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Old Feb 10, 2015 | 07:41 PM
  #1  
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Oil Cooler Mess

OK, I am by no means a mechanic so I'm throwing my situation out there to see if any other suggestions come in. I had an oil leak on my Excursion. It was slightly blowing out the front end of the oil cooler where the o rings are, and then it makes the 90 at the front adapter, and it was wet there from oil at the gasket.

So.............I bought new kit, put on new o rings at both ends of oil cooler, put on the two new gaskets, did an oil change. When I went to fill the coolant I noticed oil in the coolant reservoir which from reading around seems to happen if the o rings are bad. So I drained it and started to flush that system, ran the motor to warm up the thermostat, got one flush of water in it, started to do a second and ran the motor, it started to shake pretty rough and shut off. Noticed that the oil pressure light was on, checked the dipstick and I have no oil.

The only thought I have is that my oil cooler has an internal failure and the oil is constantly leaking out with the coolant. Any thoughts or place I screwed up?????

P.S. this sucks.
 
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Old Feb 10, 2015 | 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by vtown00
OK, I am by no means a mechanic so I'm throwing my situation out there to see if any other suggestions come in. I had an oil leak on my Excursion. It was slightly blowing out the front end of the oil cooler where the o rings are, and then it makes the 90 at the front adapter, and it was wet there from oil at the gasket.

So.............I bought new kit, put on new o rings at both ends of oil cooler, put on the two new gaskets, did an oil change. When I went to fill the coolant I noticed oil in the coolant reservoir which from reading around seems to happen if the o rings are bad. So I drained it and started to flush that system, ran the motor to warm up the thermostat, got one flush of water in it, started to do a second and ran the motor, it started to shake pretty rough and shut off. Noticed that the oil pressure light was on, checked the dipstick and I have no oil.

The only thought I have is that my oil cooler has an internal failure and the oil is constantly leaking out with the coolant. Any thoughts or place I screwed up?????

P.S. this sucks.
Did you miss anything...




 
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Old Feb 10, 2015 | 08:00 PM
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lol not from that, I watched it a couple times prior to, funny how my block heater element looks as bent as that one does too.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by vtown00
lol not from that, I watched it a couple times prior to, funny how my block heater element looks as bent as that one does too.
Okay, if you didn't have this issue prior to replacing the O-Rings, I'm fairly sure one has either rolled or split during the reinstallation of the cooler.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 12:43 AM
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For valid reasons at the time, I had a "pro" do my oil cooler O-rings... the first time. I then had to go back in later and do it myself. These were my findings:
















 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 04:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Tugly
For valid reasons at the time, I had a "pro" do my oil cooler O-rings... the first time. I then had to go back in later and do it myself. These were my findings:
















The rachet strap is a great idea, I use vasaline on the oring's and put it in my shop press, with acouple extra hands of course.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 06:38 AM
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For cleaning up all the seating surfaces on the cooler tube in Rich's pictures, I have a 6" 3M Scotchbrite wheel (about $40 online from RS Hughes) mounted on a bench grinder. It won't remove metal - or at least insanely small amounts of it - and leaves a nicely polished surface so those new o-rings slide on easily and damage free. For the inside of the housings, I have little 1" scotchbrite wheels mounted on a dremel tool.
And yes, the ratchet strap was an excellent idea. The worst part was putting the ******* back on..
 

Last edited by SaintITC; Feb 11, 2015 at 10:16 AM. Reason: added link
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 09:11 AM
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Mine was by no means anywhere near as bad as those images but I did make sure to smooth everything out for a seal, I guess I'll take it off and see if the o rings slid too far. I will def try the ratchet strap idea, a bar clamp is a joke!
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 12:16 PM
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So that video he does not pull out the other end of the cooler...is that advised? is it really hard to get the other end of the house unbolted and out of there? Sure makes it look easy compared to some the horror stories I've read.

I'm thinking this is in my future as I am now seeing a couple spots of oil under my truck that weren't there just a month or so ago.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 12:48 PM
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I unbolted and changed the gasket on the other end as well, it comes in the kit anyways. It's not too bad, the top bolt is a reach from the ground but pretty easy.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by sowaxeman
So that video he does not pull out the other end of the cooler...is that advised? is it really hard to get the other end of the house unbolted and out of there? Sure makes it look easy compared to some the horror stories I've read.

I'm thinking this is in my future as I am now seeing a couple spots of oil under my truck that weren't there just a month or so ago.

If the forward header is not leaking at the gasket I would not pull it.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 01:08 PM
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that was my front gasket


 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 04:10 PM
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vtown00 sorry to hear this cooler is giving you a hard time. By the photos it looks like the front header has been sanded or in very clean shape but the rear housing looks like it could us a little TLC. But speaking of TLC I am sure you'll get it right this time.

Rick good post with the photos !! I now know what to look for since doing the oil cooler is on my "To do" list. Since it is starting to leak at the front housing at the block. I plan to do the anti freeze flush and oil cooler at the same time sometime this spring.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 04:21 PM
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Well sorry for this wasted thread.... Took it all back off an here's what I found.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2015 | 04:23 PM
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Better luck to you!!!

Originally Posted by BadDogKuzz
vtown00 sorry to hear this cooler is giving you a hard time. By the photos it looks like the front header has been sanded or in very clean shape but the rear housing looks like it could us a little TLC. But speaking of TLC I am sure you'll get it right this time.

Rick good post with the photos !! I now know what to look for since doing the oil cooler is on my "To do" list. Since it is starting to leak at the front housing at the block. I plan to do the anti freeze flush and oil cooler at the same time sometime this spring.
 
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