Oil cooler fitting thread destroy

[paspaul]

Hello, got an B7 RS4 few month back and here's my first issue. The oil cooler hose was leaking. Took everything off, but the oil cooler fitting didn't survive!! Anyone have an idea how to possibly fix this. I first thought about welding a new fitting, but realize that it's aluminum. Maybe I can weld some aluminum back on the destroyed fitting but not quite sure how to redo the thread?? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[RossDagley]

I've been lucky enough to not experience this, but I've read about it here.

Because the cooler is alloy and the threaded part of the pipe is steel, they corrode together like you describe - and the short of it is you often cannot remvoe the pipework without damaging the cooler.

If I understan you correctly, you may need a new cooler. Either OEM or I believe Forge make an aftermarket one.

[neilparf]

paspaul - FON! (Geeze Ross, you're slipping with the FON's)!

Oil cooler! It's the dreaded cooler of the RS4. Here you go - the best thread on this:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=107747&hilit=marine
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=107306&hilit=audi+pardner

On the brink of doing mine with JHM and new Coler on sale or return incase I need it. I'm not overly keen on the Forge solution that moves the cooler in front of the Radiator...

paspaul - Photos of your RS4!

[RossDagley]

paspaul - FON! (Geeze Ross, you're slipping with the FON's)!

haha sorry I am indeed slipping!

[davers6]

Had this on a 2002 s6 and a rs6 c5 someone at audi wants a chemistry lesson 10 years on at least and still the same <beep>.

[jonicox]

I've just had mine done before the oil started leaking. It turns out that water gets inside the threads of the pipes as well, so they can rust from the inside.

This doesn't help you much but MRC cut off the pipes about a foot from the end, removed the cooler and then cut the pipe across to save the cooler, just sacrificing the knackered pipes. Lesson for me was to do it when you first start seeing rust on the pipes and you can save the cooler

Aberdeen Audi have a few coolers for sale on eBay for £590 and someone posted the other week about a radiator specialist who makes a direct replacement for the B7 cooler. I'm not keen either on the forge solution as it places the rad infront of the main one.

[neilparf]

I'm not keen either on the forge solution as it places the rad infront of the main one.

+1

[neilparf]

Had this on a 2002 s6 and a rs6 c5 someone at audi wants a chemistry lesson 10 years on at least and still the same <beep>.

You'd think they would know their bimetallic corrosion values and their materials should be equal nobility by now. Agreed.

It's a nice steady parts revenue stream and building in part decay always helps

[Audi Pardner]

I'm not keen either on the forge solution as it places the rad infront of the main one.

+1

That's why I went down the JHM replacement pipes and new OEM cooler route

[MikeFish]

It's in front of the main rad anyway isn't it? You have the oil cooler then behind it is the power steering rad, then the air con rad then the main rad I thought (could be wrong). I have the aux rad delete and the Forge cooler and noticed no problems over the summer.

[Audi Pardner]

It's in front of the main rad anyway isn't it? You have the oil cooler then behind it is the power steering rad, then the air con rad then the main rad I thought (could be wrong). I have the aux rad delete and the Forge cooler and noticed no problems over the summer.

I'm not saying the Forge cooler will cause problems Mike, I'm sure it won't, but I just didn't like the idea of it mounted above the crash bar and potentially interrupting air flow through the upper part of the main rad.

[paspaul]

Thanks all for the reply. Forge kit and JHM seems good solution but time was against me since I want my car for the weekend. Ended up at speed Shop near me and bought -12an fitting that I welded at the place of the old destroyed one. Local hydraulic hose Shop redid the hose. They should be ready tomorrow. Still end up with the same problem of steel/aluminum fitting but will be good for now.

[RossDagley]

What sort of money did you pay for the hose if you don't mind saying?

I'm guessing something like Pirtek could make these up too as another potential avenue to explore.

£15 for a new cooler fitting, £20 for a local Shop to weld it on, locally supplied hoses, could be a large saving here.

[paspaul]

What sort of money did you pay for the hose if you don't mind saying?

I'm guessing something like Pirtek could make these up too as another potential avenue to explore.

£15 for a new cooler fitting, £20 for a local shop to weld it on, locally supplied hoses, could be a large saving here.

200$ hose and weld 35$ for the aluminum fitting. Canadian money so divide by almost by two for UK.

[RossDagley]

Cheap as chips!