Jump to content

New Dorman ALUMINUM Oil Cooler


Recommended Posts

This will also work on the 2011 - 2013's BIG IF that you remember to use the 2014 and newer oil filter cartridges at installation and subsequent oil changes.

  Our '11's  has not needed replacement yet, but it will be the one that goes on when that time comes.

Edited by 5rebel9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I changed wife’s two years ago with oem plastic. My leak came from bad gaskets it think, no sign of a crack.  Wast aware of aluminium option. This Kit also Comes with intake gaskets, not bad price at $180 can pesos. . There are aluminum coolant replacement parts that are originally plastic as well.

 

 

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12899725&jsn=273

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Doesn’t have an oil filter or the cap included it looks like. Old cap from plastic unit should just move over to alum unit.
The new plastic units all come with new oil temp and pressure switch’s which you will also have to move over.

Make sure to use Teflon tape or pipe thread compound.


The alum/magnesium unit is probably made in China by Dorman.

If you could get it direct from one of the China on line sites, Alibaba Aliexpress, Focalprice etc might be cheaper.

 

The plastic heat exchanger failures seemed focused around 2014-2015 years when new oil filter and housing design came out. Some owners have failures during warranty period. People have speculated some failures came from someone trying to use old style wrong filter. My Journey was bought used and leak started a year after purchase. Was careful to use correct filter. I never found a crack I could see; seemed like oring failure caused the leak. 

 

Radiators have been all plastic side tanks and aluminum cooling fins for years now. They often last life of car. The all copper rads often didn’t do that. Improvements in glycol mix additives might be reason for that change. Not sure. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my case, one of the "plastic seals" simply jumped out of the case and leaked all coolant in a few seconds. The second one (not OEM) cracked after an oil filter change, and started to leak engine oil.  I believe this part design brings a low reliability to this good engine. Let's try this part upgrade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If your plugs are close to change interval. Good time to change them out when you are in there that deep. If metal part existed at time my wife’s failed, I may have gone with it.  Metal is almost always superior to plastic. Curious, how many kilometres were the failures at.

 

The oil pressure is surprisingly high on the 3.6 engine. Stay with 5w20 specified oil. Heat exchanger only has single O ring seals for oil, would have expected double seals. Operating range is 30 psi warm to 130 cold, 1200-3500 rpms (Haynes manual specs).. Multiply by 6.9 for conversion,  so 206-896 for  kpa.

 

Edited by John/Horace
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My manual recommends 5W30 here in Brazil, probably due to (much) higher ambient temperatures.

 

The coolant seal "explosion" happened after a huge uphill short trip (0 to 1500m above seal level in 30 kms). Luckily I was coasting at low speed.  Reasonably low mileage (100k km / 60k miles).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also on bottom of Dorman casting is fussy but legible made in USA lettering. Visible in one of the pics on rockauto.

Confirms that this definitely the best option. I’ve used Dorman stuff lots of times, never had any issues. So much automotive is China now, I just assumed.  Glad to be corrected.

 

 

Edited by John/Horace
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
50 minutes ago, agm2112 said:

Bought one from Rockauto.  Expected delivery at Dec 21.   I will replace it by myself and post some pictures. Until there, I´ll keep cleaning the oil spit on the garage floor.  

IF you are sure of the production date you should be fine with filter and filter cap with the new part. IF you have the early style filter and cap, you will need to get the '14 and newer filter and cap.  GOOD LUCK!    :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this where it mounts to the engine OR where it mounts the oil cooler? I've not taken one down to know myself from your excellent PIC's (but sorry to see such a fault). IF the cooler side, I'd think seriously about getting a new oil cooler also!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, agm2112 said:

Mine is cracked on both sides, on the cooler side and engine side.   The other part I have (not OEM)is cracked, but I can´t figure out where (It leaks a LOT of oil).

It sure will leak LOTS when engine is running and also at off time drain down .  ;)   

 Did the proper tightening torque specs get used when this unit was replaced? Also since it was a plastic part (and even metal units) they should be tightened down in a pattern to EVENLY draw down the both parts involved. 

 

 

 

I've seen a couple of these motors "opened up" to see where / how the filter/cooler sits, and I don't look forward to wanting to do such replacement of this part on a regular basis!      ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, 2late4u said:

glad i bought the mopar max lifetime warranty

All well and good if one buys it new from a dealer and buys that additional "insurance" coverage. BUT for the many of us who choose to buy used from private parties, we have to be prepared to fork out the $$ or DIY (of which I mostly do).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, 5rebel9 said:

All well and good if one buys it new from a dealer and buys that additional "insurance" coverage. BUT for the many of us who choose to buy used from private parties, we have to be prepared to fork out the $$ or DIY (of which I mostly do).

`i wasnt trying to be uppity, I  just was saying  with cars getting so expensive and complex that is why i purchased the warranty, i still like to work on my vehicles but most repairs are getting past my ability or ambitions..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, agm2112 said:

 

My Dorman part is already at Rio de Janeiro for delivery (my mother house - I live on the countryside ~220km) . This DHL service is really fast.  Hope my Journey´s oil cooler survives this last trip on the weekend.

 

 

U$ 182,00 on import taxes. Holy crap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...