Rebuilding Oil Cooler

[sle2115]

Purchased a used oil cooler from a member here (thanks greg ) and wanted to go through it and have it ready to install. I am getting a ton of oil down the d-side of the motor, valve cover is leaking and I'm going to start there. Anyway, after seeing the picture that Calvin posted, I'm gunshy of breaking this thing down. What method have you all used in the past? I'm going to have it cleaned at the machine shop in the hot tank and wanted to take it apart before doing so. I'm going to put it together and my old boss said I was welcome to use the pressure test bench to verify no leaky. Just wanted to know how you guys are popping them apart.

 

[seawalkersee]

I actually remember using this one back in college. They tend to stick after years of use. If you can thump it without gettin too rough, it will come apart. Usually they break when you have too much of an angle on the tube from the mounting ends.

SWS

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

He nailed it. I clamp one end to my bench with the other end hanging down and take a block of wood with a 3 lb hammer, place the block on the end hanging to the floor and angle it so you can get it good with the hammer. Give it a good whack or two in one position, then move the block around the header by 180* and give another good whack or two. Keep doing this and one end or the other will come off. After one end is off take two thin pieces of ply wood and place the cooler barrel in your vice with the plywood on both sides of it, clamp the vice down securely, but dont crush the barrel, and take your block of wood and repeat the first process. Always has worked for me. Haven't broken one yet.

 

[geonc]

He nailed it. After one end is off take two thin pieces of ply wood and place the cooler barrel in your vice with the plywood on both sides of it, clamp the vice down securely, but dont crush the barrel, and take your block of wood and repeat the first process. Always has worked for me. Haven't broken one yet.

That part scares me Just a thought....why not give a good soak with some spray silicone and just twist them apart?

or...use a piece of rubber in a oil filter band wrench or strap wrench?

I can see problems clamping the core in a vise......

just my couple pennies....

 

[Diesel Fly]

I first got one of the headers to spin. You can only do this a tiny bit because of the tab that fits in the cut-out. I then did the ol' wood block and tapping around the perimeter of the header until it came apart.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Yea I crushed a really really rusty one once. It wasnt any good for anything because it was rusted through, but it was nice to know that it is possible to crush these things.

 

[argve]

Scott,

This is how I did it...

leave front header bolted to truck and use a pry bar and work the rear header and bundle out of the front header.

then remove the front header

clean, clean and clean some more

now clean up the parts - first part was cleaning all the oil and coolant off you....

now install front header, grease up the front header and rear header.

Now for installing the bundle in the rear header you can start it out side but using a jack and your rear bumper.

then slip the rear header and bundle in place and use a block of wood and your handy dandy pry bar...

then enjoy...

What happened with the one that broke was they didn't work the header off because if you get one side too far out of whack without working the other side equally then the cast piece will break.