# Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI Oil Cooler keeps blowing



## Johnny_Cage (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi, Please can anyone give me any information regarding what seems to be a common problem in the above vehicle. I am now about to change out my 3rd oil cooler in 18 months. Vauxhall maintains that this is not a common fault but thiss does ot appear to be the case. A large number of vehicles seem to suffer the same fault, but so far I have not read anything where someone has discovered why this is occuring, only that I'm not the only one wasting my weekends flushing coolant systems of oil and wasting money on genuine parts (I haven't yet found an alternative!)

regards,
John


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

John, can you post more details about it - what's the oil pressure normally and where is the cooler blowing out? A pic of a blown cooler will help greatly.


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## kjms1 (Jun 4, 2010)

Might be time to put a racing oil cooler on it and do away with the one in the cooling system


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## Johnny_Cage (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi,
I have tried to sort a racing type, however i have not yet been able to match a take off/sandwich plate to the block (I planned to remove the manifold with the element type filter and replace with can type which screws into the back of the sandwich plate).
It would appear that the cooler itself is the problem. The oil runs within a jacket surrounded by a water jacket. It looks like the seal between the two jackets might be failing, allowing the higher pressure oil to penetrate into the lower pressure jacket. As to the actual oil pressure in my specific engine, i am not sure off hand what it is currently and I'm not sure how to check it without taking it to a garage.

regards,

John
P.S. I can't seem to attach an image?


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Hi and welcome to TSF :wave:

This will help you posting a picture here at TSF:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f36/please-read-before-posting-images-346456.html

BG


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## kjms1 (Jun 4, 2010)

you dont have to change out the oil boss plate ... just buy the oil cooler rad and convert your hose to fit it


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## Johnny_Cage (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi I have uploaded the drawings to the following site, let me know if you can see them.

http://cid-1fa84d90947a11f8.photos.live.com/self.aspx/Vauxhall Oil Cooler

regards,
John


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

Got a couple questions...are you running the recommended oil viscosity and type?


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## Johnny_Cage (Oct 4, 2010)

Midnight Tech said:


> Got a couple questions...are you running the recommended oil viscosity and type?



I am using Castrol GTX high mileage for diesels. It matched the viscosity recommended in the haynes manual. I change it around every 10000 miles too, as I do up to 500 miles a week.


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

Just had someone suggest hooking a oil pressure gauge to the car and watching for spikes in the oil pressure. If it spikes with excessive pressure he says the pressure relief valve in the oil pump is not working correctly.


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## Johnny_Cage (Oct 4, 2010)

Can I use an after market one, from a moding shop/site. where would it be best to link it in?


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

It'd need to go where the oil pressure switch is.


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