chevyboy07 91

hey guys, i recently pulled the motor in my Z b/c of what turns out to be a broken flexplate (got torque? LOL)

anyway, i decided to strip the motor, clean it all up, paint the block, etc...so... upon removing the big center "bolt" that holds the actual cooler to the block, i found a snap ring/c-clip type deal laying right on top of the cooler (between the block and cooler)

Now, by looking at the bolt/shaft that holds the assembly on, i see a grooved area that the c-clip fits perfectly in as far as thickness goes but it seems that the diameter of the ring may be too small b/c I have to really stretch it to get it on there. Also, this would mean the ring belongs on the FILTER side which is impossible b/c i fouind it on the block side. I dont think it belongs in this "groove" b/c if i were to bolt it all back up together, the cooler assembly would be LOOSE if i left the c-clicp in this groove.

I dont see hpw it could have passed through any oil holes from the block...IT WAS JUSTY LAYING ON TOP of the dang cooler\


WHAT/WHERE does it go???????

llvll4l2c91350

i had the same thing happen to me today while removing my oil cooler. anyone know for sure where the snap ring goes? when i took off the cooler the ring just dropped so i didnt see where it came from exactly. i ended up putting it around the shaft between the cooler and block (there is no groove for a ring there though).

llvll4l2c91350

ttt

eseibel67

I found 2 very old threads with no answers, so I'm giving this a try with pics. My question is EXACTLY the same as post #1.

Pics show the order the parts were when I disassembled it.

An answer would be much appreciated.

jtsk

iTrader: (3)

I rebuilt my engine last summer and when I pulled my oil cooler adapter off, the snap ring was installed around the shaft about an 1/8 of an inch or so from making contact with the cooler body if my memory serves me correctly. I didn't remove it and it seems to be there as a method to retain the shaft, but for the life of me I don't see how it would work. I have an assembly manual for my car and will look through it and if I can find any detail I will post it here. Not much help I know, but it's all I got.

eseibel67

I need to know where the snap ring goes on reassembly.

Although I do not see what function it serves, I know The General would not spend a fraction of a cent on a snap ring unnecessarily.

Advice would be very welcome.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

While I can't tell you "where it goes", I will add that although The General doesn't put random parts in for no reason, sometimes the reason isn't obvious; that is, it might have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with how something works, but rather, making it easier / faster / cheaper to roll down the production line. Those little "speed nut" kind of clip things they use to hold on brake drums come to mind as an example.

IOW, that snap ring might just be there to keep something from falling out at some critical assembly stage and maybe causing a costly warranty problem later; but perform no actual "function" beyond that.

Something to think about, anyway.

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (25)

The snap ring goes exactly wher you pictured it. The threaded sleeve goes through the heat exchanger an d the snap ring goes into over it. It does come off very easily and it only there to ease assembly. Upon disassembly it's very common that the sleeve threads out but the heat exchanger sticks on it's gasket and hangs up there, pushing the clip off. In fact, it works fine without it, just a little more annoying to install it under the car that way

eseibel67

Great answers guys, thanks.

Snap ring is going into a spare parts drawer.

johnfwz28

hello guys, i'm dealing with the oil cooler on my 87 camaro as well. my question is couldn't i just get two clamps and maybe about 7 inches of hose and just connect each end of the hose to the two outlets coming off of the cooler?

eseibel67

If you are trying to bypass the cooler, eliminate the pipes running across the front and side of the engine also.

Run a 3/4" heater hose from the heater return pipe on the passenger side frame rail directly into the rad.

johnfwz28

engine was pulled and rebuilt. while the engine was out, the cooler lines were removed. now engine is in, cooler has no lines attached. i just want to cap or do what i asked about in earlier post. that should be okay right?

eseibel67

Capping them would be fine, but leaving them open wouldn't do any harm either. Unless you are driving the car in salty conditions in which case your cooler would eventually corrode and leak.

eseibel67

^ Which likely won't happen in GA. Ha!

johnfwz28

leaving them open won't do any harm? whats going to stop the oil from leaking or being pumped out? oh wait, the pump pumps the oil up and through out the engine. so how then does the oil go to the radiator to be cooled and back to the cooler? or am i confusing that with the trans fluid? doesn't the two lines coming off the cooler connect to the radiator?

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Coolant flows from the radiator to the cooler & back. As long as the lines on the cooler end are capped off, it is safe.

I had my balancer come apart & eat the metal cooler tube behind it. Pulled the tubes off & routed the outlet directly to the inlet. Left the cooler end tube fitting wide open, no damage.

johnfwz28

oh ! thanks BlackenedBird. man, being as old as i am one would think that i would have known that already! but if u don't know, u don't know. ok, so i'll just leave them uncapped. thanks to u both for the info