Assemble an oil cooler?

Noiseydiesel

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Okay, I got the new cooler to go with the rebuilt engine and with some doing got the ends off, greased it all up with transmission assembly lube, (heavy duty vaseline) and now putting it together is not happening. Long clamp and squeeze it together?
Yeah. That's not happening either. 20 ton press? That's next but would be a bull in a china shop.
Any other ideas?
 

TNBrett

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If you have a press I’d use it. It’s slow and controllable. It doesn’t require that much force, just more than you can do with a woodworking clamp. If not, you can use a 2x4 as a lever with one end under something hefty like a trailer hitch or a heavy work bench.
 

gnathv

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That’s the ticket, slow, steady, even pressure or you will break the casting.
 

Old Goat

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When I did the cooler on the 86 almost 3 years ago, I used my HF 20 press.
I did one end at a time. Be sure to place a piece of wood on the press for the cooler to set on.
And I believe I used a piece on the pusher end as well.
I used Syl-Glyde for the lube. First end popped right on. The other end I had to mess with it to keep it square to push the end on straight. When I wasn`t so sure it was going to go on, Bang it popped together.
Don`t worry if the 2 ends don`t line up, they will rotate.
My Wife helped me when installing it. I used a bit of RTV to hold the paper gasket to the block. Slid the Cooler in, and told my Wife all she had to do is get one bolt in to hold it in place. Got one on my end, and pushed it to the block and snugged them down enough to hold it and put in the next three.

Then it was the fun of getting all the oily sludge purged from the cooling system.

Here is a good video genscripter posted.

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Goat
 
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ttman4

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I've rebuilt/resealed a few thru the yrs and main thing is keep it straight when pressing together. Several have just 'popped' together but I had one last time it cut o'rings. I had been using long jawed wood clamp everytime. But then I watched @genscripter video & did things different, did it more correctly.
IIRC about 4 yrs ago I posted a thread something like "Oilcooler Boo Boo" where I had messed up etc etc
Also either in that thread or different one about same time I also posted plans on building a test plate where I could bolt the cooler to the plate, air it up with regulated air & test it, test both sides, test oil & water sides.
I still have the plate. Plans were in a Stanadyne Manual I had.
 

IDIBRONCO

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I put both caps in place then wrap a ratchet strap around the whole thing end to end. I tighten the strap up as tight as I can get it. Then I sit one cap on a block of wood at use a dead blow on the other end. They usually slide together pretty easily this way.
 

Noiseydiesel

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The HF 20 ton press came in handy. I tried the trailer hitch and an 8' steel bar and that wasn't working.
A Pop and a Bang and it went together. Like ws mentioned , "cut "O" ring"?
I will definitely find out when I fire this off.
 

Knuckledragger

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i did it 10 years ago without a press or any massive weight. Just position the O rings and assembly correctly and put one end on the ground or work bench, then use a soft mallet or piece of wood to hammer the assembly together. No brute force needed.
 

Old Goat

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One other thing I did was to polish up the interior of the end caps so there were no rough spots. Think I used 600 grit wet dry, then advanced to maybe 2000 or something like that.

Ialso searched to find a new OC to replace the old one. Lots of Dorman one`s out there, then came across a Motorcraft refurbished one on RA and Parts Geek. Went with PG, but when it arrived, it did not have the O Rings or paper Gaskets that was displayed in the picture. Contacted them..."Oh, that was just a generic picture". Kind of like false advertisement.
Best price was at Gomers Wear House in missoula, Mt. (sp) so I bought 4 sets.

Goat
 

Old Goat

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I've rebuilt/resealed a few thru the yrs and main thing is keep it straight when pressing together. Several have just 'popped' together but I had one last time it cut o'rings. I had been using long jawed wood clamp everytime. But then I watched @genscripter video & did things different, did it more correctly.
IIRC about 4 yrs ago I posted a thread something like "Oilcooler Boo Boo" where I had messed up etc etc
Also either in that thread or different one about same time I also posted plans on building a test plate where I could bolt the cooler to the plate, air it up with regulated air & test it, test both sides, test oil & water sides.
I still have the plate. Plans were in a Stanadyne Manual I had.
genscripter has a unique way to pressure test a Cooler.



Goat
 
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