Hello,

One of my aluminum/steel automatic transmission pipe part number 1306839 on my Volvo 240 1993 has developed pin hole leak where the bottom clamp is holding the both pipes. Combination of tight clamp and shaking has created pin hole. I am thinking of soldering/blazing it instead of replacing the whole pipe. Did some of you tried similar ? I have only solder plumbing copper pipes so I dont know if that is possible or how strong the seal will be.

Thanks!

There isn't a lot of pressure there. You can cut the pipe and use a union - or splice in a short length of fuel hose. - Dave

^^
5/16 compression union from home center store




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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin

Thank you !

That bottom clamp was really tight, It left almost inch long mark on the pipe. If I remove that 1 inch of bended part of the pipe , will it be difficult to adjust to adjust /bend the aluminum pipe for that inch and make new connection ? or should I just cut where the puncture hole is?

The line is made of steel - if original. The area where the clamp may have left an impression would normally be cut out as the compression fitting takes up a bit of space. - Dave

I did like you told me. Thank you

The pipe isn't aluminum, it is plated steel. You might be able to heal it brazing, but cleaning and removing the ATF inside would mean taking the pipe down from the car -- more trouble than even bending up a new pipe.

Just take the inch out. That's about the minimum you can smoothly get at with a mini tubing cutter to leave a round surface for the compression fitting, which adds some length in compensation. The lines are forgiving. As you can see in my old picture, which shows the much older style of clamp than you have, the lines were adjusted to move the splices rearward with respect to the clamp.

Look up "bundyweld."
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!" - Dave Howell

Thank you for the picture. It helped me.

To finalize that little problem, and maybe to be helpful maintenance tip for others readers as it looks like this is common problem, would you suggest putting heat shrink tubing, or other material per your suggestion around the steel pipe so that clamp dont damage pipe in the future?

I love that quote by Benjamin Franklin. Since my connection (1997) with the Eastern Motor Racing Association (EMRA, established 1969) I've been a member of (and now President) one of its founding clubs - SSSC&BDS - South Shore Sports Car & Beer Drinking Society, est. 1957. SSSC&BDS was a tongue in cheek response to the much older (and much more serious) Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society. - Dave

Both SSSC&BDS and MASCD&CS sound at least as if the founders were all about having fun, perhaps to the varying degree you suggest. Your interest reminds me of a story I enjoyed long ago which you might be familiar with; Bugatti Queen by Miranda Seymour.

As a token to the topic, those compression unions turned out to be much more durable than I expected when I first began to use them 20 years ago. Haven't had to revisit the repairs yet despite hundreds of thousands of experience miles.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." - Dave Barry

Art, I checked info to be sure my impression of "Chowder" was accurate and found that they too were founded in 1957 with the basic goal to not be serious about anything. They had members from TV and film and meet at Sardi's in Manhattan for monthly meetings that have speakers from the auto world. One of my biggest regrets is that I never followed through with an invitation from a dear friend and long time Chowder member to accompany him to a meeting. Bud is gone now so the opportunity is lost. Lesson learned. -- Dave

I am glade you said that, as I was looking at those compression, and wonder will constant shaking and such a close distance to heat of exhaust system create leakage... and it looks like brazing aluminum is straight forward so I was actually thinking of just sealing the hole.