secondchance
01-09-2012, 08:48 AM
On the first day of the year I replaced the AC condensor which was damaged before I bought the car in 2000. It was just a cosmetic damage but bothered me for 11 years.
While replacing this piece, rather then doing it the right way (disconnecting the oil cooler) I got cute and pulled and tilted the AC/condenser/oil cooler to gain access to 8 bolts that holds oil cooler on to the condenser. After the replacement I reinstalled the fan shroud and had my mechanic recharge the system w/ 134a. All looked good until my oil temp went above 165 (?) and started to flow into the cooler. I went home to discover oil leak under the hood dripping onto the garage floor.
That is when I scrambled looking for an oil cooler assuming I split the aluminum pipes between the heat exchanger and the flange because I realized I was kinking it during the replacement (too late by then...).
I finally gathered myself and took a closer look last Saturday morning and found out luckly the leak was from a coupling on the oil cooler hose (my oil cooler line was repaired at the hydraulic shop and have compression fittings between the rubber hose and aluminum pipes). So, I decoupled both hoses, cleaned them, a little thread sealant and reconnected them - No more leak!!!
Spent more time degreasing and cleaning where the oil splattered and the garage floor then the actual repair!
New Year"s resolution - I will not get cute and try short cuts working on the Z!!!
While replacing this piece, rather then doing it the right way (disconnecting the oil cooler) I got cute and pulled and tilted the AC/condenser/oil cooler to gain access to 8 bolts that holds oil cooler on to the condenser. After the replacement I reinstalled the fan shroud and had my mechanic recharge the system w/ 134a. All looked good until my oil temp went above 165 (?) and started to flow into the cooler. I went home to discover oil leak under the hood dripping onto the garage floor.
That is when I scrambled looking for an oil cooler assuming I split the aluminum pipes between the heat exchanger and the flange because I realized I was kinking it during the replacement (too late by then...).
I finally gathered myself and took a closer look last Saturday morning and found out luckly the leak was from a coupling on the oil cooler hose (my oil cooler line was repaired at the hydraulic shop and have compression fittings between the rubber hose and aluminum pipes). So, I decoupled both hoses, cleaned them, a little thread sealant and reconnected them - No more leak!!!
Spent more time degreasing and cleaning where the oil splattered and the garage floor then the actual repair!
New Year"s resolution - I will not get cute and try short cuts working on the Z!!!