So which is better? SS oil cooler lines with AN fittings or Banjo fittings?

I've read that the Banjo fittings are restrictive and that AN fittings flow better, but AN fittings are more likely to leak.

Cost is not a factor. So which would you use?

 

AN wont leak if you do it right. Plus you have alot more options seeing AN is considered standard.

 

If cost is not a factor... go with the premade set of -an fittings from mazdatrix.

The -an fittings flow better, no doubt about it. Take a -an fitting and a banjo fitting and just look at them.. the -an is a straight shot to the line.. the banjo has to squeeze out a hole in the bolt into a groove in the banjo fitting then into the line, much more restrictive.

I saved a few bucks and made them myself, but they are basically the same as the mazdatrix set. They have never leaked... If you get premade ones, even less worry cause it takes the "did i do that right" aspect out of it.

One thing... the 90 Degree 10-an fittings take a lot more space than a banjo bolt.. I moved my oil cooler over towards the passenger side 1 inch with some brackets to give myself better clearance between the cooler and the rail. I don't think that its necessary with the fittings that Mazdatrix uses though.

 

Banjo connections have always been a compromise design.


-Ted

 

Cool Thanks..

I think I'm going to go with AN style fittings for my car when I go to replace them. I think the ones from mazdatrix and the adapters.

 

The oil cooler ends on the Mazdatrix premade ones don't flow as well as standard 90 degree -AN fittings.
Its quite possible to make your own with standard fittings, without moving the oil cooler and without cutting sheet metal, or having hose contact the body. I do it all the time. I use a 120 degree -AN fitting for the top of the oil cooler, a 90 degree for the side of the oil cooler, a 45 for the front cover, and a 90 degree for the rear iron.

 

You have to do all that to get the AN style lines from Mazdatrix to fit?

 

Scathcart: Could you give me a parts list of what you use? I want to get a shopping list together so that I can get everything for when I get back I can change a bunch of stuff out on the car including getting rid of the OMP thats just sitting there with the rod disconnected. Thanks..

 

what size -AN hose did you go with?
I have some -12.I think I'll try to use for the lines.

 

10-AN.
Good luck finding the metric adapters to fit the block and oil cooler for 12-AN...

 

No, for some reason he had to do that to make his custom lines fit.

I use:
(2) 10-AN 90 degree hose connectors
(1) 10-AN 45 degree hose connector
(1) 10-AN 120 degree hose connector
5 feet of 10-AN braided stainless steel hose
(3) M18x1.5 Male to 10-AN adapters (oil cooler, rear iron)
(1) M16x1.5 Male to 10-AN Adapter (front cover)
(3) copper stock crush washers for oil cooler/rear iron
(1) aluminum stock crush washer for front cover
I have a bottle of Assembly lube, but oil works fine.

 

thanks man,
I'll go with the 10 AN.great info. you just saved me alot of time.

A little off topic. but do you know what size the bolt is for the banjo for the turbo feed line.the one comming from top of the engine?

 

M12x1.5
You'll probably want to use a 3-AN or 4-AN line for your turbocharger oil feed line.

I really shouldn't just know these sizes off the top of my head...

 

scathcart
thanks for the info.you really helped.

I've already got the -3-AN line ready to go.had alittle problem with finding out what size the bolt was.

I'm going to make a master list of all the bolt sizes to save a little time.

 

Thanks for the info!! I'm going to be looking into making my own.

 

Well, 11 years later, this thread has helped. Awesome information on converting to AN connections if you want to.

Greg O.

 

just don't get swivel fittings, they last like a year and then they **** all over your floor.

 

Swivel may cause problems with vibration but, you all do know that AN was developed for military applications and is their standard. They use it in everything from tanks, helicopters, and airplanes.

I work in the aerospace industry. The dash number is the diameter in 1/16". Dash 8 is a half inch, dash 6= 3/8", and so forth.

 

so what? all it is is an odd thread pitch and odd tapered fit, different than the regular world used forever until someone thought it was a good idea to make them out of cheap aluminum to work as an alternative fitting for racecar applications to make money.

in the end the aluminum AN fittings are horrible, they're weak and they break often. i don't mind AN fit though but i do prefer them in steel. companies like Aeroquip, Earl's and Russell make a lot off the fact that their fittings break, often and that they aren't cheap. people love the shiney blue and red colors, not the dull silver nickel of steel.

honestly i get sick to death of people toting the fact that something was designed by the military or by some "rocket scientist", it doesn't always make something better. it generally just means it COST MORE.


if it wasn't for the fact that you could rebuild your own lines in your own garage without special equipment with these types of fittings i would suggest just taking your original lines to a hose shop and having them rebuilt. i've done that for many people and never once had an issue, and they're still outlasting many sets of newer and fancier AN fitting line sets.

if you wanna know my personal preference it would be corksports lines, since they're formed and crimped, no super fancy technology, no red and blue mesmerizing colors to lure you in and they work(granted sometimes their QC is out to lunch).

 

You've actually hit the nail on the head regarding manufacturing quality standards. Except "Developed by NASA", that meant nothing.

With industry standards, supposedly you are paying for a decreased failure rate which is particularly important to military, aerospace and medical applications.

If a failure means a death or multi-million dollar plane crashing, you're going to spring for the extra $100 on that hydraulic hose. On a 25 year old car with a $2000 engine, not so much.

*This assumes the manufacturer follows the standard. People lie, cheat and make mistakes every day.*

Anywho, back to hoses.

 

This remind me of the age old debate between a "military splice" and soldering in my industry.

A military splice works in a combat situation when you have sand in your butt crack and need to fix something but, soldering is still better.

 

To counter the -AN ones. I have had the stainless braided ones with the banjo fittings on my car for about 14 years now with no issues. They are like the ones Rotary Performance sells and that may be where I got them but Mazdatrix was selling some at the time as well and I can't remember which place I bought them. May be a compromise design but they have been solid and have outlasted the stock ones.

 

I've never had an AN fitting break. And never had an AN fitting swivel leak.

All the manufacturers have fairly specific requirements for hose support, fitting tightness and fitting loading. Follow them.

That's not to say that swivel fittings with O-rings shouldn't be avoided if the swivel feature isn't needed. Non-swivel cost less and eliminate the potential o-ring leak.

 

might just be luck of the draw i suppose, almost every set of RB lines i saw that were over a few years old were leaking. some were major leaks causing a huuuuge mess.

the generic lines i had the local hose shop make have outlasted the OEM lines and they're still bone dry after 13 years.

 

I wonder if RB is sourcing their fittings to save cost?