Dont forget to check your oil cooler seal!

scottp

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2008
Location
Windsor, ON
TDI
2010 golf SportWagon (canadian car)
The seal is changed! I was able to remove the nut then the nipple using needle nose vise grips. Then there was a gap of about 1/2" thatI was able to clean off the top of the cooler and insert the new seal. Thanks for all your help!:D

OH, I have a frost heater installed which made it more difficult, but it was OK.
 

Big Red

Veteran Member
Joined
May 22, 2000
Location
Newark, DE, USA
Check Parts

I replaced my oil cooler seal about 6 months ago with some other work. I noticed some drips about a week ago. Yesterday I found a big puddle of oil.

Inspection showed oil cooler seal. I grabbed a new seal from Napa. I was lucky in that I could remove the pipe so the job was not bad.
I pulled the recently replaced seal and compared it to new. It was thinner than the new seal for some reason. Still very flexible. I put in the new seal and assembled, all good once again.

Not sure if I had the wrong seal or if there was a manufacturing defect. I'd suggest checking your new seal to make sure it sticks up a bit above the oil cooler before putting it all back together just in case you happen to have a bad part.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
Do you remember which PN you used? I've had PN 028117070 installed for 3 years with no issues.

Tony
 

cmnspwr

Active member
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Location
TN
TDI
'96 Passat
Does the pipe just snap in and out? According to the diagram, it has threads on the top. But I keep reading that you can just pull it out.
 

TDI_

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Location
North Jersey
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI_
No, it is threaded on both sides. You do not need to pull the pipe if you are changing the seal though unless you are doing it the other way. Funny thing you brought this up because mine started leaking the other day as well :(

My procedure is as follows:
-Drain oil,
-Take the pipe out with long nose vise grips,
-Drop cooler enough to replace seal.
-No need to touch the hoses with coolant.
-No mess, no headache :)

Good luck!
 

bherman13

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 BRM 5spd
Does the oil need to be drained to do this? How much will be lost if it isn't? I'm aware the filter will have to come off, but I'm wondering if the whole thing can be done without an oil change.

Reason I ask is because I just put new oil in my car last weekend and didn't think about this. "D'oh!" moment on my part. It's gonna get cold before the oil needs changed again, but I don't really want to waste money.

I changed this seal on my VR a couple years ago, but I did it during an oil change, so this issue didn't apply.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
I would keep the area as clean as possible, it would also be prudent to replace the oil filter. I say that only because the oil filter seal might get torn up on removal.

Tony
Sent from my e-diesel fleet now Free
 

TDI_

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Location
North Jersey
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI_
bherman here is a good idea... Why not change the oil filter like Tony says (amen to that) and if the oil filter seal is still good use that as your new seal for the cooler :) Or to be more secure, use the new seal from the new filter for the oil cooler and old seal for the new oil filter :) Save yourself $5
 
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bherman13

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 BRM 5spd
bherman here is a good idea... Why not change the oil filter like Tony says (amen to that) and if the oil filter seal is still good use that as your new seal for the cooler :) Or to be more secure, use the new seal from the new filter for the oil cooler and old seal for the new oil filter :) Save yourself $5
:confused:

I think I get what you're saying. I don't have a problem spending the $5 to get a new seal for the cooler. I would definitely feel more comfortable getting a new one. I'd even be alright the ~$10 for the new filter. It's just the extra $20+ for oil on top of both of those that I don't really want to waste if the oil's still going to be fine.

So what I gather from this is that the seal in the oil cooler and the seal on an oil filter are the same thing? IIRC, when I did the job on my VR a couple years ago, I replaced two seals (o-rings) in the oil cooler. Do I not have to do that with this one?

Thanks guys.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
I don't feel comfortable advocating a non-standard seal in the pressurized oil system.
I replaced my seal ~5 years ago with the factory seal and haven't had a leak.

Tony
Sent from my e-diesel fleet now Free
 

bherman13

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 BRM 5spd
I answered my own question about 1 or 2 seals. Just checked my Bentley real quick which reminded me that the filter system on the VR is not directly connected to the oil cooler so there was a second seal between the "cap" and the cooler. Whereas on the TDI, the oil filter is directly on the cooler so it has it's own seal.

Yeah, I agree with TonyJetta, I think I'm just gonna buy the right one. It's $2 from GAP and I might be able to get them to just put it in an envelope with a stamp if I call and ask nicely. Great guys over there at GAP, btw.
 

TDI_

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Location
North Jersey
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI_
It ain't the money bherman :) say you are doing your oil on Sunday and dealer is closed lol just use the seal from the filter. Not telling you to do it tho. Seen people do it and just fine! Seen people change the seal at every oil change as well ( I know, overkill ) Also if the shipping is a lot you can grab one from the dealer for under $5
You do whatever your heart desires brother and keep it safe.... good luck also :)

On the other hand, I wonder if #11 is OK in my car after 15yrs and 300K+ miles?

 

bherman13

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2013
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 BRM 5spd
It ain't the money bherman :) say you are doing your oil on Sunday and dealer is closed lol just use the seal from the filter. Not telling you to do it tho. Seen people do it and just fine! Seen people change the seal at every oil change as well ( I know, overkill ) Also if the shipping is a lot you can grab one from the dealer for under $5

You do whatever your heart desires brother and keep it safe.... good luck also :)
On the other hand, I wonder if #11 is OK in my car after 15yrs and 300K+ miles?
I see what you mean. More of a "here's what you can do today if you want" sort of thing. I was thinking about calling GAP and ordering 3 of them tho. One for my passat, one for my mom's mkiv, and one for my gf's mkv. My gf's mkv also apparently needs the second ring like my mk3 VR did. I don't really need to get it done immediately either. I've still got a month at best before the cold really sets in here.

Thanks for the tips though. I'll keep it in mind if it ever failed on me and I need some sort of emergency fix that I can get from the local auto parts store for just the cost of an oil filter. Better than nothing for a side of the road fix if necessary.
 

TDI_

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Location
North Jersey
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI_
Yessir! you got it and nice that you are doing them all. BTW you do not need to drain the oil in the case at all. Just drain whatever comes after removing the oil filter :) forgot to tell you that before hehe
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
I find it's easier to remove the pipe under the oil filter to replace the cooler seal. It's very easy with an internal pipe wrench. I have had to replace the mount gasket once, but if it's not leaking I wouldn't mess with it. I had one fail but my sedan's with 441k is still fine.

 
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