Hey everyone. So it appears GM apparently changed the design of the trans line clips. I had to have the fitting for my transmission cooler replaced today (repeat leaks which I found later were due to defects in the mating surfaces) and gave them a clip I bought from a dealer. The plastic cover did not fit over it because the three points of the clip are so big and it appears this new one supersedes the old clip and is capless. Please see photos and any information appreciated. Thanks
Trans Line Clips
- Thread starter ComputernerdBD
- Start date
Usually retaining clips are universal, if you go to the Dorman "HELP" isle in the Auto Parts store you can find a pack of them in various sizes.
Mounce
Member
I came here to say that's a dorman clip. Multipack all painted blue. You can get a box of them ranging in size for different applications. I got a few from work like that.
Honestly I wouldn't worry about the cover not going back over it, the odds of something catching on that clip under normal street use are insane.
Honestly I wouldn't worry about the cover not going back over it, the odds of something catching on that clip under normal street use are insane.
Mooseman
Moderator
This was a dealer clip out of a bag on there. Could GM have sold a counterfeit part? I also bought the Dorman clips and was concerned with their quality so I went dealership parts for $5 each. The Dormans appear taller when comparing them side by side.
AWD V8
Member
- Jan 12, 2015
- 463
I've come across 2 sizes just doing my LS swap. I had the lines separated from the engine oil cooler and the transmission oil cooler. When it was time for me to assemble the transmission cooler lines I was frustrated that I wasn't able to get the clip to seat deep enough to press the plastic sleeve over it. It took me a while but eventually the brain kicked in and I wondered if the clips could be different sizes. Yes, the ones I was using were the engine oil cooler line clips. They are just a wee bit bigger and are NOT the correct ones. That plastic sleeve is a safety that is needed to keep that clip in place. Using a larger clip that doesn't allow the plastic sleeve to be used is dangerous. The line is not held securely! You need the smaller clip. Don't trust it without the sleeve.
Interesting.... So it is possible they gave me oil cooler clips even though the I6 doesn't have an oil cooler? How bad does that make the GM dealer look?
Thanks for the tip about the line, now I am glad I went further into this when I noticed that the new clips didn't fit the same.
Also update: It seems that there was a sleeve that fits the larger clip after all that normally would fit on a new replacement trans line with deeper grooves. We did some research and was able to acquire one. Photo attached, I think looks very tight and secure. It seems to look the same as the one removed from this fitting but maybe it was just the fact that the old one broke from repeated handling that it was a problem in the first place? Thoughts? Thanks
Edit: the clip was WAY too big and caused the sleeve to break in half. I found a Dorman 800-606 with a clip and another sleeve off a spare line I had and it appears those will fit better so that is going on now. What is the real GM part number for the clips?
Thanks for the tip about the line, now I am glad I went further into this when I noticed that the new clips didn't fit the same.
Also update: It seems that there was a sleeve that fits the larger clip after all that normally would fit on a new replacement trans line with deeper grooves. We did some research and was able to acquire one. Photo attached, I think looks very tight and secure. It seems to look the same as the one removed from this fitting but maybe it was just the fact that the old one broke from repeated handling that it was a problem in the first place? Thoughts? Thanks
Edit: the clip was WAY too big and caused the sleeve to break in half. I found a Dorman 800-606 with a clip and another sleeve off a spare line I had and it appears those will fit better so that is going on now. What is the real GM part number for the clips?
Attachments
Last edited:
Mooseman
Moderator
AWD V8
Member
- Jan 12, 2015
- 463
That pic of the clip looks EXACTLY like what I encountered.
BTW you can install the clip first, then the line just pops in place. I'm sure that is how the assembly line does it. Didn't know if you were installing the line first then trying to get the clip in afterwards. It works but it's easier to do the clip first. Oil the end of the line first.
BTW you can install the clip first, then the line just pops in place. I'm sure that is how the assembly line does it. Didn't know if you were installing the line first then trying to get the clip in afterwards. It works but it's easier to do the clip first. Oil the end of the line first.