jaybar

I have installed an oil cooler using the Lingenfelter block adapter. There has been a small leak from day one. I have driven about 100 street miles on it so far.

I uses braided line and earls 90 and one 45 degree fitting. The fittings where they connect to the line seem ok. The fittings were impossible to tighten with the block in place so I tightened them to the adapter before the adapter was bolted to the block. Then put the adapter in place and tightened it down.
I think I did everything correctly, but reading the directions tonight I see it says to "use thread sealing compound on the sensor plug threads along with the adapter block bolt threads." Well I bought a new oil temp sensor and it came with a sealer on the threads, so I am wondering do you think removing the attaching bolts and coating them will stop the leak? And what about applying the sealer to the AN 10 connectors where they connect to the adaptor, I am thinking no but what do I know.
Any help will be appriciated, I leave for Sebring tomorrow at noon so not much time left. I just ran out and bought some Permitex thread sealing compound so once I unolad the jack and jack stands from the trailer I could apply it tomorrow morning.

Thanks,

Jay B

Woods

Where on the adapter is it leaking?

exracer28

Did the adapter come with a new gasket? I have installed a few and have not had any leakers and I do not seal the block bolts. I would use dye to find leak and verify where the leak is.

jaybar

Sorry I can't tell exactly,seems the air moves it around. We are not talking a lot of oil. It is the smell of the oil on the exaust that bothers me the most.

0jhaines

Very sorry to hear you are having a problem with our product - especially just before going to a track event.

The thread sealant built into the sensor should be enough if it is a new sensor so you shouldn't have to add thread sealant to that but a little bit might be safe insurance. We recommend putting thread sealant on the adapter mounting bolts as well.

The kit should come with a new gasket for the oil cooler adapter and a new gasket should be used when you install our kit. The mounting surface on the block also needs to be cleaned off to make sure you get a good sealing surface (no dirt/debris). I would make sure it is the correct gasket and that the gasket hasn't been damaged/crushed/pinched somehow. I think our instructions list the GM part number for the replacement gasket.

All of these fittings should be able to be leak free. As someone else mentioned I would recommend getting some of the tracer die (GM/Kent Moore and others sell it) and then use a black light to see where it is leaking from. If you still have problems call us and we can get you on the phone with one of our service technicians. We have used hundreds of these ourselves and sold hundreds more out the door.

jaybar

LEP
THanks for the suggustions. I'm going to take
It appart this morning and apply the thread
sealer to everything. Hopefully this will fix
the problem. I hope I havn't screwed up
the gasket as I don't think I could find one
this weekend. Are you sure the stock gasket
will work, since it does not have individual
oppenings like your's.

0jhaines

No, I don't think the stock Corvette gasket will work. The gasket for our kit is from the truck applications (so it is stock truck, not stock Corvette). Sorry for the confusion.

mgarfias

Do NOT put sealer on the AN fittings.

jaybar

LEP,
Got to work early this morning. Pulled the adaptor, the 1/8inch npt plug had the 5mm Allen hole striped when I put it in. I had used Teflon tape for the install. Well I got it out and replaced it with a brass 1/8inch NPT plug that has a square end so I got it in good, and of course coated it with thread sealer. I then checked the gasket which looked good and cleaned everything up. I used thread seal compound on the two 10AN male fittings, then reinstalled everything. I tried to get the fittings as tight as I could but it is hard working on your back with oil dripping everywhere.
Your instructions call for106 inch/lb of torque on the mounting bolts. Using an Allen wrench it is kind of hard to get that much torque, but I got as much as I could. Plus I have a fear of striping the bolts like I did on the plug.
Got it back together started it up crawled under (not my favorite thing) and saw no leaks. So onto the trailer it went and I am off in an hour or so.
Thanks for the help.

Jay B

jaybar

To late, already done. What is the down size?

sperkins

I used teflon on all of mine - works perfectly.

davidfarmer

thread sealer won't hurt AN fittings, but they don't need the threads to seal.......the seal is at the face of the fitting, not the threads.

oh, and installing these adapters is very tough in the car. It's best to do during an engine swap, or at least while the exhaust is removed.

GettReal

Hope you got it all fixed up Jay, have fun at Sebring...

side note** its soo good to see when vendors/manufactuers step up to help. This is exactly the type of service you rarely see but appreciate when you find it.

RedLS1GTO

Just put an oil cooler in my C4... if it is anything near the same I feel your pain!! Best of luck

Blak Z06

Great PR

mgarfias

Makes it easier to strip out the threads and not needed. AN fittings seal on the cone, not in the threads. And REALLY do not put sealer on the cone, that'll prevent it from sealing.

jaybar

Well as Paul Harvey says, "now the rest of the story".
Went to Sebring, during my first session I got a black flag, blowing smoke from under the car. Came into the pits, jacked it up and once it was cool enough I took off the Lingernfeter Adapter, and pulled the lines going to the cooler. I cut the fingers out of a rubber glove and zip tied it to the fittings coming out to the oil cooler.
Of course I brought along the old housing for the oil temp sensor. Well the ate up my second run. Now after lunch and I go out for my third run and after two laps I see smoke in the rear view mirror. I exit to the pits. I open the hood and there is oil along the side of the engine below the valve covers. So then I remember that I had pulled the valve covers to re-torque the tera Yella roller rockers. So DAAAA, I did something wrong when I re-assembled the valve covers. The gasket was ok so I put it back together and let it idle. To burn off excess oil.
Well after a few minutes it started to pop from the . I shut it down and looked at the back. Seems a piece of the cat had blown out the exaust. No mufflers straight pipes so it blew right out.
A guy pitting near by suggested it may be running lean so I pulled the codes, and I got 351,352 etc. All ignition codes. Then I remembered I forgot to reconnect the to the coils. I made the connection and it fired right up.
Here I was about to put it on the trailer and call it an expensive weekend, when I got a new lease on life.
As luck would have it my run group was being called, so I went to the starting line and off with the boys. The car ran great though I saw oil temps of 302, and toward the end of the session the tires(NIto NTO1's ) started to feel "greasy". Did a best lap of 2:40:16 which was my personal best, previously in my Backdraft Cobra with slicks of I did a 2:43.
I am a happy camper but now think I blamed the oil leak on the Adaptor or oil line.
Old story do one improvement or correction at a time.
My thanks to all on this forum that gave me advice and to Lindgenfleter for stepping up to the plate with great customer support.