Help! Leaking front Ruf oil cooler (and need to leave for a trip)
07-31-2006, 06:59 PM
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Help! Leaking front Ruf oil cooler (and need to leave for a trip)
hi .. need some help as im trying to get the car fixed for a mont tremblant event.
Car is in the shop for checking the turbo lag and i get call saying my front Ruf oil cooler is leaking from the core and oil is all over the left front suspension and fender well. Therefore, not a good idea to drive this at the track.
I called Ruf and was told a replacement part is backordered forever and that they have never had a front aux oil cooler brake and leak. Ruf suggested it can be fixed like any radiator.
Shop says: its a big job to remove the front nose and remove the unit (is that true??). Also its not easy to fix a leaking oil cooler. They already checked the lines and hoses. Seems the leak is right from the center of the unit.
What should i do? Do these oil coolers brake? How do you fix one? I didnt hit anything and know of no front impact. Should i just remove it and do the event without it (shop says TT's will run too hot without one, but most TTs dont have one).
thanks for the help
Car is in the shop for checking the turbo lag and i get call saying my front Ruf oil cooler is leaking from the core and oil is all over the left front suspension and fender well. Therefore, not a good idea to drive this at the track.
I called Ruf and was told a replacement part is backordered forever and that they have never had a front aux oil cooler brake and leak. Ruf suggested it can be fixed like any radiator.
Shop says: its a big job to remove the front nose and remove the unit (is that true??). Also its not easy to fix a leaking oil cooler. They already checked the lines and hoses. Seems the leak is right from the center of the unit.
What should i do? Do these oil coolers brake? How do you fix one? I didnt hit anything and know of no front impact. Should i just remove it and do the event without it (shop says TT's will run too hot without one, but most TTs dont have one).
thanks for the help
07-31-2006, 07:43 PM
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Removing the nose and cooler isn't too tough. Repairing the cooler probably involves replacing the core and I'm not sure a standard radiator core is suitable for this, check with a good radiator shop. Running without the cooler should be OK if you keep the revs down and watch your temp gauge so you don't go above the upper white mark. Our engines make most of their power below 6K, so high revs aren't really needed for a fun day at the track. It's possible the core was defective or the golden bb could have worked it's way through the grill and punched a hole in the cooler.
07-31-2006, 09:37 PM
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I've never heard of a shop that doesn't want to do the job.. Are you sure that it isn't the copper crush orings? With Rob's luck I really wouldn't want him to cook and engine with the high summer temps.. A good radiator shop can fix the defective fin/core.. They just solder it closed. With one core closed, I wouldn't sweat it.
07-31-2006, 09:51 PM
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Rob:
I would second Kevin's question on checking the copper crush rings. I have done several of these CG / RUF coolers and the crush rings are the most common suspect for tracing leaks, not the core.
Sourcing these crush rings locally can be a challenge depending on where you are, but certainly much easier than the cooler itself.
Hoep things work out !
I would second Kevin's question on checking the copper crush rings. I have done several of these CG / RUF coolers and the crush rings are the most common suspect for tracing leaks, not the core.
Sourcing these crush rings locally can be a challenge depending on where you are, but certainly much easier than the cooler itself.
Hoep things work out !
08-01-2006, 09:56 AM
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Another question on this disaster:
i got this Ruf aux cooler in march 2005 with the rennlist group buy. Do you think its covered under any warranty? i called Wayne at Ruf (dallas) and he said probably not, especially as it came from when Wassiach as the Ruf distributor.
Given its slightly over a year old, i dont think it should be broken and the car has only been used about 7k in this time.
so Kevin, whats wrong with my luck??????
i got this Ruf aux cooler in march 2005 with the rennlist group buy. Do you think its covered under any warranty? i called Wayne at Ruf (dallas) and he said probably not, especially as it came from when Wassiach as the Ruf distributor.
Given its slightly over a year old, i dont think it should be broken and the car has only been used about 7k in this time.
so Kevin, whats wrong with my luck??????
08-01-2006, 10:22 AM
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Rob,
As others have mentioned you can run without this cooler and go with your stock set up. Tremblant temps likely won't be too hot anyways. I am suprised you did not notice the leak prior to the shop visit? Hopefully it is just a fitting and not the core. What does your shop recommend for the fix? Maybe they can source a replacement part. Good luck.
As others have mentioned you can run without this cooler and go with your stock set up. Tremblant temps likely won't be too hot anyways. I am suprised you did not notice the leak prior to the shop visit? Hopefully it is just a fitting and not the core. What does your shop recommend for the fix? Maybe they can source a replacement part. Good luck.
08-01-2006, 11:27 AM
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Best would be to have the cooler cleaned while on the car, then run to determine the real source of the leak. Its amazing how oil leaks spread and disguise the source.
To remove the cooler isnt a big job, does it take some time.. yes, but not difficult.
To remove the cooler isnt a big job, does it take some time.. yes, but not difficult.
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08-01-2006, 12:03 PM
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As Kevin and Jim mentioned, have them check the Banjo bolts that hold the lines into the cooler. These are HUGE and with several heat cycles when new will tend to loosen up.
I have installed a number of these coolers. First, it is a SIMPLE job. To do the thing start to finish when installing it is only a 3 hour job. Removing the cooler and having it fixed should only be a couple of hours at MOST (this is the same shop that charges 14 hours for a clutch job right???).. Also, I have never seen one of these units go bad. While it is possible, I would tend to doubt it. They are very good quality, and have held up well on my car and all my customers cars without any issues.....
Good luck...
I have installed a number of these coolers. First, it is a SIMPLE job. To do the thing start to finish when installing it is only a 3 hour job. Removing the cooler and having it fixed should only be a couple of hours at MOST (this is the same shop that charges 14 hours for a clutch job right???).. Also, I have never seen one of these units go bad. While it is possible, I would tend to doubt it. They are very good quality, and have held up well on my car and all my customers cars without any issues.....
Good luck...
08-02-2006, 02:06 AM
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RUF has legendary customer service so I would contact the RUF folks directly in Germany and have them work the warranty with you through their USA agent. They've done some crazy things for customers including flying people around to change one shock absorber, etc. This should be no different.
08-02-2006, 09:33 AM
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Update:
Just heard from the shop and they said they fixed it.
You guys where correct - THANK YOU (Kevin, Jim, Vbob, gang) as the fittings, rings and brackets got loose so it made a mess. Is this typical? Ive never hit anything since the oil coolers install last spring.
Of course they said that the previous shop who did the install about 15 months ago are idiots and of course they killed themselves for me to get my car done. Seems like there is no shortage drama. Good thing i didnt overnight a new oil cooler from Germany
Now, hopefully they can get to the main issue of finding why the car is so laggy and makes power late.
Just heard from the shop and they said they fixed it.
You guys where correct - THANK YOU (Kevin, Jim, Vbob, gang) as the fittings, rings and brackets got loose so it made a mess. Is this typical? Ive never hit anything since the oil coolers install last spring.
Of course they said that the previous shop who did the install about 15 months ago are idiots and of course they killed themselves for me to get my car done. Seems like there is no shortage drama. Good thing i didnt overnight a new oil cooler from Germany
Now, hopefully they can get to the main issue of finding why the car is so laggy and makes power late.
