Both of my oil cooler lines are leaking in my 01XJR, been oil since I bought the car a couple years ago, but now they're starting to actually drip and the whole area behind them, especially on the right side of the car has a nice coating of rustproofing now, so its time to get them repaired.

Lines are out of production so I need to find a place to repair them for me, but the first trick is getting them out/ I drained most of the oil, got the bolt off the front of the engine and those ends are ready to be wiggled out. Problem is the giant nuts at the other end of the lines are frozen on solid and no amount of force I've been able to apply so far has budged them. I'm using a pair of large-ish adjustable wrenches as both of the the nuts on either end of the cooler are larger than my largest spanner (24mm). I've slobbered PB blaster all over the inside and outside ends of the nut and let it sit overnight, tried heating it a bit but didn't want to damage anything around it so I was not very aggressive with the heat...I even tried putting my jack under the wrench on the cooler nut and then put both hands on the line nut and braced my foot against the tire. Nothing.

So then I'm thinking to just take the whole assembly out intact and either have the lines repaired on the cooler, or maybe I can then get the nut in my bench vise and I can apply proper heat and force that way. Left side T40 bolt loosens right up, right side is stripped clean. Any suggestions to getting this apart? I'm thinking maybe if I take off the front bumper cover I can get at the bolt head with a dremel and cut a slot in it to fit a big screwdriver, possibly on my impact driver (the old school kind you hit with a hammer). I took the grilles out, unbolted the two big bolts under the bumper, but the cover is still quite firly attached, so I need to go search how to remove that, I'm sure I've missed some steps. Anyone else have any other suggestions? If I knew I had access to replacement parts I could cut the lines out, but these are hard to find and if you do find them used, they're expensive and no way to know if they leak.

Thanks!

 

I have a feeling that this is going to be the newest failure trend. I just took my entire EOC assembly out. I’m going to put it in a vise at work and may even have to apply heat to break the fasteners loose so I can take it to a local hydraulics shop for replacement hoses and compression fittings. Bulk hose and regular hose clamps won’t be adequate enough.

 

Agreed. I see some older threads for these hoses too. Saw one guy fabbed up a bypass, but I like the cooler being there and assume it does in fact provide useful cooling.

 

I replaced the hoses on my 2003 XJR a couple of years ago. One of those nuts simply would not budge! I took the whole cooler off and had to buy a special reciprocating grinders to get that damn nut off.

have a look here:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-d...ml#post4365718

Good luck

 

Yes, you know that dissimilar metals have a tendency to migrate molecules
such that they actually become 'welded" together after some time. The longer
a nut or bolt is dealing with such an issue, the more difficult it is to separate.

 

Yeah, I’m in the same situation as Jeroen was in. However, the hose I need is either discontinued, a kings ransom or ‘call’ were my choices depending on the website I chose. It seems a 32mm and a 29mm wrench is the size that’s needed. I tried and 30 & 32 but, it didn’t budge and the 30 was just a little too big for the cooler side. I’ll try a propane torch tomorrow. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just take it to the hydraulics shop and see if they can replace the hose as is.

 

I ran into the same issue when mine failed - couldn't get the fittings off the oil cooler itself. Tried heating them and they ended up just crumbling when I really put some force on them.

For my bypass, I cut the crimps off the pipes coming out of the engine, and looped a 4ft length of oil-resistant hose tucked in where the lyrical cooler was, to at least get the car running. I have tossed the hose but I still have the elbows if anyone wants them for a DIY solution.

I also have a replacement OEM oil cooler that I was able to track down, available if anyone is interested. Didn't notice any major leaks on it while I was running it, and it looked like the crimps on it were more robust than the original oil cooler I had, PM for info.

 

OK, how the %!@# does the front bumper cover come off? Took out the two big bolts in the front, pulled the front plate off to get at the trim pushing under there, removed those too...probably not necessary. Got the lights out for the fog lights and side markers. Disconnected the air tubes that go to the front wheels.

It's loose and moves in and out about 1/4", if that. I think I hear it clunking on the mounts where to bolts go, but I can't see or feel any obstructions. Do I have to apply any kind of serious force? Push it up or down maybe? I don't want to break anything, but feel link I must be missing a trick here.

Need to get it off so I can get a dremel on the right side bolts holding the oil cooler in.

 

Do you have the brake cooling ducts disconnected from the front bumper? I know there’s a few electrical connectors, one on each side, brake ducts, 2 bolts with spacers and it should just slide forward.

 

Got the brake ducts disconnected, bolts out...spacers you say? That sounds promising. All I got out of taking the bolts out were bolts...should some little cylinders have dropped out with them? That might be it.

 

Yeah, I believe that’s your hang up. I didn’t remove my bumper to pull the EOC out but, I do remember that both of the bumper bolts have about an inch tall spacer once the bolts come down. Might just need some pliers to pull them down.

 

If anybody happens to know what size and pitch the threads are on the engine oil cooler, I would be much appreciated. I dropped my entire oil cooler with stuck on lines at a shop yesterday and if I knew what those thread specs were, then they could probably see if they can get the right fasteners. I appreciate your time if you can.

 

I'd have thought once they'd cut the nut part of the connectors off they could measure the thread with a vernier & thread gauges to find out?

 

I’m sure they can but, I told them I didn’t know the specs. Their concern was if they cut it off and if by some chance they couldn’t get the replacement fastener, then what? Brass oil cooler, aluminum oil pipe with a steel joining nut… no galvanic corrosion to see here folks, keep moving on. 🤦🏼‍♂️
I surmise that heating up the steel nut doesn’t do anything except expand the copper oil cooler threads more so into the steel nut since they expand at different rates.

 

Yeah good point.

Maybe try freezing it? so the brass contracts more. I know over here you can buy a dry ice spray for freezing pipes when you want to bodge plumbing & can't turn the water off for some reason. I'd have thought one of those kits (it's an insulation wrap & the spray) would work on the joint? a few cycles of hot & cold might free it up.

 

Spacers were, in fact, my problem with the front bumper cover. They were lightly corroded in there, had to put a punch inside and tape it sideways with a hammer to get it to start moving and then just wiggled it to break all the corrosion, then they just came out with some pliers. Bumper now moves freely, but I have a couple wires left to remove I think. Good news is I can confirm it will give me the access I need to get at the oil cooler mounting bolt, so I should hopefully be able to get it removed soon.

 

Finally got the oil cooler out a few days ago. I finally managed to get a bit to work in the right side screw, but then the threaded receiver part inside the front frame broke off and was just spinning inside. Couldn't manage to get it to hold still enough to unscrew the thing, so I have to break out the angle grinder and cut the head off the damn screw.

Just dropped the whole assembly off at a hydraulics place and it will probably be ready by the end of the week. Then I can sort out how I'm going to anchor it back onto the car. I'm thinking zip tie through the original bolt hole and then an oversized hose clamp around everything to hold it in place with a bit more strength.

While it all apart I've also replaced the bearing in the last idler pulley that needed it, so when I finally get it all back together it ought to be nice and smooth.

 

Can you get a rivnut for the original bolt hole? That'd be much more secure.

 

That's pretty cool Hooli, I haven't heard of this before now. I'll look into this for sure, thanks!

 

That’s what I like about this forum, peeps helping others out.

Mayham, if you have an ACE Hardware up by you, I think that might be your best bet for rivnuts. It’s in the fasteners aisle here in Florida at least.