Oil Cooler Rebuild

[Rocknit4x4]

Hey guys
Been reading up on oil cooler rebuilds - mine recently developed a leak (leaking oil to the ground on the rear end cap - suspected failed o ring).

With my tools and space I am not prepared to pull the engine. I found the diesel hub had a decent write up on removal and rebuild by pulling the PS pump and wiggling it out between the frame and trans bell housing - ps pump removed to allow you to pitch the front end up.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice or other suggestions on a better way to do this or any pitfalls in removal / rebuild / installation? I picked up a rebuild kit from Russ Repair and got his recommended high tack and anaerobic sealer.

Additionally, I couldn’t find much in the way of available new oil coolers (factory NA or Turbo) or end caps. Not sure if anyone has any leads on those. I’ve seen the junkyards selling units on eBay but who knows what condition they are in till after they show up. I’d prefer to replace with a turbo one while I’m doing it but don’t have any obvious issues with the factory n/a one on the truck now so planning to reuse at the moment.

Thanks for your input.

 

[ttman4]

When I've rebuilt mine few times thru the yrs I just undo the driver's side motor mt, then jack up the engine few inches on driver's side, then usually got room to pull oil cooler.
No need to pull PS pump.
I did a small write-up yrs ago and IIRC it was somewhat titled "Oil Cooler Rebuild BO-BO" or something like that.
I told about couple things I did wrong etc etc, but got several responses from other members telling of some better ways of rebuilding as well as testing the cooler before reinstalling. It's really bad & heartbreaking to rebuild, reinstall, then have to repull & rebuild it, especially if you've already used your rebuild kit & no other one handy.
I gotta run, wish I had time to look up some old posts for you.
BTW.....use plenty of slick-em when sliding pieces & ORings back together as well as make sure you keep everything straight as you slide things back together!!!!

 

[ttman4]

Oil Cooler rebuild BooBoo

So I rebuild probly 10 oil coolers through the years. Other day I rebuilt my old cooler thought everything was OK, it was a little difficult going to going together but I thought it was OK. I wound up with water in my oil and oil in my water. Luckily I did not how much antifreeze in the water...

www.oilburners.net

Here it is.....Oil Cooler Rebuild BooBoo

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

Dorman part 904226 is a replacement for the center tube part, but it’s not cheap. I replaced my o-rings when I had the heads off to do head gaskets, and I found the coolant passages almost completely plugged up with sediment/scale. I used a combination of CLR and a cleaning brush for a small bore rifle to clean them up. I do remember being surprised how much force it took to get the pieces apart and back together. Here’s a video I found helpful before I tackled it:

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Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I just undo the driver's side motor mt, then jack up the engine few inches on driver's side, then usually got room to pull oil cooler.
No need to pull PS pump.

This is my method as well. Disconnecting the driver's side ground from the block is a HUGE help here. You may have to unhook the exhaust from the driver's side manifold too.

 

[DirtyWood]

I've done two oil coolers, one F250 4x4 and one F350 4x4, and I went in through the driver side wheel well without needing to jack up the engine or touch the exhaust. The F250 had a slight lift in front so maybe that helped but it was relatively easy to do--I did unbolt the PS pump but did not have to disconnect any of the hoses. On my '91 F350 I felt like I had less room than on the '92 F250 and I ended up removing the driver side shock and bracket to create more room to work. If I have to do another oil cooler I am going to either install a couple studs or make something temporary out of all thread or old bolts to help hold the assembly in place while threading a few bolts. The angles are awkward and it's a bit tricky to hold the cooler tight against the block without moving the gaskets so either a second person or a couple of "helper" bolts/studs would be nice. Also, drain the hell out of the cooler while it's out. I thought I had drained all the oil out but when I went to bolt things up I noticed oil dripping out and on to the new gaskets so I had to clean things up and wait for more oil to drain out.
I just use body weight and a good coating of assembly lube to press the headers on to the tube. The shop manual actually says to leave the small o-ring in the header and press the tube into it but most writeups and forum posts seem to recommend putting all 4 o-rings on the cooler before pressing the headers on. I install the 4 o-rings, put both headers on, and then use my 230ish lbs to press things into place. I also used the NAPA branded Syl-Glide to lubricate the o-rings during install. I don't think you can over-lube during this process.

 

[Old Goat]

OH you lucky guy....Not.
I went through the oil in the coolant one morning in 2019, Got on the form (FTE) and said I thought I blew a Head gasket. 3 guys came back "Oil Cooler".

then I did a bunch of searching and reading, and YT Video`s etc...
Diesel Hub has a how to do it.

https://www.dieselhub.com/maintenance/idi-oil-cooler.html

Even unbolting the power steering pump and moving to the side...how do you access the 4 front bolts? Dang near impossible to see or get to.

I finally jacked up the L/F placed a jack stand, removed the wheel. Then battery, washer bottle and over flow bottle and removed the inner fender. Then you have a straight shot to the bolts.

You will need to unbolt the left engine mount and jack up engine enough to place piece of 2x4 to support it.
Because you have to slide the OC to the rear.

You will have to remove the Oil Cooler whole. remove the 4 bolts on ea end, and slide to the rear.
OH, and remove the Oil filter first.

There is a metal tab welded on the side of the cooler on each end. This is to pry the aluminum header off. the tab will probably bend some. You might also have to use a Dead blow hammer, or maybe a piece of wood and a hammer to tap around the edge to get the ends to pop over the "O" Rings.

Doing the OC gave me the excuse to buy a 20 Ton Hyd press
to push the ends on.
I alsu used Syl-Glyde to lube the "O" Rings.

Russ at www.russrepair.com mentioned in a thread, not to use the Black "O" Rings but to use the set that have the turquiose one`s. He has them listed still on his site.

Genscripter has good info in his video, he also shows how to pressure test the Cooler to make sure it is not compromised inside.

There is a gasket kit with the 2 paper gaskets and the 4 "O" Rings.
Parts Geek pizzed me off when they showed the cooler with the gasket/o rings but only the Cooler came. was a generic picture they told me.

Did a bunch of Google searching and found them up in Missoula, MT at Gomers wearhouse... order 4 sets case I screwed up getting it back together.

When I put her back in, had my Wife help me. Told her ya gotta just get one bolt in and finger tight.
I got one in my end and it went right together.
I used some RTV or maybe a permatex gasket stuff just to hold the paper gasket onto the cooler, or maybe onto the block, don`t remember. Just something to keep it lined up.

The paper gasket do have a thin line of some rubbery orange seal.
I went out to the shop and got the gasket box and "O" Ring bag.
Paper gaskets are Fel-Pro ES 70689
There are 3 gaskets, one is if you have a Van.

The "O" Rings are Mahle GS33545
There is 2 black and 2 turquoise.

If anyone thinks removing the front wheel and inner fender etc... is too much extra work. well maybe it is, but I got rid of the factory fiber glass mat/insulation, Was oil soaked and filthy dirty, and then with everything out, you have great access to replacing the 3/8" rubber fuel line that goes to the ( long gone in my case) Fuel/Water seperator.

I later on added a Racor 500FG Fuel/Water seperator in that location. And when I did I had the new hose already in place.

Replacing the OC is a pita job to do, but if mine was original, 30 years is good service.

After you get her bolted back up, then the fun of flushing the cooling system of oil.
After you get her bolted back up, then the fun of flushing the cooling system of oil.

I did 6 flushes with Dawn or Cascade Dish washing stuff. maybe I used both?
Filled it up with water and soap, drove it around to get hot and drained Block (2 9/16" fittings) and radiator. Filled after it cooled and another run. After no Oil was detected, then 6 flushes with Distilled Water.
Filled it with 50/50 Fleet Charge, Distilled water.
Replaced all hoses and Thermostat.

If anyone thinks removing the front wheel and inner fender etc... is too much extra work. well maybe it is, but I got rid of the factory fiber glass mat/insulation, Was oil soaked and filthy dirty, and then with everything out, you have great access to replacing the 3/8" rubber fuel line that goes to the ( long gone in my case) Fuel/Water seperator.

I later on added a Racor 500FG Fuel/Water seperator in that location. And when I did I had the new hose already in place.

Here is a link to FTE when I thought I blew a head gasket.
Was new to these engines, and 3 guys came back, "Oil Cooler".
This was my learning curve on these engines.
And before I discovered OB Forum etc...

Blown Head Gasket....OH Goodie... - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

Pre-Power Stroke Diesel (7.3L IDI & 6.9L) - Blown Head Gasket....OH Goodie... - Blown Oil Cooler. Replaced Oil Cooler with remanufactured Ford cooler and gaskets and O Rings. Three cooling system flushes, and no new oil is getting into the system...so far. Probably do a few more flushes, and...

www.ford-trucks.com

Goat

 

[IDIBRONCO]

There are 3 gaskets, one is if you have a Van.

Or an International.

drained Block (2 9/16" fittings)

They are 1/4" NPT and have 9/16" heads on them.

 

[DirtyWood]

The interesting thing about the oil cooler job is that darn near everyone has a slightly or radically different approach. I can understand variation from 4x2 to 4x4 or vans but the variety of techniques on this one is fun. I'm still impressed by the people who claim they reinstalled everything on the truck starting with the front header and pressing in the rear assembly in-frame.

 

[franklin2]

I cut my inner fender, not all the way but enough where I could fold the bottom up enough to gain clearance. When I was all done, a couple of short pieces of metal and sheetmetal screws holds the cut back together. I do not know any other way to get to those front bolts.

And you will find out this is the messiest job you will ever do on a vehicle. Even though you drain all the coolant with the block drains, coolant and oil go everywhere and all over you.

 

[Rocknit4x4]

For clarity at this point I don’t have any contamination between oil and coolant currently. I have oil leaking out of the filter header to the ground. Is there a reason to flush coolant that I’m missing (like they will inevitably mix when attempting to remove the cooler) or is that step only necessary when the other o ring fails and allows mixing of coolant and oil in the unit?

 

[Old Goat]

If you do not have oil/coolant mixing right now. Don`t worry about it.
I drained the Coolant and Oil because I had them mixing.
You should drain the Coolant before removing the Oil Cooler.

On my Radiator the pet co ck sticks out where I can push a hose on it and shoot it into a Bucket/Pan so it can be reused if good.
Other wise it runs on the Core support and picks up crud and makes a mess.

I use one of these Home Depot cement mixing pans to drain into,

https://www.homedepot.com/s/cement%20mixing%20pans?NCNI-5

There is the 2 Brass Drain plugs on each side of the block. Takes a 9/16" Socket to remove them.

Remove the Oil Filter. The Oil in the Oil Pan is lower and wouldn`t worry about it, unless you are ready for a change.

I don`t remember it making much of a mess removing it, but had one of these pans under it.
But that was back in Jan 2019.

Mine is a 86 one wheel drive...4 X 1...


Goat

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The Oil in the Oil Pan is lower and wouldn`t worry about it, unless you are ready for a change.

I'd plan on an oil change. I'd be afraid of coolant getting into the oil. It might not happen, but I like to lean toward the safe side here.

 

[Old Goat]

I'd plan on an oil change. I'd be afraid of coolant getting into the oil. It might not happen, but I like to lean toward the safe side here.

Yeah you are probably right....

When ordering gaskets, the IDI and the Power Stroke use a different gasket set.
Power Stroke are metal while the IDI are paper where they mate to the block.
And the Coolers are not. inter changeable.

Finding a new Oil Cooler is not impossible, some dealer just might have one laying on the shelf.
They might be close to $500 from what I have seen a few years back.
After market coolers are plentiful, usually by Dorman.


Goat

 

[Old Goat]

Poking around I found Ford Parts Giant has a new OEM Cooler.

F3TZ-6A642-C F3TZ6A642C Genuine Ford Part

Ford part # F3TZ-6A642-C F3TZ6A642C, Base part # 6A642 at FordPartsGiant.com. Wholesale-priced and fast-delivered Ford parts Oil Cooler Assembly.

www.fordpartsgiant.com

Goat