Failed Under Pressure

[skyway]

Good evening Guys,

 

I bought a Lexus LS430 oil cooler kit from eBay and fitted it against my better judgement if I am honest.

The kit came with a 7 bar cooler and hoses etc.

When I received kit I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the hose's and clips the size of the cooler was a concern also but I thought well someone who knows the system put this together so what do I know it must be fit for purpose (yup a massive lump of laziness for not researching if it was going to be up to the job myself).

Since fitting the kit I have had problems with leaks on the hose connections the more i tried to tighten the hose clips using the better 7mm socket as opposed the dodgy hand jamming screwdriver technique, the hoses were just not up to the job as the pressure of the hose clips easily damaged the hoses (very thin walls more akin to garden hose than automotive hose.

It all came to a head when while driving one of the hoses came off completely while I was driving luckily at low speed, I still lost 6 litres of ATF in the process.

I managed to pull over find a garage get towed etc, I got the gearbox refilled old radiator connected back up and drove home.

My conclusion after much talking to people in the know, is that yes the hoses and clips were not very good quality but the main problem is the 7 bar cooler was restricting the flow of the ATF and increasing the pressure resulting in an expensive day out (£300).

I have now bought a much larger cooler and much better quality hoses and t-bar clamps which I am now waiting for, I hope this may help someone along the way.

 

Crappy B..s...t Disclaimer: This is just my experience, the fault lies with me as its my car and I am supposed to be an adult although I don't always act like one.

 I am in no means an engineer but I am quite handy with a tools....blah blah blah

[NemesisUK]

Just curious as to why you felt the need to fit an aftermarket oil (ATF) cooler kit? What was wrong with the original set-up?

[Herbie]

13 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Just curious as to why you felt the need to fit an aftermarket oil (ATF) cooler kit? What was wrong with the original set-up?

Aren't they prone to the tranny fluid cooler in the radiator failing and so mixing water in with the ATF, leading to a knackered transmission? That seems to ring a bell so if it's correct then maybe it was just preventative?

[skyway]

Hi Peter,

The Ls430 has the AFT run through the main radiator, the engine coolant can sometimes due to a failure of the radiator leak into the gearbox.

On other ls430's I have had I have always changed the radiator every few years but its always ticking away in the back of my head and I am always looking for hard shifts and problems with the gearbox when I should just be happily driving along watching the world go by.

 

[NemesisUK]

Same problem as found in Mercedes of a certain era ...

[The-Acre]

Sorry to read your tale of woe.  I once fitted a cooler to an LS430 which seemed fine for several months, but after a while I changed it for a new radiator thinking the original setup has to be best.  The only thing that causes this "potential" problem is corrosion as the connections and washers aren't stainless.  Corrosion causes the O rings to no longer seal correctly.  The thing to remember is that this corrosion takes several years, if it happens at all, so I would (and am) be happy with just a new radiator and fresh coolant.  Having seen your lovely Celsior I'm very pleased that it wasn't terminal!

[skyway]

Phil did you get your new rad from lexus?

[The-Acre]

2 hours ago, skyway said:

Phil did you get your new rad from lexus?

No, I got a Koyo rad from ECP, about £120. And yours being a Celsior like mine it'll have the same set-up so a direct fit, whereas you would have to adapt it if you had a UK spec car.

[skyway]

thats good news Phil I searched the ecp website with no joy did you go in and get it?

 

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, skyway said:

thats good news Phil I searched the ecp website with no joy did you go in and get it?

 

I ordered it through the website and had it delivered.

[skyway]

The most amazing news is that while the mechanics worked on my car they bent my bonnet hinge by driving it fast backwards and forwards slamming the brakes on inside the garage to see if the hose would come off.... while the bonnet was open with a very dense foam block under the driver side near the hinge as the car stopped the bonnet must have flexed forwards now causing the bonnet to be raised along the drivers side edge.

I knew there was a reason I don't take my cars to workshops... everytime they break something every single time.

[The-Acre]

32 minutes ago, skyway said:

The most amazing news is that while the mechanics worked on my car they bent my bonnet hinge by driving it fast backwards and forwards slamming the brakes on inside the garage to see if the hose would come off.... while the bonnet was open with a very dense foam block under the driver side near the hinge as the car stopped the bonnet must have flexed forwards now causing the bonnet to be raised along the drivers side edge.

I knew there was a reason I don't take my cars to workshops... everytime they break something every single time.

I hope you insist they fix it.

[skyway]

that would be the way to go.... but I dont trust them to boil an egg lol

 

[The-Acre]

6 hours ago, skyway said:

that would be the way to go.... but I dont trust them to boil an egg lol

 

Well I hope you can straighten it otherwise it'll bug you!🕷️