pkrasusky

..."This is when I started to want a simple Citroen SM. The back of the 5V 4.2 engine is a dumping ground of misanthropic cooling system design." and.. "the engineer who arranged the coolant pipe between the back of the engine and the side of the oil cooler is a sociopath" sure are um, 'encouraging'.

Oh joy!

Sounds as if best to have backup car so this job can spill into mutliple daze is a good idea - goody then I get to fix the fuel line leak in der ur4kq. Sun never sets in my world I tell ya.

Appreciate the details. $14/bottle G12 'til it gets warmer than oh say 4o like today, yeah.

Ah, then to move on to such fun things as rear main / trans prop shaft / front diff seals...

...sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

But the spacers look good at least 8-).

Anyone make any sorta D2 "Depends" I wonder? Hmmm. I just call it AudiSweat, really...

ZRock

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/87304/bentlyoilcooler.jpg"></center><p>Not worth pressure testing it, unless you're just curious. Even if it tests as "good", you'll want to replace them anyway.

When I had mine done a year or so ago, they replaced the little plastic pipe, and the seals between it and the block and cooler. But they didn't replace the internal seals, (#18 on that diagram, IIRC) and I ended up having to have those replaced later, at almost the same cost as the initial repair.

They cut me a break on the labor, since they're getting real good at that procedure! (yes, I probably could have pushed harder since they probably should have done the internal ones the first time, but live and learn, I guess...)

Greasyguy

I guess with the pressure test I just wanted to absolutely rule out before making any changes that the leakage was in fact inside the oil cooler, and not a cracked block or something. But I suppose another way to look at it is if the cooler is completely rebuilt and the problem still exists afterwards, I'm not any worse off than I was before anyway.

Thanks for the response.

Greasyguy

Good to hear this is a symptom others have experienced, so I know I'm not chasing a ghost. It looks like I'll need a lot more gaskets and parts. If I have to completely rebuild the oil cooler, now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better and eaiser to just order a complete replacement unit from Audi, rather than all these piecemeal replacement parts -- everything would be done exactly right, all gaskets in the right place, screws torqued to factory specs, etc. Maybe they've even updated the design to eliminate or at least reduce the chances of this problem in the future.

On the other hand, maybe I care more about this being done right than someone on an assembly line in Germany. Any comments on that?

pkrasusky

... eliminate or at least reduce the chances of this problem in the future."


Bwhahahahahaha. Good one! It's an Audi, remember.

Yer funny tho 8-).

More like "maybe Audi decided to stop making replacement parts cause they want you to lease a new (disposable) //SLine" and blatantly snubbing their "roots" while paradoxically at the same time using Sport Q's and Michelle Mouton in all their latest marketing hype.

Or something, and stuff.

Greasyguy

Zrock:
What about the heat exchanger itself, #19 in that diagram? (part #077 117 021 J marked on mine) Without doing some kind of pressure test, how do I know that doesn't have pinholes in it or something? (not that it matters, the dealers don't list a replacement for that part in their system.)

Incidentally, I've been to several radiator shops and none seem to be set up for pressure testing something like this. So I guess I replace all the seals and gaskets, and hope for the best!

GG