I sprung a good size oil leak- where to look?

[billschroeder5842]

I completed the radiator and hose swap successfully (see my anxiety in other threads) with a few minor tweaks this morning. I pressure tested with a tool, found a couple of leaks that I was able to fix and I took her out and all is good.

NOW....

I've developed a good size oil leak. It is located "some where" around the oil cooler hose area near the block. I'm getting pools of oil on the top of the horizontal frame and it seems to spray around, but only on the passenger side. The block itself looks dry.

Now, I put new oil cooler lines on a couple of months ago, but that does not mean anything. Funny as I had no leaks from that area prior to the radiator issue? Could I have damaged something oil related during the repair? I'm pretty careful, but who knows?

I'm going to wait until the engine cools, wash/clean it down and then restart and look for the leak. Hopefully a clean surface will quickly reveal the problem.

Are there any obvious things that I need to check? Are there typical areas that leak near the oil cooler line (beside the cooler line)?

This is weird. Beer-thirty is fast approaching!

[LGAFF]

Lower oil pressure switch on the P/S

[Mystic ZR-1]

O-rings on the oil cooler connection, are they there or the garage floor?

[billschroeder5842]

OMG, LMFAO, NASA, ASAP, PDQ, FYI, CIA, ...... WTF???

Thanks for the suggestions. I cleaned up the engine ("Purple Power" is magic} and started it up. I checked all the hose connections, oil sensors, etc... nothing; bone dry.

Once the engine warmed up (the aux fans came on) I found a steady "seeping" of oil coming from one of my "new" oil color hoses---- the warm side, right in the middle of the line. Un mistakable seepage.

I noticed that when cold the cooler lines did not feel pressurized, but when warm/hot, they "bulged" up a bit and leaked more--- and this was at idle.

I supposed that under acceleration or higher RPMS, that the leak would be pretty pronounced with heavy oil pressure and create my spattering issue. So, no Vette this weekend.

Question... is the hose system (only two months old) worth a repair?

I like the factory look at ease of fitment, keeping my (repaired) system is preferable, but from what read Jerry's has a system that is rock star quality?

WDYT? (what do you think?)

[Billy Mild]

See if there is a hydraulic shop around you that could make you new lines. I just busted one of my fittings on a set of Jerry's lines. They were fine before that.

[A26B]

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

See if there is a hydraulic shop around you that could make you new lines. I just busted one of my fittings on a set of Jerry's lines. They were fine before that.

Send me a picture of what you broke

[jss06c6]

Hey Bill, look on the bright side, your engine bay has probably never been so clean!!

Steve

Sent from my XT1585 using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app

[billschroeder5842]

Originally Posted by jss06c6

Hey Bill, look on the bright side, your engine bay has probably never been so clean!!

Thanks- and yes it does, but cleaning "this" uncovers "that."

I realize that I have a lot more to do!

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

Question... is the hose system (only two months old) worth a repair?

I like the factory look at ease of fitment, keeping my (repaired) system is preferable, but from what read Jerry's has a system that is rock star quality?

WDYT? (what do you think?)

Repairing Swedged hoses is not possible....forget it.......I have several original oil cooler lines that do not leak for emergencies (others emergencies ).

SS Braided Oil Cooler Hoses and Fittings

1. Tools.

One 10 inch cresent wrench (Box Wrench is best), One vice, Air compressor, Angle Grinder (with Cut Off wheel). The best tool for cutting the SS Braided Hose is a Small Angle Grinder (with Cut Off wheel) which does not fray the SS braids on the hose ends. It is also best to use an appropriate size Box Wrench on the Hose Fittings (box end) to minimize leaving marks on the fittings. I use Aeroquip Reusable Fittings and SS Braided hose from Summit Racing.

2. General SS Hose Assembly with Re-Usable Fittings.

1. Place SS Braided hose in vice and cut SS Braided hose to length using Angle Grinder with Cut Off wheel. Angle grinder is preferred since minimal SS wires are left free of the cut.
2. Make sure no SS Braided wires enter the hose end and make sure all loose SS Braided wires are ground flush with end. Keep the hose in the vice with about 2 inches on the free end out of the vice. (Clean the inside of the hose end Cut Off before going further with Cotton Cue Tip .
3. Take the AN reusable hose fitting and unscrew the male part from the female part. The other end of the male part will have an NPT pipe thread or "O" ring seal thread size (AN) as desired.
4. Take the AN reusable hose fitting female part and screw onto the SS Braided hose (counterclockwise) by hand pushing onto the hose as you rotate the female hose fitting counterclockwise.
5. Screw the AN female reusable hose fitting onto the hose such that the hose is at a depth into the female fitting as defined by the lines on the female fitting surface.
6. Lubricate the inside diameter of the SS Braided hose with oil through the end of the female fitting.
7. Insert the male reusable hose fitting into the lubricated hose through the end of the female fitting.
8. Push the male fitting into the hose as you rotate the male fitting clockwise using a cresent wrench (Box Wrench preferred). Once the threads are caught, continue rotating the male fitting into the hose untill approximately 1/16 inch space is left between the hexigon of the male fitting and female fitting.
9. Install the second hydraulic reusable hose fitting on the other end of the hose as per steps 2 through 8 above.
10. Last...but not least....take an air hose (Air Compressor) and blow the hose clear to make sure you have a clean assembly (if the SS Braided hose is not too long look through the hose end to end for any debree). You now have a SS Braided hydraulic hose with fittings good for maybe 2,000 psi hydraulic pressure more or less.

3. Parts Required for SS Braided Oil Cooler Lines with Re-Usable Fittings.

The SS Oil Cooler Lines are very easy to make up in SS Braided hose using Aeroquip reusable fittings and SS Braided hose available from Summit Racing.

1. Use two 10 AN Stainless Steel Braided hose
2. use two Aeroquip Reusable Hose Ends, 90 Degree, -10 AN Hose to Female -10 AN, Aluminum, Nickel Plated
3. Use two Aeroquip Reusable Hose Ends, 45 Degree, -10 AN Hose to Female -10 AN, Aluminum, Nickel Plated
4. On the Oil Filter Adapter remove the 12 AN Flare fittings Trick to Remove the 12 AN Flare Fittings and use two 10AN Flare to 3/4 inch NPT
Or use two 12AN to 10AN Flare reducers
5. Oil Cooler Adapter
With the secondchance design use one "O" ring on each 10AN Flare fitting with 18x1.5 metric thread.
With the Jeffvette design use one Stat-O-Seal, 5/8 in Inside Diameter, Aluminum with O-Ring on each AN-10 to 3/8" BSPP Straight Adapter.
6. One 6mm x 1.0 x 35 mm SS Allen head bolt
7. One 6 mm SS washer
8. Two "O" rings for the Aluminum adapter manifold to oil cooler interface.

The first seven items can be found at Summit Racing.

Secondchance Design of Oil Cooler Adapter..................Jeffvette Design of Oil Cooler Adapter



I have never had one of these hydraulic lines with Aeroquip Reusable Fittings leak and they are much much tougher than original crimped fittings and easily replaced or adjusted if you want to at some point make them longer or shorter (the fittings are reusable and swivel). And......you will find a much better routing of the lines if you make them yourself by looking at the routing of the existing Hydraulic Lines. The Aeroquip Reusable Fittings come in all sizes and angles to fit any situation. You can make your own oil cooler lines as shown here and Power Steering Lines or any other hydraulic line you might need on the ZR-1.

As an aside, I use the similar Aeroquip reusable fittings and Aeroquip 1509 hydraulic hose on all my farm implements and tractors. I make up all my implement hydraulic lines often replacing relatively new lines that come with the implements with my own lines that are much more dependable under extreme usage. We are talking hydraulic pressures over 2,000 psi on the hydraulics of some of these implements when the cylinders reach the stops.

Once you experiment with making your own hydraulic lines with some using SS Braided hose you will never look back at buying ready made hydraulic lines again. All you need is a vice, hand grinder (or even a hack saw will work), and a couple box wrenches of appropriate size. Oh...and an air compressor to blow clean the lines after assembly.

See SS Braided Oil Cooler Hoses and Fittings

[billschroeder5842]

YIKES!

Thanks Dynomite for the write up but I'm thinking Jerry's look like a better fit for me. I do not have the talent that you have, nor the tools but I have a PayPal account that I know how to operate like a pro.

Thanks!