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[05omegav6]

I need to change my thermostat and heater matrix and am wondering it is worth changing the oil cooler whilst I'm at it.

Car is fast approaching 260k miles, and is on its original cooler. I don't suspect it of leaking, but the car has a slight coolant leak, even when the climate control is off, or set to Lo. Do I...

1. Replace the cooler as a precaution on the grounds it will fail at some point.
2. Replace the cover plate, along with the seals, coolant bridge seals and hbv.
3. Nothing.

The current genuine oil cooler from Vauxhall is apparently plastic, which raises further questions, and can be had for £130...

[tunnie]

Depends on coolant history really, if good coolant maintenance, should still be good?

[albitz]

I don't usually advocate replacing things which aren't broken,but at that mileage it might be worth doing it. If you don't need to finish the job the same day you could dismantle first and inspect the cover plate before buying one ?
Plastic cooler you say ? Never heard of such a thing personally.

[05omegav6]

Coolant history good, been effectively changed five times in my ownership(4.5 years), one waterpump change, one rad change, two hbv leaks and currently leaking heater matrix

The plastic cooler is the latest revision to it... not sure what the pros and cons of it might be
When did VX change from the aluminium cooler to a stainless steel one? Whether to change or not would depend partly on what is currently fitted

[kevinp58]

Coolant history good, been effectively changed five times in my ownership(4.5 years), one waterpump change, one rad change, two hbv leaks and currently leaking heater matrix

The plastic cooler is the latest revision to it... not sure what the pros and cons of it might be
When did VX change from the aluminium cooler to a stainless steel one? Whether to change or not would depend partly on what is currently fitted

Mine is a 52 plate and it still had the ali one  it now has the S/S one.  , the S/S one was still availiable a few months ago. 
If you can get the S/S one then I would change it as you will be pissed if it goes and you have to do all the work after doing the other work. 

[albitz]

Coolant history good, been effectively changed five times in my ownership(4.5 years), one waterpump change, one rad change, two hbv leaks and currently leaking heater matrix

The plastic cooler is the latest revision to it... not sure what the pros and cons of it might be
When did VX change from the aluminium cooler to a stainless steel one? Whether to change or not would depend partly on what is currently fitted

Istr MarkDTM (or TB) saying a while back tht they were changed quite early in production - 96 ish ?
The stainless ones still leak though.Ive done several on 01/02 cars. Didn't know they were now using plastic versions. Certainly wont corrode,just hope the plastic is up to the daily drastic changes in temp.

[dbug]

Coolant history good, been effectively changed five times in my ownership(4.5 years), one waterpump change, one rad change, two hbv leaks and currently leaking heater matrix

The plastic cooler is the latest revision to it... not sure what the pros and cons of it might be
When did VX change from the aluminium cooler to a stainless steel one? Whether to change or not would depend partly on what is currently fitted

Istr MarkDTM (or TB) saying a while back tht they were changed quite early in production - 96 ish ?
The stainless ones still leak though.Ive done several on 01/02 cars. Didn't know they were now using plastic versions. Certainly wont corrode,just hope the plastic is up to the daily drastic changes in temp.

Plastic parts on the rad and elsewhere are

[05omegav6]

When they fail, how/where do they fail?

Could change the cover plate, and give the cooler the once over... if it's looking ropey I can get one soon enough

[albitz]

Not easy to tell from looking ime.They just spring a random leak from the weakest point I suppose.

[albitz]

Coolant history good, been effectively changed five times in my ownership(4.5 years), one waterpump change, one rad change, two hbv leaks and currently leaking heater matrix

The plastic cooler is the latest revision to it... not sure what the pros and cons of it might be
When did VX change from the aluminium cooler to a stainless steel one? Whether to change or not would depend partly on what is currently fitted

Istr MarkDTM (or TB) saying a while back tht they were changed quite early in production - 96 ish ?
The stainless ones still leak though.Ive done several on 01/02 cars. Didn't know they were now using plastic versions. Certainly wont corrode,just hope the plastic is up to the daily drastic changes in temp.

Plastic parts on the rad and elsewhere are

True.

[Marks DTM Calib]

So again the myths and miss information are abound.

The original V6's fitted in 95 and early 96 had a mild steel cooler fitted, these had issues and were repalced by a stainless one. This was fitted from 96 onwards and the replacement you buy is the same.

The issue appears to be that people look at old coolerss and they appear a light brown colour which is more oftne than not rust staining.

A fundamental reason for failure is poor servicing with respect to the antifreeze.

Stainless corodes, period, and under certain conditions it corrodes very quickly (thankfuly not in the presence of good antifreezee) particularly in old antifreeze and neat water.

Al, if your going for 2 then you will probably end up doing 1 as often the rear nut that secures the cooler to the plate is seized resulting in stripped cooler threads and you cant get the cover out without detaching the cooler.

[05omegav6]

Thanks Mark

Reading between the lines, my car has a stainless cooler, and given regular coolant changes, I needn't change it, but if the top plate is showing signs of corrosion/weepage, then I might as well change the cooler while it is out

[Gaffers]

On a side note, why are you changing the heater matrix?  It's a huge job unless you bodge it and cut the center console

[Gaffers]

Thanks Mark

Reading between the lines, my car has a stainless cooler, and given regular coolant changes, I needn't change it, but if the top plate is showing signs of corrosion/weepage, then I might as well change the cooler while it is out

If the plate is leaking and needs resealing then I would change the cooler at the same time as well as replacing the bridge seals as they are likely to be sufficiently degraded that they would likely cause problems un reuse.

[05omegav6]

On a side note, why are you changing the heater matrix?  It's a huge job unless you bodge it and cut the center console

It appears to have sprung a leak losing a litre of coolant every fortnight, most of which seems to be in the drivers footwell...

As best as I can tell it is draining down the loom that runs straight across the footwell and being absorbed by the sound deadening before seeping up into the carpet.

Thermostat needs doing sharpish as well, so figured whilst that's out the oil cooler might be prudent

[Gaffers]

Before you remove it make sure it isn't just the O rings that connect the pipes to the matrix.  Fiddly but better than replacing the matrix for no reason

[05omegav6]

So release the pipes at the bulkhead and pop them out of the matrix, replace O rings and refit

[Gaffers]

Release pipes at rear of matrix  access around the back by the pedals
clean
replace O rings
refit

removing the pipes at the bulkhead may help if you cant get enough leverage on the pipes to move them

[Marks DTM Calib]

Are we on oil cooler or heater matrix here 

[05omegav6]

  well Guffer did ask I'm leaning towards the 'if it ain't broke' approach for the oil cooler...

Release pipes at rear of matrix  access around the back by the pedals
clean
replace O rings
refit

removing the pipes at the bulkhead may help if you cant get enough leverage on the pipes to move them

Just had another read of the guide one screw vs.the dashboard, got to be worth a looksie, as I suspect a failed matrix would be pouring coolant out rather than seeping

[Gaffers]

One of the main principles of war:

- Ecomony of effort.

If the matrix aint broke why replace it.

[05omegav6]

One of the main principles of war:

- Ecomony of effort.

If the matrix aint broke why replace it.

Tbh it hadn't occurred to me that the pipes could leak I simply identified the soggy patch in the carpet as coolant and assumed the worst

I shall apply that principle to the oil cooler as well

[kevinp58]

So again the myths and miss information are abound.

The original V6's fitted in 95 and early 96 had a mild steel cooler fitted, these had issues and were repalced by a stainless one. This was fitted from 96 onwards and the replacement you buy is the same.

The issue appears to be that people look at old coolerss and they appear a light brown colour which is more oftne than not rust staining.

A fundamental reason for failure is poor servicing with respect to the antifreeze.

Stainless corodes, period, and under certain conditions it corrodes very quickly (thankfuly not in the presence of good antifreezee) particularly in old antifreeze and neat water.

Al, if your going for 2 then you will probably end up doing 1 as often the rear nut that secures the cooler to the plate is seized resulting in stripped cooler threads and you cant get the cover out without detaching the cooler.

 Ok the original one must have been stainless, but it was very light and the new one was atleast twice as heavy and looked a lot different in structure, and yes it was a genuine one from a VX dealer.