STUPID EGR cooler replacement

ca91mkIII

New Member
May 23, 2012
126
0
0
Franklin
Let me just start by saying whatever idiot engineer decided the 7M motor need that damn plate was an f#%$ing moron. That thing is in the worst spot possible. Now that that's out, has anyone had to replace the gasket on this thing with the motor still in the car? I can barely see it on my motor, but I do know what it looks like and where the bolts are, but does anyone have any advice for fixing a leaking gasket on this thing?
 

Compton74

New Member
Oct 8, 2008
355
0
0
Long Beach
get a ratcheting wrench and get at it, also the wrenches with the socket on one side and open end on the other help. Its really not as hard as everyone makes it out to be, well maybe thats because i don't holler like a 5 year when it comes time to do it.
 

mstgeer

New Member
If you have a harbor freight local, they have a low profile flex head ratchet with 1/4" on one end and 3/8" on the other. This tool was invaluable when changing the gasket. Also a mechanics mirror and flex head magnet comes in handy as well. I had to make a gasket scraper out of a metal socket holder to get some of the residual gasket off the head. Good luck with it, it will test your patients...
 

ClutchRR

New Member
Apr 12, 2012
83
0
0
Slidell, LA
Yes its possible just take your time and be patient. Its so much easier with the head off though. You can do it just take your time.
 

peste noire

New Member
Jan 11, 2012
266
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0
los angeles,CA
ha mine is out to so i have a damn leak.
im going to swap put my clutch for act one i bought so since the tranny is coming out i thought it would be easier to do it from there so ill wait till i pull down the tranny.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
0
0
42
Fort Worth, TX
OK, I'll be more helpful.

- Unbolt the transmission mount from the crossmember.
- Jack up the transmission as much as you can (so it tilts the engine forward). If you have a very thick radiator, check for fan clearance first!
- I used a flex head ratcheting wrench and the adapters that make them into mini ratchets (seems like craftsman only sells them as part of a set now :( http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-...eversible-ratcheting/p-00987638000P?&prdNo=11 )
- Lots of swearing.
- Lots of band-aids.
- Permanant scars.
 

peste noire

New Member
Jan 11, 2012
266
0
0
los angeles,CA
good thinking with lifting up the tranny poodles! great job man.

that should really make easier to remove the bolts and install back.

im gonna use a tool from harbor freight tools so like that i dont have to wait till i do my clutch to get rid of that annoying leak.
 

peste noire

New Member
Jan 11, 2012
266
0
0
los angeles,CA
so i replaced mine today. took about 2 hours or so( plenty of interruptions in between).

lifting up the tranny did help but still came out bruised and scraped but better then having to take it off in its normal postion.

removing the resude from the head was probably the hardest part but got through it.
 

ca91mkIII

New Member
May 23, 2012
126
0
0
Franklin
I do appreciate the info guys. I have decided to just pull the motor because it has been burning a little oil and I figured while its out, I will replace every single gasket including the one that started this whole thing.
 

emiliorescigno

Supramania Contributor
Sep 17, 2006
1,199
0
0
Woodbury, MN
A little update on my scenario - I ended up not bothering with cutting my hands up and pulled the head in order to do this job. The existing gasket was horribly crusty and broken, clearly leaking. 5 of the 8 bolts holding the cooler on were so loose I was able to remove them by hand. Cleaning the gasket surface is something I would have been totally unable to do correctly without removing the head, so keep that in mind.

Pulling the head also gave me an opportunity to replace the headgasket (even though the current HG is only about 20,000 miles old, why not?) as well as some various water hoses and such that would be otherwise difficult to access. The car runs great and no more exhaust leak!
 

Maple191

Member
Mar 21, 2012
317
0
16
Toronto
emiliorescigno;1878651 said:
Pulling the head also gave me an opportunity to replace the headgasket (even though the current HG is only about 20,000 miles old, why not?) as well as some various water hoses and such that would be otherwise difficult to access. The car runs great and no more exhaust leak!

Why not. Why spend money on somthing that isnt broken. Your increasing your chance that something will go wrong by doing something that was unneeded.
 

NashMan

WTF did he just wright ?
Aug 5, 2005
4,940
17
38
42
Victoria BC
I have done it few times

buy a shallow socket or grind down a shitty old one and then 1/4 drive ratchetand to crack them loose and if being a pain, just use an extention with a deep socket on the end to extend handle

not hard in any way


just reg day for me