Gearbox Cooler pipe

[PhilKent]

Hi All,

Thought I'd try and use the search function before I posted this, but to no avail. There may be something but I didn't find it...
So, I may have a weeping oil leak from the cooling pipe on my 944 turbo. (It's the coiled pipe which has fins on it). Asked Porsche for a quote, came back at just short of £1000! ) I had to laugh.
So I'm going to take off the pipe and investigate further (replaced the oil seals a few years ago, they may have sprung a new leak but doubtful). Just thought I'd ask if anyone on here has tried any aftermarket oil cooler replacements? I'll either repair the current pipework, or replace. I could have a customer finned pipe manufactured for less than £1000, hell I could machine my own from unobtainium for less than £1000!!

 

[Eldavo]

IIRC Augment Automotive will sell you a complete aftermarket kit for £300+ish.

Someone on here (Richair?) did their own which I may well do in the future.

Generic 13 row Mocal cooler mounted ahead of the gearbox on rubber bobbins You will need to make some sort of mounting bracket. D9 Products sell adaptors from the gearbox to AN8 fittings (can get these from Design911 too I think) and then just make some AN8 hoses up to connect the 2.

edit:

link to AN adaptors: http://www.design911.co.u...8V-1988--/Oil-Coolers/

 

[944Scott]

My pipe was fractured at its lowest point so I made my own using universal parts.

 

[PhilKent]

Looks like a nice neat install 944scott, any chance you've got the list of parts? I've been looking at bits and pieces on the demon tweeks website today...

 

[DarrylH]

I did my own with AN fittings and an after market cooler. It came in around £200 including a scavenger pump. The pump won't be needed if you have a pump on your turbo gearbox already []

 

[PSH]

Is the coil steel or alloy?, I can't remember, either way, with the correct brazing rods it should be possible to fix the leak. Steel being the easiest with a little silver soldering to seal the leak, you'd need to thoroughly clean it first, close up the leak and braze over.

Pete

 

[944Scott]

It's basically as Elvado already listed and my adaptor came from D9, everything else came from The bracket is a reworked original cut and turned around with extra metal wings added to support the cooler (it has an additional bracket at the top securing it to the gearbox one side) I mounted up higher to avoid further damage.

PSH the original is alloy and the crack in between the cooling fins looked hard to get out and rather battered due to it's age.

 

[Eldavo]

Turbo gearbox has a pump already - the beauty of this is that you can remove the cooler loop and lose less than a teaspoon full of gearbox oil.

Edit:
Scott - Richair did it differently, having seen the pics it was your install I recalled and should've credited. What are the dimensions of the cooler please?

 

[Kongsodoken]

I had a similar issue the coil is made up of 3 parts which are bonded together with glue
it can appear that the O ring is leaking but actually it is the bonded fitting, give it a twist it will come free then re glue
I did a write up in my restoration thread ...cost me next to nothing to do and has not leaked since

https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=794133&mpage=8#854248

Half way way down the page[]

 

[Eldavo]

Interesting, as I replaced the O-rings and still have a very slight weep.

I have some suitable metal epoxy unless there's something else you recommend Ken?

 

[Kongsodoken]

Interesting, as I replaced the O-rings and still have a very slight weep.

I have some suitable metal epoxy unless there's something else you recommend Ken?

I used a 2 part structural acrylic but the parts fit so well not sure it's actually needed anything that seals the gap and doesn't break down with heat should be fine ....although I'm no expert

 

[Eldavo]

Thank you Ken.

It'a refreshing for someone who turns out the calibre of work that you (and others such as Ruddy) do and remind us that you're not an expert.

Especially given how the internet seems full of self-proclaimed experts these days.

 

[944Scott]

I will measure it on Friday if you like as I will be under the car.

 

[Eldavo]

Thanks ??

 

[944Turbo]

The cooler on my coupe was fitted with new machined ends by Jon Mitchell, don't recall it being too pricey,
Tony

 

[PhilKent]

Re-awakening this thread as I've recently tried to repair my original cooler loop. I machined my own new end fitting and threaded the end of the cooler pipe to insert it into. However, the wall thickness was so thin it sheared of with very little load, so no good in the end. Mine wasn't leaking from the bonded section. Rather the push fitting with the o-ring has been vibrating due to the fork clamp being not too snug a fit. This has caused fretting marks on the male union end which has resulted in weep past the O-ring.
Long story short I'm back to an aftermarket fix for now and will possibly re-manufacture a new end piece in time for the original cooler pipe.
I ordered the part from Augment which seemed like a 'plug and play' solution, but lead times are too vague at the moment, so have cancelled that and ordered the adapters from D911. So I'm back to looking for any insight into a good spec oil cooler (dimensions and make) and relevant hose lengths and connections if anyone has anything to share...?

 

[scam75]

Yes. It's a dreadful design! Seriously it's aluminium which makes repairs tricky. And the bottom pipe end does suffer from getting out of shape. However I've just had a snapped in two cooler welded by an aluminium welder chap, and replaced the bottom o ring again, and despite the fact that the end has seen far better days it is leak free and working again. TBH I think next time it breaks (4 for me now), I'll just blank it off. It is just a constant source of inconvenience.

Stuart

 

[DavidL]

I've got one from Augment. Different design to OEM but went on ok and hasn't caused me any issues. It didn't take long to come either but I've had it a year or so so supplies vary I suppose.

 

[PhilKent]

FINALLY! Got the cooler pipe fixed (or rather, replaced). Ordered some bits from Demon Tweaks:
Setrad 115mmx13row cooler
Universal oil cooler brackets
M22 male to AN8 adapters for the cooler
3x90deg hose fittings
1x150deg hose fitting (you could replace this with a straight fitting since one of the D911 fittings is already 90deg)
2m of AN8 braided hose.
D911 for the gearbox unions, 1 pair of.
I then got a length of M8 threaded bar from screwfix and mounted this through the old oil cooler loop mounting hole. The little setrab sits nicely on this braced with one of the universal brackets. If you're lucky you can get away with 1m of the braided hose.
Cost about £400 all in, so not particularly cheap but should be good for many years to come fingers crossed.

 

[scam75]

Good luck Phil. I was actually discussing this with David at Augment the other day and he says you must be careful not to use too big a cooler or your oil may be overly cool which is not great. I think they use a 4 inch square cooler with their set-up. I'm going cooler free for a while with this new gearbox, one less thing to worry about! When I get my AOR fixed though I'll be doing some sort of after market set up as I'm not going through that carry on again with constant leaks and regular pipe failures.

Stuart