trans and engine run cooler

From google ai

External transmission coolers are generally more effective at dissipating heat than internal coolers found in radiators, especially in high-performance or heavy-duty applications. However, for most standard vehicles, the internal cooler is usually sufficient to maintain optimal transmission fluid temperatures.
 
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