New Engine Noise post-Oil Cooler Install

spearfish25

^Yep.

The noise is described in the first posts I made in this thread. I later found I had two problems, one potentially my fault and one not. First, there was a leak from one of the fittings on the Tru-Cool. I'm mechanically inclined and have an engineering degree, yet I found the NPT fittings in the Tru-Cool to be needlessly tedious to install and left more possibility for leaks (NPT fittings have non-sealing threads, so you need thread sealant was well). The NPTs don't screw in far, are difficult to align in the desired direction without f'ing up the threads and the sealant I used didn't seal well. The leak may have been an error on my part during installation of the fitting, or the Permatex thread sealant was past its shelf-life (per Permatex).

The second problem was a leak from one of the AN fittings that screwed onto the sandwich plate. After further investigation, the hose company I used to fab custom hoses installed a bad stainless steel fitting on one hose. It won't screw all the way down and leaves about 4 threads exposed while the other three have about 1-2 threads exposed after tightening. I've changed out the Earls adapter the hose screws onto, yet the problem persists. It looks like a bad tap on the on the SS hose fitting. So, I'm working on solving that problem when the hose place opens tomorrow.

The short of it is that the whirring noise started after I installed the Tru-Cool. I've since removed the Tru-Cool and installed a Setrab 25 row (600 series) in its place. The slight leak at the AN fitting hasn't been dealt with yet. Irregardless, the whirring sound is gone and my car sounds like it did before the oil cooler saga began. I suppose one could argue that the sound was either from the Tru-Cool or from the leak at the Tru-Cool fitting, but I don't have any good explanation how a slow leak would cause that sound.

Please, this isn't a call for rebuttals about how Tru-Cools are good coolers. It certainly cooled the oil, but the design and ease of installation of the cooler doesn't equal that of the Setrab. If you're looking for the budget option, try the Tru-Cool. I did and wished I just got the Setrab from the start.

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2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z