Oil leak help, oil filter housing or cooler

Gamikatsu

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
TDI
None...Yet.
Help!

I have oil leaking, pretty severely from the silver square portion of the oil filter/cooler housing at the bottom. There is a squarish silver piece that has two coolant lines going into it, that’s rotating back and forth and best I can tell that’s where my leak is coming from. Advice?

Thanks.
 

germerican

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Location
St. Louis, MO
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
That's your oil cooler rotating back and forth and it should not be. Tighten the bottom nut, if it still leaks there are two seals on the top and bottom of the cooler that should be replaced. This is a very common place to leak oil but it is typically just weeping oil from there.

It's a 32mm socket btw.
 

germerican

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Location
St. Louis, MO
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
Tighten that bottom nut, it shouldn't be flapping in the breeze whatsoever. Book calls for 17ftlb. IMO that's not enough, and get it a little more snug than the spec.

If it continues to weep out of the top or bottom, you'll need two seals.

038 117 070A for the top - oil filter side and
038 117 070 for the bottom

idparts.com has the set for less than $5.
 

red16vdub

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Location
(617) City of CHAMPIONS
TDI
03 JSW 5spd
I just replaced both oil cooler seals, it's an easy job but messy. In the op case it sounds like the 32mm nut at the bottom is definitely loose as was suggested previously.


Bajan
 

Gamikatsu

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
TDI
None...Yet.
Well, the nut wasn’t super lose, but I was able to snug it just slightly and it no longer flops and not leaking.

Thanks!!!!
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Might be obvious, but I'd make sure that nothing has been tugging on those coolant lines (causing the cooler to spin and loosen up the bolt).
 
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