Oil cooler line modification ???
 

A little info on my daughter's truck. It is a 2001 Chevy Blazer 4x4 4 door with the 4.3L and auto tranny. It has right at 73,000 miles.

My questions are to those of you who have cut the crimps off of the oil clooer lines and clamped on new hose,

*Did you do it with the lines installed on the truck or is it to tight?
*Did you do it to all (4) of the lines?
*The hose I'll be using is 1/2" id hyd. hose, correct?

Any info is greatly apprichiated. Thanks in advance. -Al

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

tap tap tap Bueler..Bueler...

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

Search??? Related Threads at the bottom of the page??

Did you try it?

I have cut the crimps off with them on and with them off. I was able to do a much cleaner job with them off. With them on, I used a small hacksaw blade holder (not the bow type) and my dremel to cut along the edge. With them off, I used my dremel for everything.

I replaced the hose with high temp (+250*F) hose suitable for exposure to engine oil. If you are careful enough, you can reuse the hose that is on there.

When I did this with them on the truck, I only did the lower ones from the engine to the remote filter housing. The others were not leaking.

I have also done this repair a different way on my grandpa's old S10. We cut off the lines back further and brazed on hydraulic fittings. Then we had hydraulic lines made up using some thinner flexible hydraulic line.

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

I have searched, but all I found was suggestions, no real tried and true outcomes. I saw where you had brazed on the fittings, and concidered doing that at our diesel shop.

Thanks for the tips.

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

Kyle, In your opinion is it worth going through the hassle of cutting off the crimps or just go with new hoses? I just don't want my daughter to pay for the hoses (free labor-dad), then have it leak on her again in the near future.

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

Cutting off the crimps atleast gives you something that you can swap easily and cheaply later on if a leak developes. New Dorman lines will last for quite some time, but may require some tweaking to keep the soft lines from kinking (in my experience).

In terms of time required, cutting off the crimps will take more time now, but much less time if a leak developes sometime in the unforeseen future.

If you end up cutting off the crimps and replacing the soft line, you will have to take a sample of the original line to make sure that you get something that is as pliable to make sure that it can make the bends that are required.

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

I think as it stands right now I'm going to go with the new lines. I have a buddy that is a mechanic and needs a set of tires and rims for his son's car. Just so happens my daughter has a set off her old car so he is going to change the lines, change the oil, and turn the rotors for them. Win win for me. I get the tires out of my garage and I don't have to work on her Blazer for a change.

Thanks for the help on this one.

RE: Oil cooler line modification ???
 

Just make sure the new lines have three crimps vice two like the original lines. Otherwise, you'll be doing this again in the near future.