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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 15:36:04

Title: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 15:36:04
Simple, but specific question...

Which type of crowsfoot spanner will work on undoing the oil cooler unions at the oil filter?

Any?

Open 'flat ended'...
Flare spanner end?...
'8' or '16' sided?

Really dont want to go ordering a set to then discover I can't get enough turn on an 8 sided, or the flare type won't fit in the gap, etc...

Ta in advance  :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 19 June 2019, 15:46:47
Stubby adjustable  :y

Once cracked free, they should unscrew with finger power...
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 17:17:27
Wow. That surprised me. I thought it was 'gospel' they had to be crowsfoot and nothing else would go in, no ifs no buts. So any 19mm so long as it'll fit inside is good, be that an old spanner hacksawed to fit, or whatever, I guess?
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 19 June 2019, 18:11:04
Wow. That surprised me. I thought it was 'gospel' they had to be crowsfoot and nothing else would go in, no ifs no buts. So any 19mm so long as it'll fit inside is good, be that an old spanner hacksawed to fit, or whatever, I guess?
A thinner spanner will obviously work better, say 4-5 mm thick.

A deep offset ring spanner with a slot to clear the pipes or a thinned 19 with the handle bent or cut to suit... Just to give a couple of ideas.

I lopped a 16mm offset ring to liberate the passenger side engine mount... Still serves its original purpose but I have to use a socket and extension bar or a hammer to liberate the tighter bolts.  :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 19:06:32
Nice to see adapting is a viable option.

I think my only 'spare' 19mm is a donkeys years old but lovely Elora, and I might cry if I hacked that up haha. I may well end up going down the route of buying one if nothing appears that I can butcher/i don't see anything at the car boot sale at the weekend.

On the one hand it makes sense to buy a set of crowsfoot spanners, but at the same time, if I find myself never using any, save the 19mm...once, well I'm just wasting money and tool drawer space.

I've just never found I needed one in all my life tinkering on cars, have I just been lucky?
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Andy B on 19 June 2019, 19:33:26
Nice to see adapting is a viable option.

I think my only 'spare' 19mm is a donkeys years old but lovely Elora, and I might cry if I hacked that up haha. I may well end up going down the route of buying one if nothing appears that I can butcher/i don't see anything at the car boot sale at the weekend.

On the one hand it makes sense to buy a set of crowsfoot spanners, but at the same time, if I find myself never using any, save the 19mm...once, well I'm just wasting money and tool drawer space.

I've just never found I needed one in all my life tinkering on cars, have I just been lucky?

Remember there's only a few thou difference between a 19mm & a 3/4" AF  :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: ronnyd on 19 June 2019, 19:40:09
Nice to see adapting is a viable option.

I think my only 'spare' 19mm is a donkeys years old but lovely Elora, and I might cry if I hacked that up haha. I may well end up going down the route of buying one if nothing appears that I can butcher/i don't see anything at the car boot sale at the weekend.

On the one hand it makes sense to buy a set of crowsfoot spanners, but at the same time, if I find myself never using any, save the 19mm...once, well I'm just wasting money and tool drawer space.

I've just never found I needed one in all my life tinkering on cars, have I just been lucky?

Remember there's only a few thou difference between a 19mm & a 3/4" AF  :y
[/highlight]
Wot he said. :y  19mm is .748" and 3/4" is .750". :D
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 20:18:48
Let the old battered britool AF spanners I haven't used since I was about 9yrs old come out to play!!
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Nick W on 19 June 2019, 20:43:32
Nice to see adapting is a viable option.

I think my only 'spare' 19mm is a donkeys years old but lovely Elora, and I might cry if I hacked that up haha. I may well end up going down the route of buying one if nothing appears that I can butcher/i don't see anything at the car boot sale at the weekend.

On the one hand it makes sense to buy a set of crowsfoot spanners, but at the same time, if I find myself never using any, save the 19mm...once, well I'm just wasting money and tool drawer space.

I've just never found I needed one in all my life tinkering on cars, have I just been lucky?


In 32 years, I've needed one once. And I cut the end off an 11mm spanner then welded a cheap 1/4" extension to the remains which meant I just had room to remove and refit a Yak18 air compressor.
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: BazaJT on 19 June 2019, 21:02:40
When I needed one to do my oil cooler I bought a set of half a dozen[a range of sizes]off E-bay for just over £6 inc. posting.They just looked like the ends of spanners with a square hole for a ratchet/ratchet extension to fit into.For the price it wasn't worth messing about converting another tool to do the job.
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 22:32:50
There's a nice set I've seen of Draper Expert, owning a socket made by them I think they're cracking value for the high quality of the tool, a ton nicer-finished than Sealey which is about the same price.

...but...

I think we're pretty much set on the fact they'll not get the use. So its either a super-cheapy set, as per Mr BazaJT, save faffing making one, or as has been suggested elsewhere, dig out a surplus spanner and send it to meet Mr Angle Grinder.  :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 19 June 2019, 22:33:24
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIEGEN-S0866-CROWS-FOOT-SPANNER-SET-OPEN-END-3-8-METRIC-10-PIECE-MADE-BY-SEALEY/161527373141?epid=681172462&hash=item259bc81d55:g:qIMAAOSwONBZAl0u

I have a cheap set that like Baza bought for the oil cooler pipe and was going to suggest lending it to you, but by the time we'd faffed around with postage and what not....  ;D
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 June 2019, 22:45:42
Haha, oh youre a gent!

I've been looking at sets like that.

Siegen are (so legend has it) the same make as Halfords Pro, who I've always been plenty happy with quality-wise.

Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 20 June 2019, 13:45:00
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Andy B on 20 June 2019, 13:53:43
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed

Crow's foot act on just two side too  :-\

Did you mean flare nut spanner (https://www.google.com/search?q=flare+nut+spanner&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB804GB804&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkvJr4jPjiAhVbiFwKHeZ7ARoQ_AUIECgB&biw=1536&bih=760)?
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 20 June 2019, 16:42:37
Notching a deep offset ring spanner may be the way forward then :-\

A decent offset should clear the sump.
Removing the filter and bushing will also help re access ;)
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 20 June 2019, 17:07:10
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed

This was something I read elsewhere (on OOF) so even a 'proper' crowsfoot but the open-ended will be no good, it needs to be a flare spanner-type. Or, as mentioned, an adapted ring spanner.

Will dig around in my old spanners tomorrow, if I've got something that can be adapted, then all the better, if not then just get a cheapy (flare type) set   :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: TheBoy on 20 June 2019, 17:20:04
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed

Crow's foot act on just two side too  :-\

Did you mean flare nut spanner (https://www.google.com/search?q=flare+nut+spanner&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB804GB804&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkvJr4jPjiAhVbiFwKHeZ7ARoQ_AUIECgB&biw=1536&bih=760)?
My crowsfoot ones are 6 sided - like a 6 sided ring, but with a slot (and a 3/8ths square for a rachet).  Not sure if they are misnamed though.

I think they are Draper Expert.
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 20 June 2019, 18:38:25
That's the set I was going to buy, which for the price are very good quality...
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 June 2019, 09:08:22
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed

Crow's foot act on just two side too  :-\

Did you mean flare nut spanner (https://www.google.com/search?q=flare+nut+spanner&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB804GB804&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkvJr4jPjiAhVbiFwKHeZ7ARoQ_AUIECgB&biw=1536&bih=760)?

Nope, four sides and a bit of the other two  :y

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mwwAAOSw~gRVu5n2/s-l300.jpg)
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: henryd on 21 June 2019, 11:04:37
The key thing with the oil cooler pipes is to use something that acts such that it maintains the shape of the hex fitting, gripping on just two sides, on one that is tight (and I have seen some that are F-tight) it distorts the fitting pretty badly.

Crows foots allow you a cheap means to do this and you can use a big ish bar on them if needed

Crow's foot act on just two side too  :-\

Did you mean flare nut spanner (https://www.google.com/search?q=flare+nut+spanner&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB804GB804&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkvJr4jPjiAhVbiFwKHeZ7ARoQ_AUIECgB&biw=1536&bih=760)?

Nope, four sides and a bit of the other two  :y

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mwwAAOSw~gRVu5n2/s-l300.jpg)

The set I have are just like them :y
Title: Re: Oil Cooler Crowsfoot....
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 21 June 2019, 13:55:36
I'm presuming the '12' sided (you know what I mean) ones will be fine for the Coolant unions? I know from an engineering standpoint a 6 sided is better, but of course gives less freedom to rotate - given such a tight area a '12' may be easier. Do we concur?  :)