Aftermarket oil coolers

[Zaairman]

Anybody ever install an aftermarket oil cooler (like a Dorman) on their truck? I need to replace mine. A new Ford unit is around $220 with my discount, but without seals. Rockauto has a Dorman unit for $175 with seals. Thoughts?

 

[powerstrokin15]

I would stay away from Dorman. we never had good luck out of them.


Eric@HoldersDiesel

 

[CSIPSD]

Why do you need a new cooler? Unless its rusted thru just install new O rings...

 

[wyomingtrucker]

I'm getting a new one as we speak. The shop kinda nailed me on the price and the down time but I can't fix my own truck right now so I gotta take it. $600 plus labor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Zaairman]

Why do you need a new cooler? Unless its rusted thru just install new O rings...

Already installed new O rings about 2 years ago... leaking even worse now.

 

[TyCorr]

Thats not what Joe is saying. If the cooler(not talking about the end.caps) isnt rusted through(there's no way. I live in the saltbelt and mine was just rusty) you just disassemble it and put new orings on the cooler and press the caps on. Done. You can very easily clean it up and then hit it with paint to help.with corrosion. Id bet money if it was leaking that bad after 2 years wihin an oring replacement the orings werent quite right.

In your shoes, Id rebuild the ford part. You can get the orings from Clay,.iirc.

That said if you muuust replace it make sure the dorman part has a forever warranty or skip it.

 

[CSIPSD]

I have a spare complete unit that I would sent you to try first, but its just no damn fun to swap those things.

 

[Zaairman]

I know its no fun to do, I did it last time. It is possible I nicked an o ring, but the oil cooler was really, really rusty. If I am going to do the seals again, I would feel much better if I replaced the oil cooler with a new one. This is an ex Chicago area truck that had a plow on it at one time... I'm paying for it now.

 

[TyCorr]

My truck lived in and around chicago with a plow too...got rustier living in rural IL, lol.

Get a good wire wheel for you grinder and it'll take the rust off fine. If you saw mine you wouldnt believe it looks good now.

 

[TyCorr]

#3 is the best after picture. Mine was a frikkin mess.

 

[DEEZUZ]

I have had to replace the end caps due to the aluminum erroding out and creating huge divots. But never an actual cooler.

What did you use as a lubricant when you pressed the ends on?

 

[Zaairman]

Ty, I wish mine looked half as good as yours when I took it off... It was terrible.


CTC, I forget. It was whatever my parts guy recommended.