Will this most likely seal if I retighten it? Or is it going to be a pain the a$$? Looks like a simple flange fitting and then a copper crush washer? I probably need to crack the two nuts apart to tighten the first one into the cooler, right?

I can't keep cleaning up 12" pools of oil, making a huge mess on the driveway.

It sounds like the dreaded oil cooler leak. Clean it off and I'll be you find a hairline crack in the fitting. I have never had an oil cooler that didn't have a cracked fitting. I had a friend weld up mine.



You will need to find someone who can weld aluminum - and weld it well! They have to clamp it in a vise, cut a shallow groove over the crack, heat the fitting with a torch, TIG weld in the beads, and the best idea is to run a bead all the way around the base and all the way around the end of the fitting to keep it from cracking again. Then they have to grind the end flat again and flush out any metal. It's a job for an experienced aluminum welder, otherwise your threads will be screwed up.

maybe the cooler took a hit by some road debre, and it caused the fitting to warp ever so much giving you a bit of a leak. or it may just need to be cracked then refasten it like you stated above just be carfull it may cost you. if your pockets are alittle light i'd just park it on the grass for now.

Well, I kind of like my grass?? Plus I'm the only one on my block that doesn't park in the yard. I'm trying to set an example, lol!



From what I could see after cleaning it off, both of the washers are leaking. I hit the local Mazda place and got two washers, and a better used bottom line. Mine was soft and squishy in a couple of spots. Anyone know the wrench sizes off hand?? I'd like to do it today, but I spent the better part of the day running errands. Do I need to drain the oil again?? That would suck, since I just changed it three days ago before finding the leak.

What's the best way to clean out the line I bought? My air blower snapped in two after years of faithful service, so I need to pick one up. Mainly I meant what chemical(s) are

safe for the line? The guy where I bought it was saying transmission fluid, but that and rubber don't mix too well. What about a good blast of carb cleaner, followed by an air blower to dry it out?

Yes you will need to drain the oil again unless you plan on wearing it.IF I can remember off the top of my head they are a 17 and 19mm for the lines.Been a long time since I had a stock oil cooler.I still have yet to see one that is cracked in that so called common place.Oil coolers around here seem to stay intact.

https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683358.gif https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683358.gif I think I just found the crack in that common place. This looks like a microscopic

dark line. Ordinarily that wouldn't bother me, but it seems to turn the "corner" towards the threads. So,

I guess there goes another wad of money repairing it. I can only imagine what new one costs, and it will only crack the same way later on. How much do you think this would be to repair??,,,,BB







If you're not running a stock cooler, then what're you using??

Turbo II fits like it belongs and is abit bigger. plus it'll be cheaper than calling the dealer. and road debre is the number one cause of oilcooler leaks. it doesnt take much to crack aluminum especaily at +70 mph. you would think it have more protection huh? but befor you jump the gun just clean it out good and see if you can vacume test it some how if it holds vac then there aint a leak.

I also lost probably an ounce or two of oil from both lines? Top one had next to nothing in it. I have seen about 4-5 TII's since they were made. Are their coolers really that available??,,,,BB

hmm try googling turbo II oilcooler see what you get

Got a bunch of pages about RX7 history, and turbo II info. Will a regular no turbo

87 cooler fit?? I know where I can get one of those?,,,,BB

it should fit. but dont buy with out seeing if your fits the car your getting it from. you'd be serprised at how many parts you could swap. from clutches to trannys alot is compatible. come on get grassroots style on it

I am just wondering if the lines fit, and are at the right angles, etc. I can make brackets;),,,,BB

They get cracked from overtightening. When you work on the oil cooler lines, remember that the cooler is aluminum and cracks easily.That's probably it. The crack is usually difficult to see, and sometimes you can barely catch a pick on it. You might try taking it to some place that welds a lot of aluminum. One of the world's best boat propeller repair shops is near here and I think I might try taking my next oil cooler to them. It sure beats the new oil cooler price: http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=14-700A-8871Wrong. It should be a simple swap into a GSL-SE, but the early oil coolers have different brackets. Your sidebar says your car is an '82? You'll have to fab up brackets to put in a later oil cooler.

Yeah, I saw that price. It's why I was asking about tthe 87, there's one at the local pick your part. are the lines in the same location, with the same size fittings? If they're angled

real steep or something, I'm not sure about it.,,,BB

dude i got a turbo II oil cooler fabing the brackets are easy tho, if your handy i guess

Just get the hairline crack(s) welded. I just got 2 cracks welded at a local machine shop. I paid $32 and it has completely sealed the cracks. Before I was dumping around 1 quart every 100-150 miles and had huge oil spots under the car. So far I haven't had any problems after 1000 miles and its alot cheaper than buying a used or new oil cooler. Check out Dave Disney's site. http://www.rx7.voodoobox.net/index.html

Look under the How-To's and then oil cooler fix.

Thanks. I'll probably end up doing that. The local place just got me for $45 for the lower hose, used. It's in better shape than mine at least. My top line is rusty but in great shape. Yes, the whole end of the cooler on that side is caked with oil and dirt. I vaguely remember it making a drip or two, but nothing like now. Tomorrow is reserved for fishing, but Friday or Saturday I'll yank it out, and pressure wash it and blow it out. ,,,,BB

I am running a Hayden Heavy duty cooler I does the job nicely.The look on the guy's face when I ordered one for my old 83 was like....... https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/blink.png He doesn't know how hot these engines run. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683785.gif

Ouch! You can take your old, leaky hose to a hose supply company and have a new hose made from the fittings for less than that. AFAIK the fittings are the same between the early and later coolers, and although the fitting locations are a different they should still hook up. Please remember, I've never had a 2nd gen cooler, and my GSL-SE's cooler has been sitting on the shelf a few years, so I could be a little off about the fitting locations.

Well, they don't do outright refunds, only exchange. I thought it was high too.

I could get them done in stainless braided with the factory ends huh? I'm going to look into that, Thanks for the idea. I love shiny new parts on old dirty engines, hehe.,,,,BB

Man some times the answer is right in your face and being frustated doesnt let you see. Thats why i love this forum becuase sometimes it takes someone from outside the box to spot or give you a push in the right direction. Right on beater. Thats the quickes cheapest and best fix for the lines. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/bigok.gif

Just dropped off the cooler at a pretty cool place called American Heliarc. The radiator shop wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. I knew I was in the right place when I walked in. Old Harleys all over the place, and it was CLEAN looking shop with black and white checker floor. I half expected to see a flat black 32 Ford sitting there:) He found two more cracks than I did by just glancing at it for a few seconds. They're going to fix the cracks, lay a fresh bead around the base of each fitting, and reface the sealing surfaces.

I have a feeling it will never leak again. Now onto getting some new lines made. And yes, thanks Beater!!,,,,BB

No luck on the lines. I did about four hours of, try this place, try that place with no luck. They either could not make them, or could not do them in stainless....a COMPLETE waste of time, unfortunately. The ONE place that said they could make them, could only do them in standard rubber, was $100 to start. They were talking about cutting the ends off, welding new barbs on, blah blah blah. I could do that myself??? So I guess I'd rather buy the mazdatrix hoses, if they make them for the first gen.,,,,BB

They did a nice job, and FAST!!! I took it in just after lunch, and it was done by five. If only the lines

had worked out. Oh well, nothing money can't fix https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub..._DIR#>/sad.png https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/boink.gif Looks great, eh!?,,,,BB

OH jeez, found another crack this morning. Back it goes!,,,,BB

it does look good. pretty neet job. did he pressure tested it?

Supposedly he did, with air. About to head out the door, hopefully their hours

are correct and they're open from 10-1 today.,,,,BB

he needs to test it with vacume and seee if it holds for ten minutes. at any rate good luck in your journey and cooler.

Sweet, they were open. They had it done in less than a half hour, for $20. I'm going to install it, and the used long line in an hour or so.,,,,BB

I didn't say you could get the hoses done in stainless, I just said you could get replacements made. Have them use high-temp, high-pressure hose, like power steering hose. Yes, Racing Beat makes hoses for first gens. I put a set on my car before I found out I could get them made locally. It does look like they did a nice job on the cooler, that's what mine looks like and it's held up for a season and a half of autocross and occasional driving. I hope it all seals well this time!

Well, it was me who said I wanted to do them stainless. No place could, or even in the fabric type braid either. The only place that would even do them, was talking about

cutting the fittings up and welding new barbs on, for a total of $100+tax. With stainless

AN fitting lines at $120, having them made out of plain rubber for $100+ seemed a little dumb. Especially when they were using my fittings to begin with.,,,,BB

Forgot to mention it, but it's installed and not leaking. No more driveway drips!! Woohoo!!,,,,BB