TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:36 am

...sorry TenCent, nothing personal.

I removed the oil cooler today. It dropped it's last drop (¼ltr) in my driveway.
I really liked the design, and I liked the idea, but it never worked for me.
I take that back. It did work for me. For about 8 months. Then I needed to replace one of the hoses, and it just went down hill from there. With my replacement hose, I gave a little too much torque on the upper right angle joint, and broke the weld on the connector. Crap.

Mr. TenCent was kind enough to point me in the direction of a new cooler, but the shipping made it cost prohibitive. So, I found a repair shop (guy was older than dirt...), and they took a week to fix it right up.

I go to remount it, now the lower connector is dripping. Double Crap.
I take it back to Methuselah, and he fixes it again. This time I figure I will be clever, and get it all connected on the bench :D . Then struggle and curse for 30 minutes trying to get it fit in :( .
...only to have it continue to leak :shock: .

In the meantime, the thermal switch stopped functioning (wire broke). Again, Mr. TenCent was kind enough to point me in the direction of parts, and once again, cost prohibitive for me. The local Radio Shack-type place had a replacement for me, IF I could give him the correct amount of resistance.
Turns out he meant electrical resistance. :lol:

So, all in all, I can't say it worked as intended. I never got the chance to go 'wheeling with it in (too many other issues for reliability). I will say that the fan was ever willing to fill it's roll. Even with the resistor turned all the way up, the fan would come on in the most ridiculous of places.
On the Autobahn, for example. At speed.

I really hope this is a good product, but I never got to find out. Once I had to replace stock components, it ceased to be a functioning system, and instead left a dark stain in my life (which Mrs. WT says I have to clean up!).

Tue Jun 06, 2017 7:09 am

Sorry if I come across as a dick but don't think your post is very constructive. I can understand your frustration when shit happens but in all fairness it sounds like your issues were a result of user error.

I used one of Chris's oil coolers when I still had a WBX and it worked great. I ended up selling it when I did my Subaru conversion. I was going to try and fit it to the EJ22 but decide not since I could resale it and make a little coin. But I do know of at least one of his kits being fitted to an EJ25 and working great.

Matt

Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:11 am

Team WorldTour wrote: It did work for me. For about 8 months. Then I needed to replace one of the hoses, and it just went down hill from there.

I'm sorry. I thought I made myself clear. Maybe the prose is a little thick.

Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:28 am

That little factory cooler is indeed a pain to fiddle in and out of there with the crazy tiny hoses and even tinier space. Once it is in place, I like it but agree it is an access nightmare.

Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:21 am

Team WorldTour wrote: left a dark stain in my life (which Mrs. WT says I have to clean up!).

sorry for your pain
when in doubt, take it out

IdahoDoug wrote: That little factory cooler

He is talking about an aftermarket cooler, not the stock one.. see
http://vanistan.com/oil_cooler_kits.html

Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:52 am

The 'dark stain' is more physical and less esoteric. It's sitting in the driveway, just under the van, and I've used all my Kitty Litter already.....

Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:05 am

Sorry you had troubles with it. It's a quality setup. Mine saved my engine when my fan belt broke going thru Park City Utah.

Wed Jun 07, 2017 12:10 pm

Love mine... I had a slight leak but it was a loose fitting. tightened it and all good now. Love keeping my oil temps under control on crazy mountain passes...

Wed Jun 07, 2017 12:19 pm

tjet wrote: Sorry you had troubles with it. It's a quality setup. Mine saved my engine when my fan belt broke going thru Park City Utah.

Fan belt? A fan belt that long would definitely have some issues! :lol:

Wed Jun 07, 2017 12:26 pm

Perhaps the thread title should be: "I had a great oil cooler kit, but then I broke it and now it's removed"

Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:03 pm

raoul mitgong wrote: tjet wrote: Sorry you had troubles with it. It's a quality setup. Mine saved my engine when my fan belt broke going thru Park City Utah.

Fan belt? A fan belt that long would definitely have some issues! :lol:

Maybe he had that oil cooler kit with an aircooled engine? :wink:

Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:18 pm

Would you perhaps have an easier time installing it if you removed the right rear tail light to help access when installing?
I've yet to install mine for lack of time, but that was the first thing I thought of when looking at it. (that might be in the instructions, but it was last year when I looked at it and I don't even remember yesterday.)

Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:44 pm

Every product built, no matter the quality or price has it's "lemons", "rotten apples", what have you.

When most say it's great and one or two say it's horrible...... well..... you sadly got the rotten apple.

Dave