Been searching for info on my 1997 E150 5.4 oil cooler replacement. I have found a picture from a repair manual, but no info on actually replacement of oil cooler. This is the oil cooler that is where the oil filter is. It has 2 water hoses connected to it. The hoses are heater hose size.

My problem is that I get oil in the cooling system. No water in the oil. I bypassed the transmission cooler in the radiator to eliminate that possibility. Still getting oil in the cooling system.

I have searched online for possible help on replacing, but not much luck. I found info that said shouldn't be hard.

Anybody have any firsthand experience or info on this job.

I have considered bypassing oil cooler but would rather fix it. I find the part on ebay for about $100. But I have also seen where it is a dealer item only and you have to get the whole assembly?.

any thoughts on this?

 

Oil in the cooling system, well, my radiator was replaced, the oil cooler is external, not in it, the only way I know to get oil in the cooling system is to have a blown head gasket.

 

I'll agree with maples01.

Before you replace the engine oil cooler, it might be better to do a compression check to see if you do in fact have an internal engine problem.

I just pulled an engine oil cooler off a '94 351W, and all it is, is a added chamber for coolant to circulate as the oil is pumped threw the oil filter.

If the engine oil cooler was leaking, you would also have water in the crank case, as the pressurized oil is passing threw this chamber.

After the cooler is pulled off, a regular F1 filter will spin on where the adapter is mounted. Also, you don't have to use that very hard to find/expensive lower radiator hose.

 

Another possibility: Take the oil cooler out of the loop, completely, and pressure test the cooling system.

I gotta say, this constant talk on this site about deleting factory installed engine oil coolers, is disturbing, to say the least. Off the top, these "coolers" also "heat" engine oil. A good thing in cold weather. They also contribute to lower overall operating temperatures. A very good thing when speaking in terms of the life of an automatic transmission. FoMoCo would never gone to the expense of equipping these vehicles with these coolers if they were not deemed necessary to prolong the vehicle life, meet emission standards etc. They want to manufacture the vehicles as cheaply as possible--and, these coolers aren't cheap.

 

I think your off track on the tranny here, this is the engine oil cooler, not the transmission oil cooler, which is build into the radiator and separate cooling unit in front of the radiator.

This unit mounts at the oil filter, and turns the spin on filter to the front, from the side position.

 

Thanks for the input.

What I have done is removed the 2 water lines from the oil cooler and put a block in them and then hooked them back up. I used a copper fitting cap, inserted it in the line and put a hose clamp on them. Blocking off the water flow to the oil cooler.

I think the reason I am getting oil into the water system, and not the other way around, is that the oil pressure is considerable higher than the water pressure. Thus forcing the oil into the water. Just a thought.?

I haven't driven this van very much lately, but I have changed the water a couple of times trying to get all the oil out of the water system. I read where the oil in the water will soften the4 water hoses.? Needs to free of oil anyway.

It does seem to have cut down on oil in the water. Will know more in a week or so. There never was too much oil in the water system except for the first time I noticed it. By then it had caused water/oil mix to overflow tank. I keep changing the water and trying to isolate the problem.

I need to get something to help flush the oil out of the cooling system.
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Your approach seams very reasonable, to isolate a possible cause.

I'll agree that the oil pressure, 30-60psi is much greater that the water pressure from the supply line.

A question is, is oil leaking out of the oil cooler, or did you "cap" the open ends also??

Also, if you keep getting oil in the coolant, then you really should do a compression check on the engine, to see if you have some internal damage, like a blown head gasket.

 

After I plugged the water lines going to the oil cooler, I then reattached the water lines back to the oil cooler. I could/should remove the water lines from the cooler and then start the engine. Should be noticeable if there is oil then leaking from the oil cooler. Never was too much oil. About 1 or 2 spoonful after 200 miles. I then drain water and put in fresh water.

If this isn't it, the you are right. Move on to compression check. These vans are tough to change plugs. Compression check will be a challenge. Never did this engine....yet.

This isn't my main transportation. I will be using it over the Thanksgiving holiday for short trip. I will post how it goes.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL.........

 

I have put a couple of hundred miles on this van. All seems to be in order as the "oil in the water" goes. After blocking and clamping the water hoses going to the oil cooler, no oil in the water coolant tank.

I have changed the water several times ,but this time the water is oil free. There is a very small amount of film still in the water. I am going to use some cooling system flush and try to clean it better than just changing the water.

Going to order oil cooler and replace if my oil in the water problem is really fixed. I'll know for sure soon enough.

 

This is an interesting read so far----very much hope your solution is correct, saving all that possible expense if it's anything else.

If it proves to be the fix definitely update us---this would be valuable info for others with modular motor no matter which chassis they're in.

 

I'm interested in this as well; I've never heard of a failure like this that doesn't also dump coolant in the engine.

That's because the cooling system retains pressure after the engine is shut off, but the oil system loses pressure immediately. So when the engine is running oil would be pushed into the cooling system. When the engine shuts off, oil pressure goes to zero, and coolant at ~15 PSI would be forced back through the same fissure.

That's why this isn't making sense to me.

 

Tom raises a good point which makes me wonder slightly OT how high does the coolant pressure rise when heat soak sets in?

 

Coolant pressure is limited by the radiator cap, in most cases to 16 PSI. Once pressure reaches that point air is vented from the coolant reservoir or radiator cap depending on cooling system design.

 

You sure brought up a good point. I understand what you are saying about the water pressure remains after the engine is shut off and there is no oil pressure.

I haven't driven any more with that vehicle. 1997 E 150 5.4. This vehicle does not have a standard pressure cap like other vehicles I have owned. The only access to put water in the system is in the coolant tank that is located on firewall and is actually a little above the radiator. I'm sure this is standard for the E 150's. Don't know about the pick-up trucks F 150. The cap on the water tank must also be a pressure cap design because when released, unscrewed, there is a small amount of pressure. I have never unscrewed cap when engine is first shut off. I wait for the engine to cool some.

I will investigate this some more. I do feel quite certain I am not getting water into the oil unless a very small amount of water in the oil would not show up. I have had vehicles that had bad head gasket and one vehicle with cracked cylinder. Those vehicles easily showed water in the oil. Oil was all "milky" looking. Maybe it was the amount of water in the oil.?

I haven't drained the oil, but I thought that if "any" water was in the oil, it would show on the dipstick. Probably by color of the oil. After another short trip of a couple of hundred miles and the engine water cools off, I will drain the oil to see what I see.

Thanks for the great input. I will keep posting my findings.

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Remember that water will evaporate out of the oil as the engine comes up to temp. Water in the oil is extremely common with condensation, but it's never an issue as long as the engine gets fully warmed up from time to time. So you have a small amount of coolant contamination the water will be gone quick, but the damaging ethylene glycol won't be. And that's something you'll have to test for.

At this point I'd highly suggest having an oil sample analyzed. For $25 you would know for sure if antifreeze was getting into your oil.

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