Leak front right from bumper *fixed by doing Aux Rad delete*

[neilparf]

In the absence of forge, you could go the JHM replacement lines in the faint hope the OEM Setrab cooler is ok and the joints/unions are unaffected at dismantle - still $495 (£300) plus import and shipping. Pound to dollar is 1.68 so it may work out cheaper...

I personally prefer this option as I like the idea of retaining the oil cooler in it's original position as opposed to raising this in front of the radiator...

http://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catalog/j ... -1754.html

It only works out cheaper if you use the original oil cooler. Pretty sure even if you can get the old one out it won't have many years left in it and you'll be changing that in a couple of years too. I'd rather bite the bullet and change the whole lot either the forge set-up which cost £2 less than OEM pipes and rad or JHM pipes and new OEM cooler. I figured the JHM pipes and new oil cooler option is still prone ot the same issue as the OEM solution unless you are very careful with the installation, so I opted for the Forge.

Yes, I agree. I did say it's a cheaper option if the OEM is still useable. If you switch the lines I agree also, the cooler has to be switched too. I've only read of one post that reused the OEM cooler...

Is the JHM not CNCd anodised unions? If you marry that to a non OEM cooler - radtec or a new jcweldfab stainless steel then then the onset of corrosion could be circumvented?

Either way, JHM and cooler or Forge system is still the best part of £900.

[adsgreen]

Anodising stops the metal corroding due to exterior causes but won't stop galvanic corrosion on its own.
You still have metal to metal contact

[docurley]

Wow..... what was Audi thinking

[neilparf]

Wow..... what was Audi thinking

Indeed...

[adsgreen]

TBH, the pipes are not the weakness here. The pic from JHM just shows an added bonus but not anything that'll make any difference. The main problems are the connection unions being cheap and nasty. I hate crimp type connections for oil lines (see various lotus recalls for similar!)

[neilparf]

Anodising stops the metal corroding due to exterior causes but won't stop galvanic corrosion on its own.
You still have metal to metal contact

Ad's I belive the JHM uses connectors made form Stainless steel? The descriptor at JHM's website cites Stainless Steel connectors to the Upper Oil Pan, the other connectors to the cooler are the same. I understand the anodised exterior protection, but if the cooler is stainless steel fabricated and the connections are CNC'd stainless steel (not galvanised) the bimetallic corrosion could be very minimal as the materials are of a equal 'noble' (not extreme Anodic or Cathodic) material, and the galvanic corrosion cell is minimised?

One other option instead of Denso tape, grease coating etc. is to heat shrink wrap the unions - the sort of wrap found in battery cell make-up in the RC world or the diving community... (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PVC-Heatshrin ... 0816583730)

[neilparf]

I hate crimp type connections for oil lines...

+1 - mass factory produced and easy...

[Audi Pardner]

Plenty of threads on here regarding oil cooler issues. I replaced mine with JHM pipes but had to get a new OEM oil cooler as the threads on the existing one were shagged (I posted a thread on fitting it that's still floating about somewhere here). The Radtec option looks to be a little cheaper than the route I took. Don't drive the car too much till you get it sorted

[neilparf]

...I posted a thread on fitting it that's still floating about somewhere here...

This: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=107747&hilit=oil

Read that and was a great insight - I want to do mine before winter sets in...

[docurley]

Got to the car tonight at the cat park and no leak, drove home when out to look at the pipes through the bumper gills and they look new and no leaks now confused.

edit: put tissue down and there is something but it dose not seem to be oil as it's not yellow in colour on the tissue.

[Audi Pardner]

The crimped connections on the pipes in mine looked fine from the front when I got the bumper off. Have a look at the pics on the thread (link above)

[neilparf]

Got to the car tonight at the cat park and no leak, drove home when out to look at the pipes through the bumper gills and they look new and no leaks now confused.

edit: put tissue down and there is something but it dose not seem to be oil as it's not yellow in colour on the tissue.

Air con condensed water???

[docurley]

Air con not been on for over a week and this is a clear fluid I would expect black or gold coloured substance not clear on a white tissue.

[adsgreen]

Anodising stops the metal corroding due to exterior causes but won't stop galvanic corrosion on its own.
You still have metal to metal contact

Ad's I belive the JHM uses connectors made form Stainless steel? The descriptor at JHM's website cites Stainless Steel connectors to the Upper Oil Pan, the other connectors to the cooler are the same. I understand the anodised exterior protection, but if the cooler is stainless steel fabricated and the connections are CNC'd stainless steel (not galvanised) the bimetallic corrosion could be very minimal as the materials are of a equal 'noble' (not extreme Anodic or Cathodic) material, and the galvanic corrosion cell is minimised?

One other option instead of Denso tape, grease coating etc. is to heat shrink wrap the unions - the sort of wrap found in battery cell make-up in the RC world or the diving community... (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PVC-Heatshrin ... 0816583730)

Cooler is aluminium.

[mongo]

I believe HEL do a oil cooler and lines setup as well?