(trying again..have posted a couple times...no replies!...is this a sign it's too difficult of a job to tackle?)


first i'll say i'm a newbie at this site and working on vehicles. i currently have two leaks...fuel pump and oil cooler(diagnosed from a diesel mechanic and 'somewhat' confirmed by me). I have pretty much narrowed down the fuel leak to the fuel pump...tightened the banjo bolt and still leaks(only a very minor puddle in the valley after i cleaned out and drove about 20 miles or so).
thanks to all the earlier posts, i think i will be able to tackle this job(but i'm afraid with my luck i will loose the tappet in the motor...).

As far as the oil cooler....i've seen a couple posts saying unbolting 2 of the motor mounts is needed and the other posts say that is not the case. i haven't investigated the oil leak thoroughly, but i don't have any reason to doubt the mechanic that looked at it for me. i noticed the leak coming from the top of the oil filter about a month ago and decided to change the oil hoping it was just a 'loose' filter. still leaked. that's when i took it in to get looked at by the 'pro'.

Are there any 'diy' instructions available to do the oil cooler work myself? or is it just too much of a job for a newbie?

Thanks for all the help/posts.
sorry for the lengthy post, but i believe it's helpful to put as much info as needed! (there's other people with the same problems out there!)

I found good info on the fuel pump replacement, just not the oil cooler work.

Thanks again.

 

O.K. I just did my oil cooler on my 97 F350 and it wasn't easy but not terribly hard either. I could do it again much quicker now cause now I know what I'm trying to remove and replace. Someone on here will post a link to where you can buy the 4 O-rings and two gaskets you need to replace on the cooler. You need to remove the oil filter and drain oil and coolant. If I remember right there are three bolts on the rear of cooler and two on the front. Be careful and have a huge catch pan under the truck cause even after draining oil and coolant mine had some in it and my dang driveway suffered the spill.

I removed the rear bolts first and then removed the top front bolt from the top of the engine and that's when coolant and oil came out, more coolant. Then remove last bolt. The hard part was getting the whole thing out, I had to snake it out and be careful because you are removing it right over fuel lines. I'll stop for now and see what your next post contains. I'm sure someone will post much better and more specific details as how todo this. I'll keep checking to see how your doing.

 

I just resealed the oil cooler on one of our f350 fleet trucks, and it was fairly easy. First I removed all for motor mount nuts and jacked up motor so I would not have to fight with it. I then removed oil filter and block heater. Then I removed the three bolts on the back of the cooler and the in front. Once I had oil cooler on table I purchased seals and gaskets ford dealer ship for under $70.00. Resealed and reinstalled in about 3hrs. Hope this helps you.

 

well, i was wondering if the motor mounts had to be loosened up to lift the motor...to get the oil cooler off. does this have to be done?
as mentioned, i'm not a mechanic by any stretch. so, i obviously don't have the equipment to raise the motor.

i read a couple posts a while ago that said the motor mounts did not need to be loosened...is this true?

i considered not doing this chore because of the mess i will have to deal with as far as draining the oil and coolant...but that's why i'm here..trying to save some money that i don't have!

it's not leaking real bad, i was considering just driving it until it gets worse...is this not a good idea?

thanks for the posts.

 

I didn't loosen my motor mounts and it will come out with a little twisting and snaking through the space. As far as the block heater, you just unplug it from it's plug that's in the oil cooler. $70 ain't too bad, I paid $60 I think from the website that someone on here posted.

 

T J Beggs said he had to lift one side on his 95 I have a 97 & did not ,,,


Heres... some pics

 

thanks. i have seen these pics noted in the previous. nice shots. does anyone have any shots taking everything apart? and i also remember reading a post that someone mentioned needing particular extentions...?(unless this was something else i was reading)
so for the couple guys saying the did this recently...this was done in your driveway correct? i'm assuming the wheelwell is taken apart to get to this....?

(i wish i wasn't sick as a dog last week or i would have tackled all this while off work. now i gotta work on it over the weekend)

i hate being a newb!

thanks for the replies!

 

I used a long extention (30 ") with a spring loaded swivel.. You can leave the front tire on & the splash sheild,, Removing the bolst & reinstalling them is the easy part , Cleaning the front mounting surface was my only issue (used a drill with an extention & a Rollox gasket remover )....I installed the front gasket from the top...

 

I just layed under my truck and did the rear. Did the front bottom bolt from under front of truck and top bolt from top of engine. It was tight but I used a small wrench from top. I did remove rad hose for better access.

 

thanks guys. this is sounding like it might be doable! this is all good info. hopefully more to come! any extra info is definately appreciated. hopefully this is benefiting other people too. i'll hopefully be tackling this saturday morning.

thanks.

 

Read this thread it is tndiesel's adventure. It has alot of good info and makes for some good reading beforehand.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...entures-2.html

 

was wondering what type of leaks you(anyone) has had with their oil cooler....

i finally wrapped my neck around the leaves and checked it out some more...seems to be only 'wet' around the lower portion of the 'cooler'. just about the oil filter. it's really hard to get in there and see...maybe i could get a camera in there a lil better(when it's light outside of course). this is making my wonder if the oil cooler is actually leaking...and being a michigan truck originally, there's a lot of rust underneath...i don't even know if i'll be able to get the thing out without making more work. along the length of the 'cylinder' looks to be dry and the ends look dry...it's just above the oil filter.

i need to buy some cleaner and get it all nice and clean and check again. i haven't been driving it much since i don't want it to get worse. and i have the fuel pump leak too.

has anyone else had leaks right above the filter?


thanks.

 

There is an Oil rail plug on the back of each head....