Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: lee4206 on 14 March 2009, 21:38:49

Title: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: lee4206 on 14 March 2009, 21:38:49
Hope someone can help me on this am i right in thinking the original coolers were not stainless hence the problems and the new ones are stainless. If so would the stainless one be expected to last forever. Reason i'm asking is i think mine has been replaced already and if the stainless ones dont fail then it saves me a job, if they do still fail then im just going to change it whilst i've got it stripped down.
lee
Title: Re: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: MutantCav on 14 March 2009, 21:45:30
Well stainless will still rust but will take an awful lot longer of course...

And yes the problem with the original ones was rust causing holes and hence leaking...
Title: Re: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: Kevin Wood on 14 March 2009, 23:01:01
I think you'll still have problems if coolant changes haven't been regular enough. You've got a stainless cooler, cast ali cooler plate and a cast iron engine block all in contact so the corrosion inhibitors need to be top notch. Most likely outcome is that the cover plate corrodes away, IMHO.

It's not an "end of the world" job though so I don't think I'd replace one as a matter of course unless there were signs of failure of it was out anyway and looking rough.

Kevin
Title: Re: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: tmx on 14 March 2009, 23:02:36
oil cooler is a DIYable job it just takes time! i done my V6 vectra's over a weekend took me till 5 on a sunday to get it all back together and working!
Title: Re: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: lee4206 on 14 March 2009, 23:13:53
Quote
I think you'll still have problems if coolant changes haven't been regular enough. You've got a stainless cooler, cast ali cooler plate and a cast iron engine block all in contact so the corrosion inhibitors need to be top notch. Most likely outcome is that the cover plate corrodes away, IMHO.

It's not an "end of the world" job though so I don't think I'd replace one as a matter of course unless there were signs of failure of it was out anyway and looking rough.

Kevin


Thats the problem i'm having as it looks like its had the oil cooler fail(coolant is brown ish)in the past and at the moment i dont think theres any antifreeze in the system. Iv'e allready brought the cooler kit as i want this engine 100% so i might as well just change it whilst its apart. I'm also doing the thermostat ,transfer pipe cam cover gaskets expansion tank hbv etc at the same time and cam belt kit and water pump next month so hopefully i wont have any other problems with it.
lee
Title: Re: Oil cooler reliability
Post by: lee4206 on 14 March 2009, 23:16:10
Quote
oil cooler is a DIYable job it just takes time! i done my V6 vectra's over a weekend took me till 5 on a sunday to get it all back together and working!

Time scale wont be an issue as the cars not going on the road untill im happy its all sorted.
lee