Last time I posted this I got no replies. But I know some of you guys out there have the factory oil cooler and know the answer, so here we go again. I rebuilt the engine and took apart the oil cooler. Now my question is don't I need some sort of gasket so it doesn't leak? The two spots I'm thinking of are bewteen the engine block and round thingy (above the filter, not sure what it's called), and also between the round thing and the aluminum pipes that the coolant flows through. My engine kit didn't come with any gaskets, so I didn't use anything. I almost ready to start this the engine and I'm afraid I'm gonna have oil and coolant shooting everywhere. Advice?

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

 

Some use a rubber o ring and a paper gasket, some just use the o ring.

You for sure need some sort of gasket in there.

The coolant pipes usually have 2 o rings and a plastic spacer in each pipe to keep the oil from leaking out.

I would go to the nearest dealer and have them pull up a picture and get you everything you need.

DO NOT start it without any gaskets in there.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

I dictched my oil cooler when I rebuild my engine. I bolted the filter mounting pad directly to the block instead of the "round thingy". Too much **** to mess with if you ask me.

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1991 Z28 5.7 TPI

ZZ4 heads, ZZ4 cam, Harland Sharp roller rockers, Accel base, SLP siamesed runners, 52MM SLP Throttle Body, Hooker Headers, Flowmaster catback, MSD6A ignition, Home made ramair system, aluminum driveshaft, WC 5-speed etc

 

First off, keep the cooler if at all possible. It is a very useful and desireable componant.... especially when you get the coolant temperature down to a reasonable temperature. Then it really helps keep the oil temp down.

Anyways, the oil filter adapter housing (the aluminum piece that has the hollow threaded stud in it) does not need a gasket but some applications do have a paper gasket on there.... I'm not really sure why some do and some don't..... I seem to recall most of the ones that have the gasket being the ones with the cooler adapter that routes the oil out to a remote cooler or a remote filter housing... mostly 4.3s if I recall correctly - but they are the same as a SBC in this case.

The actual oil cooler housing (the roundish thing with the coolant passages and pipes) has a channel on the part that seats against the block and it will accept an oil filter o-ring. It must have that o-ring or it will put some serious oil onto the ground.... it is under pressure there......

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1987 GTA L98 MD8
355, TFS Heads, LT4 Hot Cam
My GTA

The Minnesota F-body Club

 

The cooler that have used came off a 350 "cop" engine. It routes the oil to an external radiator.

It uses a thin paper gasket on the end that has the two attachment bolts coming out of it and a rubber o-ring on the outer flange as a normal oil filter would.




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91 RS 5.0 TBI....LT4 cam....Edelbrock headers....3"Dynomax exhaust....5spd.... 3.08.....Ultimate tbi....afpr...ZR 255-50's...Koni's

 

That style of adapter sounds like it is the same part as the one used on the T10 trucks with the 4.3L that has a remote oil filter housing.... It uses that paper gasket and O-ring setup as you have stated as well... I am willing to bet that the adapter is the same exact part number for both applications....

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1987 GTA L98 MD8
355, TFS Heads, LT4 Hot Cam
My GTA

The Minnesota F-body Club