The old barge has sprung a leak from the engine oil cooler. Its been weepy for a while so been on borrowed time, but today i realised there was oil bloody everywhere and a constant drip drip drip from the pipe into the cooler.

I've ordered a new cooler and pipe kit from Maltings Offroad, but i'm wondering a) how exactly to get into it, and b) if i should change anything else while in there... I've been considering swapping out the AC condenser too,

I've had the main rad out before and the oil coolers dont seem to be accessible from that side, so i'm assuming i need to go in the front and remove the AC condenser to get at them?

Looking at the pipework around there, the PAS hoses also dont look great, so i will price those up too. Any tips or pointers or "defo change X while your in there" jobs?

Cheers
Kev

On the dieseasel it is sandwiched between the air-con condenser and the main radiator. Access is by removing the grill, top panel, air-con condenser and in this case the intercooler that sits above it. I don't know how much of that reads across to the V8 models.

sounds pretty similar in terms of location, obviously no intercooler, but its in the same gap between the condenser and rad.

The v8 has its gearbox cooler mounted below the oil cooler, but i think the diesels have the gearbox cooler elsewhere as the intercooler sits there instead.

On a petrol the oil cooler is above the condenser so all you need do is take the grille off and the upper slam panel. Hardest part is getting the old one out as you will almost certainly not be able to undo the pipes so you need to take it off with both pipes still attached (or chop them off with the angle grinder).

i was thinking about changing the condenser anyway, as it would be nice to have the AC working again, but its good to know i can swap the oil cooler without touching it.

I was also half wondering if i should do the Auto-box cooler at the same time? I guess i need to have a good look over all the pipework and see what needs refreshed. I know the PAS lines are extremely rusty and i've been meaning to do those for a while.

Generally getting oil lines off an old alloy radiator / cooler is a pure crapshoot. Getting them off in re-useable condition even more so.

My AC pipes were still decent when I did my condenser a few years back but the unions were "stubborn" and I was very lucky to be able to refurbish one back to a condition where it could be re-used. Had to make a special re-rounding and thread straightening device to massage the alloy nut back into shape.

As everyone here knows my view is to do it all, do it once wherever possible and funds permit. Coolers and pipes. Generally all these things last for pretty similar mileages so when one goes the others aren't that far behind. What does them in is heating and cooling cycles. So mostly (too) short run, lots of starts & stops, folks like me don't get the component life that high mileage folk do.

Clive

Aragorn wrote:

sounds pretty similar in terms of location, obviously no intercooler, but its in the same gap between the condenser and rad.

The v8 has its gearbox cooler mounted below the oil cooler, but i think the diesels have the gearbox cooler elsewhere as the intercooler sits there instead.

Autobox cooler sits under bumper in front of the left front tyre. Also a bitch to do.

To remove the oil cooler intact, has anyone used heat? My cooler lines leak, but I'm scared to try changing them as I may destroy the cooler in the process.

I used an angle grinder to carefully cut the nut lengthwise just at the point where the thread is so it could be removed to replace the pipe without shearing the end off the cooler.

Thanks Richard. Obviously I need to have new hoses on hand if I try that method. It's likely the safest method though.

Further to that, are the hose ends at the engine ever a problem to remove?

No, never had a problem at the engine end (probably as the fittings are well lubricated), it's just the steel/alloy joint at the cooler end that causes problems. That and the engine isn't going to move when you put lots of torque on the fittings but the cooler can as it is only bolted to thin steel.

I have got the diesel which has the gearbox oil cooler under the wing. It is notorious for shearing off the aluminium threads on the cooler when undoing it. I doesn't take much.
I guy from Foundary 4x4 gave me a good tip as they prepare a lot off off roaders. When fitting from new, as well as coppaslip on the threads, wrap the unions in Denso tape. Denso looks like felt cloth impregnated with a thick grease. It is used industrially. The idea is to keep water out.
The scientific principle is that solid metals do not react together unless in the presence of water and/or air.
I have not proved it to work as it has not been off since.

Thanks for the replies. When I do get to this, I will at least use copper anti-seize, as I do on almost everything I reassemble.

did the oil cooler today, wasnt too bad a job. The fittings were solid as expected. so i just hacksawed them off just after the union and pulled the cooler out.
New cooler in along with new lines all went fine just a bit awkward getting at the engine fittings and everything under the front of it was dripping with oil too...

Having done that job though, i think i need to change the gearbox cooler as well, the gearbox cooler was covered with oil and there were concentrated patches on the radiator where its presumably been dropping off while driving. The end of the radiator was clearly covered in engine oil (black when rubbed with a finger) but the drips in the middle of the rad were all "clear" so i presume ATF.

The engine cooler was mostly leaking from a rusted out line at the cooler, so glad i bought new lines. I guess i'll need to do the same with the gearbox cooler, replacing both the cooler and the pipework.

I also really need to buy a new PAS line, its very rusty and i dont like the look of it... And ofcourse, its the HP line thats dealer only thats the worst of the two :(

ATF should be bright red?

In quantity, sure. But a single drip wiped onto my slightly grubby paw, it simply appeared transparent.
Whereas the same single drip from the engine oil was immediately black.

I did see years back someone who replaced their power steering hoses with stainless braided hose. Looked a really neat job.
I think it was in the States and someone did a kit at the time. I would like to do it. Mine are weeping.

Make them up https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/s/goodridge

i suspect thats a "danger will robinson" moment, most of those hoses and fittings arent rated highly enough for PAS use.

Working range of the 200 series goodridge hose is a bit under 1000psi. The PRV on the P38 pump is set at 1500psi

I'm sure hose will exist thats highly enough rated, but something to be careful of!

Additionally, the PAS hard lines are used as radiators to cool the fluid, and i'm not sure how that will be affected using a braided line instead?

Its also expensive stuff, by the time you've bought the hose, the fittings and the adaptors you inevitably need to fit the ends, i suspect you've pretty much spent the cost of a new OEM hose anyway...