Oil Cooler Leak, PICS!

[85 Coupe 5.0]

Who else has had these things leak on them? Mine is leaking from this little hole in the bottom of it. From what i'm told if it leaks from there it's done, like a water pump, tells ya something is wrong. I have read a lot about people just smearing JB weld over the hole, but I don't want to chance it. Who has removed theirs and been o.k.? I plan on buying a new adapter that doesn't support the cooler and just leaving it off from now on as a new cooler is $200.00 vs. $70.00 for the omit adapter. got any opinions on this one??

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

ok, sorry about the HUGE pics, might want to save to your computer then view them that way windows makes them smaller. i'm too lazy to re-size, re-upload and link them.

 

[Rickey_Bobby]

your digital camera is better than mine

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

ok, resized pics, now you can actuall tell what's in the pics, anyhow, anyone else had oil cooler leaking issues??

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

thats a bleed hole in the cooler and its starting to become a problem over the last 6 months or so, starting to see alot of this on older cars that maybe were not mantained aswell as they could have been. its an internal leak that can sometimes be fixxed by replacing the 0-rings but is more likely rotted-out and caused by electrolysis and may need tobe replaced. it will be $$$ but there are alternatives

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

thats a bleed hole in the cooler and its starting to become a problem over the last 6 months or so, starting to see alot of this on older cars that maybe were not mantained aswell as they could have been. its an internal leak that can sometimes be fixxed by replacing the 0-rings but is more likely rotted-out and caused by electrolysis and may need tobe replaced. it will be $$$ but there are alternatives

Thanks for the info Randy! i've been doing a little research on the net and found many articles, but none with pics, i thought i'd show everyone. I have priced the cooler from the Ford garage I work at, it's around $190 or so. the other option I can see is to install the oil filter adapter and lower hose off of a '96 without a cooler. that runs $100.00 + $20.00 for the hose. Do you have any other suggestions. I don't want to plug the hole, i'm sure it's there for a reason. I plan on re-sealing the cooler to adapter and replacing the adapter to block gasket, but i'm sure it was leaking from the hole, i wiped it and a drop would form almost right away.

Randy, I fogot to say thanks again for some help I received from ya a while back, you helped me compile a parts list and casting number list for the PI swap on this car, everything worked out great! thanks!

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

Thanks for the info Randy! i've been doing a little research on the net and found many articles, but none with pics, i thought i'd show everyone. I have priced the cooler from the Ford garage I work at, it's around $190 or so. the other option I can see is to install the oil filter adapter and lower hose off of a '96 without a cooler. that runs $100.00 + $20.00 for the hose. Do you have any other suggestions. I don't want to plug the hole, i'm sure it's there for a reason. I plan on re-sealing the cooler to adapter and replacing the adapter to block gasket, but i'm sure it was leaking from the hole, i wiped it and a drop would form almost right away.

Randy, I fogot to say thanks again for some help I received from ya a while back, you helped me compile a parts list and casting number list for the PI swap on this car, everything worked out great! thanks!

not a problem, glad to have been of some help, my other option on the oil cooler, you alredy covered and that was deleting it.

 

[proford]

Can this also happen from the oil to the water? Ive got a 97 GT with a 99 cobra motor in it. It getting Oil in the water? thanks

Mike

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

It certainly could Mike. I didn't snap a pic, but if you look down inside the cooler, the only thing that seperates the oil from the coolant is the fins inside. If one of them were to rupture, the 60 or so PSI of oil pressure is more than enough to cause oil to enter to cooling system. And as Randy stated, since the cooler is part of the cooling system, any neglect of regular maintainance such as yearly coolant flushing could eventually lead to electrolysis failure of the cooler itself.

 

[N8Dogg98]

The same thing happened to my car. I don't have any pictures, but here is what I did.

1.) Take off the oil cooler (drain oil, remove oil filter, drain coolant, and disconnect coolant hose that connects to the cooler, then use allen wrench to take off the shaft that goes through the cooler.
2.) Take a peice of romex ( household wire) and remove a short peice of copper wire, about one inch long.
3.) Use a hammer and carefully tap the wire so it is tapered on one end.
4.) Get some JB weld epoxy, mix it up, and place some on the end of the wire.
5.) Stick the wire in the hole, and trim it with about 1/16" protruding.
6.) Hammer the wire so that the top of it domes out flush with the cooler.
7.) Take a 4" hose clamp and make sure the flat side is over the repaired hole.
8.) Reassemble and you are ready to go.

I fixed mine this way about six months ago, and have driven it in 85+ degree weather, and -10 degree weather with no leaks! Hope this helps

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

Sounds like a good fix, and definately better than $200+ for the cooler!

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

NOT a good idea!!
that bleed hole is there to let you know there is a problem. (its just like a bleed hole on a waterpump) and by plugging that hole up, all the coolant will get into the oil and can kill an engine, so.... DO NOT DO THIS!!

 

[N8Dogg98]

Like I said it has been six months, and I don't have any signs of oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil yet.

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

Like I said it has been six months, and I don't have any signs of oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil yet.

well, good luck then

 

[N8Dogg98]

What is the part number for the oil cooler?

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

What is the part number for the oil cooler?

F8ZZ-6A642-BA