Oil Cooler Fittings: Lesson Learned

Here's a lesson that I just learned after blowing a 1/2 quart of oil under my car on a test run up an interstate.

Decided to replace my oil cooler lines as the old ones were looking a little stiff and worn. While I was at it I put in a new fan cut off switch from SCAT. This allows me to over-ride the 190' stat in cooler weather with the fan only kicking in when it's above 190' AND I have the switch toogled "on". To keep it running warm I just toggle off the fan overide. Toggle is under my dash unseen.

Little did I know that they sell two lengths of cut-off switches. And the larger one is so close to being the right length that you can't see it by eyeball.

Installed it and cinched it tight. Finished adjusting valves, changing oil and filters. Fired her up and took off. Made a nice 4,000 RPM run up 5 miles and then back, through the burbs and to the shop. Looked underneath and my nice clean case was dripping oil all the way back to the rear of the sump. Give me an F for attention to detail.

Investigation showed the oil was coming out under pressure at the cut off switch. Ran down to my parts source with the switch and female fitting in hand. That's when I saw it wasn't fitting flush..... almost a full turn left and the beveled fitting wasn't getting contact with the female end either.... long threads but short tip. Found the correct one at the parts place and installed & then spent the afternoon cleaning the underside with a power wand and a soft brush.

Works great now. No one else would make this goof but me and Murphy... but Murphy lives in all garages! Keep this error in mind if you are plumbing or replumbing your external cooling system.

Murph, aka, Jim Ward
(Message Edited 10/6/2003 4:32:35 PM)

Rule #1 for any changes to the lubrication system - start engine and warm up to full operating temperature then check for leaks. I've had similar stuff happen when I didn't check for leaks first and had to fix it and clean up the mess...

But Murphey's law usalley wins. So George is right, test and retest.
(Message Edited 10/7/2003 12:32:52 PM)

Jim, I did something similar. Put my motor in and got everything adjusted (or so I thought). Drove it a couple of days, then took it to my mechanic's shop to get a few extra things done. When it was up on the hoist, I noticed that one of the oil lines was resting on the header! I was so anxious to get the car on the road, that I didn't check the lines before I took off for a drive. A disaster in the making.
Ron

I just redid my lines last weekend and checked and double checked the line. Like Jim knows when these engines spew they SPEW! Mine made a heck
of a mess and don't want that "pleasure" again anytime soon.

BD

Also watch out for the old "familiarity breeds contempt" demon. I owned a Corvair engined vehicle for over 1/4 million miles and for 30 plus years. I'd changed that oil filter at least 50 times. One day the bottom of the car was oil soaked badly. I searched all the normal places (lot's of those on a Corvair) but found no obvious source. Tried to drive it to my engine man, but it was leaking really bad by now. I finally towed it to his house. It took him about one minute to point out the the screw securing the oil filter in place was not even hand tight. An exercise in humility followed.

Don't feel bad. My lesson happened not too many years ago; I was dutifully changing the oil in the family car, had drained the old oil after warming the engine, even tilted it with a jack so it would drain thoroughly, put on the new filter, began refilling with the new oil - I noticed a squishy, sticky sensation at my shoes - yep, I hadn't even put the drain plug back on.

This just happened to me a couple of weeks ago. A couple of friends were over, we were standing around in the garage trying to decide who was going to make the beer run. One of my buddies said he needed to change his oil, new filter in the trunk. "no problem" I say, "take my car, get a couple of 12 packs and I'll change it right now". I pull out the super slim oil catcher, slip it under the car, unscrew the pan plug, letting the plug drop into the catcher as normal. I stand up, lean against the car and continue the conversation with the other guy in my garage. All the sudden I feel the floor get sticky. Turns out the plug from the pan, fit perfectly in the catcher, blocking the resevoir. 6 Quarts of oil on the garage floor and all I got was some beer.
-=theron

Greg, I've done that!
Ron

The Redneck Oil Change Checklist
1. Go to O'Reilly auto parts and write a check for $50 dollars for oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and scented tree.
2. Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to O'Reilly to recycle, dump in hole in back yard.
3. Open a beer and drink it.
4. Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5. Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6. In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7. Place drain pan under engine.
8. Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
9. Give up and use crescent wrench.
10. Unscrew drain plug.
11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in process.
12. Clean up.
13. Have another beer while oil is draining.
14. Look for oil filter wrench.
15. Give up; poke oil filter with screwdriver and twist it off.
16. Beer.
17. Buddy shows up; finish case with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
18. Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.
19. Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
20. Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
21. Walk to 7-11; buy beer.
22. Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.
23. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
24. Remember drain plug from step 11.
25. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
26. Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.
27. Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.
28. Bang head on floor board in reaction.
29. Begin cussing fit.
30. Throw wrench.
31. Cuss and complain.
32. Clean up; apply Band-Aid to knuckle.
33. Beer.
34. Beer.
35. Dump in additional 4 quarts of oil.
36. Beer.
37. Lower car from jack stands
38. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands
39. Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during step 23.
40. Test drive car
41. Get pulled over; arrested for driving under the influence.
42. Car gets impounded.
43. Make bail; get car from impound yard.
Money Spent:
$50 parts
$12 beer
$75 replacement set of jack stands; hey the colors have to match!
$1000 Bail
$200 Impound and towing fee
Total: $1337