abueler

How in the heck do you get the mounting bolts out of the oil cooler housing. I have been able to get the two, both upper and lower, that are towards the back of the car with ease. The two that are towards the front seem to be next to impossible. Im trying not to remove the exhaust header (and Ive seen it can be done) and Im closer at getting the upper front bolt (right behind the header) than I am at getting the lower front bolt out. I've tried a universal joint, extensions and just about every thing I have In the tool box. I swear it looks like im going to have to remove the belts/rear belt cover to get the power steering pump bracket off to get to that lower front one. Anyone with any tips or tricks on getting these two bolts out. Im about to lose my mind over them. Thanks

1984 944 NA 2.5

abueler

Got them out, only took about 4 hours for 4 bolts! Now to figure out how to snake the cooler out of the car.

Pin It

I gave up and just pulled the headers...but it was a good excuse to ceramic coat them.

marc abrams

For what it's worth my 83 doesn't have power steering and the oil cooler was very easy to remove. So removing the power steering pump may make all the difference. I much rather remove the power steering pump or anything power steering related then the exhaust manifolds any day of the week.

thomasmryan

elgy

This is my oil cooler experience... check entry #9 for how I solved the bolt removal and getting the housing out...
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...l#post14863915

abueler

Thomasmryan, yes my car does have the heat shield. I had no problem getting that off a it basically fell out the bottom of the engine when when I unbolted it despite reading peoples troubles of removing it. I managed to get all 4 housing bolts off without unbolting the headers, did removed the power steering pump completely. I stopped last night after I got the bolts out so have not tried to pull the housing out yet, but from just quick looks I don't know how Im going to get it out. Theres a brass colored hard line that is about 6-8" below the cooler housing running to the front of the car (I haven't investigated yet as to what this line is for, AC? or is that the PS return line you're talking about?). But it appears to be in the way, hopefully tonight Ill make some more progress.

Elgy, I looked at your process, seems good. Ill try what you did. Thanks!

abueler

I got the cooler out of the car this evening, and have the new seal kit ready. My cooler however did not have the plastic washer on the inside element when pulling it out of the housing. Should I use the plastic washer that is in the seal kit, even if there wasn't one on there to begin with?

thomasmryan

the kits are generic so just replicate what existed

abueler

Ok, is it necessary to replace the OPRV washer, or can the old one be used? Also the O-rings on my cooler aren't exactly O rings but more so flat rubber washers, I assume switching them to the O rings in the seal kit is fine?

Pin It

I would put on a new OPRV aluminum washer unless you want to roll the dice on leaks. Oil leaks in that vicinity have a tendency to find the passenger sway bar bushing and swell the rubber.

Replace the OPRV o-rings with the new ones from the kit. I had the same question about the shape when I did mine the first time. Had to pull the OPRV just a month later and the new o-rings had already turned into the "flat rubber washers" that you describe.

abueler

Pin it, sounds good, thanks for the reply. Is the OPRV washer a common washer (as In would a hardware store have something I could use)? If not Ill probably roll the dice on it as its 66 cents online but $6 to ship and Im hoping to get everything back together this weekend.

Pin It

I buy the OPRV and other alum/copper washers in bulk from Bel-Metric. I could mail you one but I don't think it would arrive by the weekend. It might be something that NAPA would have. I cant recall the size but it should be listed in the PET.

abueler

Cool, I check out NAPA here in town. I appreciate the offer on the mailing me one!