Oil cooler failure symptoms

[BigRigTech]

I have something going out on my 01, I'm getting some smoke on start up - smells like oil and coolant together. The oil is showing slight signs of what I believe is water/coolant. What are the common symptoms of an oil cooler failure and is there a test for the cooler????....I'd rather be chaning an oil cooler than head gaskets........I can do either job myself but obviously one repair is much easier than the other. I had the car for sale until I saw this issue so I want to fix it before I think about selling it again. I've been working on my 87 GT drag car all winter - 460 BBF installation in progress. :coolman:

 

[derek_402]

When mine failed I was losing oil into the cooling system and no coolant in the oil...
I also had no smoke at start up fwiw

 

[BigRigTech]

I still think it's a head gasket failure but I will have to do some diagnosis when I have time I guess, the car will sit for a while until my drag car is race ready. I might just yank the engine regardless, do the H.G. and cooler stuff when it's out.

 

[mr.speaker]

There is a weep hole on the oil cooler that usually leaks oil when the cooler is going bad and/or oil cooler o-rings and/or the oil cooler bolt is loose.

 

[BigRigTech]

Mine has been wet since I bought the car, I bought the gaskets/o-rings for it but I haven't made time to do the work.

 

[BigRigTech]

Can I just delete the cooler? I read online that the cooler was installed to warm the oil up faster for emissions and not some much to cool the oil. If not is there a better cooler than the stock cooler? My local dealer wants $562 plus taxes for a new cooler.

 

[006]

Can I just delete the cooler? I read online that the cooler was installed to warm the oil up faster for emissions and not some much to cool the oil. If not is there a better cooler than the stock cooler? My local dealer wants $562 plus taxes for a new cooler.

Yes you can delete it.

96-04 4.6L GT or Mach1 will do it...but there are some random GTs that got the oil cooler like ours (fyi).

 

[BigRigTech]

So I just need the plate for the block to mount the oil filter ?

 

[006]

So I just need the plate for the block to mount the oil filter ?

Your current setup looks like the two parts in the right of this photo.

You need the part on the left. It eliminates the huge oil cooler unit piece that is all the way to the right.

Also need an oil block adapter gasket part # 70415 at your local parts store or from your local dealership.

http://forums.corral.net/forums/gt-sohc/1337439-oil-filter-housing.html

More pics:
http://www.cvpi.org/archives/p71interceptor/oilcooler/index.html

Good luck!

 

[BigRigTech]

So I drained the oil, looks like new. I washed the cooler off a while ago with brake cleaner, still whistle clean when I went under the car tonight. I used a Lisle head gasket test kit, no color change so that was good but I also did a bubble test like we do on large diesels and it passed that too....I took the t-stat out, it was a Ford unit, 192*. I'm going to replace the t-stat and cap, fill it up and run it to see what happens. I changed the oil in it tonight as well. The fan came on low speed and then high and stayed on, the upper rad hose was showing about 190* or so with the temp gun.

 

[77ihwheeler]

I have the a stock oil cooler off a 99 left over from my eaton swap if you need it pm me