Signs Your Engine Oil Cooler Is Failing

Signs Your Engine Oil Cooler Is Failing

Wondering how to know if your engine oil cooler is giving up on you? Read the following information to learn if your oil cooler is under threat or not.

An oil cooler is one of the essential parts of any vehicle. The purpose of the hydraulic oil cooler is to allow the engine’s cooling system to remove excess heat from the oil. These coolers are basically water to oil type water exchanger. Oil is fed to the cooler from an adapter, located in between the engine block and the engine oil filter.

Benefits of oil coolers Engine oil generally becomes thicker due to below optimum viscosity-temperature. To combat the problem, the hydraulic oil cooler cools it by placing a heat exchanger behind the fans. The fans help by conditioning the flow of the oil.

A good oil cooler will not only lower your engine oil temperature, but it will also cause the water temperature to drop, giving the engine stability.

Like many other parts, oil coolers are also susceptible to damage. But how would you know if your oil cooler needs to be repaired or replaced? Below are a few signs mentioned for you to understand the cooler’s condition?

1. Oil cooler leak The cooling system has an oil cooler adaptor that connects oil lines to the cooler itself. Another adapter sends the oil that is cooled back into the oil pan. So, there’s a possibility if a supposed leak happens, the oil will seep through the leakage. When that happens, take your vehicle to the nearest dealer or seek professional help to get it fixed as soon as possible.

2. Engine coolant leaking Similar to above, an external oil cooler failure may force all of the engine coolants out of the engine.

Overheating the tank can bring up more problems. If the leakage is substantial, notice if steams come out from under the hood of your vehicle. If it does, then again, consult a professional repairer.

3. Damages in the adapter Oil pressure is at the maximum when an engine runs. And if your oil cooler adapter starts failing, the oil is forced into the cooling system. If it’s not fixed, this might cause a lack of lubrication and can severely damage your engine.

4. Coolant forcing out of the cooling system When the engine stops functioning, and the cooling system is pressurized, the coolant is forced from the cooling system into the oil pan. Hence, high oil pan levels can damage the engine.

5. Black smokes from the cooling system Black smokes are another evidence of a failed cooling system. After the leakage happens, some oil might come off from the cooling system and to the combustion chamber, which causes a dense, black fume. This fume is poisonous, and you should stop your vehicle when you see it; otherwise, it might harm you as well as your car or other vehicles.

Conclusion If you have seen any signs like these, don’t wait! It’s smart to rush to your nearest mechanic and sort out the issue that your vehicle is having. The mechanic can repair your engine oil cooler if the damage isn’t that big. However, if the damage is indeed more significant, then they would suggest you replace the entire oil cooler.