Coolant inlet wont line up after replacing oil cooler (new thread)

[Davetd5]

Hi Folks,
Just spent the day replacing the oil cooler on our 2.7 D3, following Shane's videos, but now the aftermarket alloy coolant inlet wont line up when I go to put the four 6mm bolts in. Anyone else had this?
Passenger side is ok but drivers side the holes are about 1/4 inch away from lining up (too much to drill out the holes). I'm thinking either the oil cooler needs to be uncovered again to see if there's any movement available in the bolts, or I'll need a standard plastic coolant inlet. I've already pulled most of my hair out doing this job and I didn't have much to start with!

[Davetd5]

When the inlet is mounted on the cooler, the bolts wont line up

[DiscoJeffster]

Hi Folks,
Just spent the day replacing the oil cooler on our 2.7 D3, following Shane's videos, but now the aftermarket alloy coolant inlet wont line up when I go to put the four 6mm bolts in. Anyone else had this?
Passenger side is ok but drivers side the holes are about 1/4 inch away from lining up (too much to drill out the holes). I'm thinking either the oil cooler needs to be uncovered again to see if there's any movement available in the bolts, or I'll need a standard plastic coolant inlet. I've already pulled most of my hair out doing this job and I didn't have much to start with!

Nope. Was a perfect fit

[BradC]

Hi Folks,
Just spent the day replacing the oil cooler on our 2.7 D3, following Shane's videos, but now the aftermarket alloy coolant inlet wont line up when I go to put the four 6mm bolts in. Anyone else had this?

Looking at the photos and the **** on the coolant inlet I *assume* you had it on before and it lined up fine? Those holes on both sides are on the heads, so I can't see them moving when you replaced the oil cooler.

[Davetd5]

Looking at the photos and the **** on the coolant inlet I *assume* you had it on before and it lined up fine? Those holes on both sides are on the heads, so I can't see them moving when you replaced the oil cooler.

Yep, it was on there beforehand, the only difference now is a new cooler

[Davetd5]

So the coolant inlet fits now. I suspected that the oil cooler bolts probably had some wriggle room, so I took it all apart again and found the cooler would move enough on its mounts so the inlet could line up ok.
Kept the cooler bolts loose, then installed the inlet, tightened the 6 cooler bolts I could reach, took the inlet off again and tightened the remaining front two cooler bolts. Inlet went straight on!
Now to put all the associated paraphernalia back on, including that daim PCV separator canister.

[BradC]

This is probably worth pinning somewhere really because it'd have to apply to the regular plastic coolant inlet as well. I've been on the road all day, but it's been in the back of my mind and was going to suggest something along the lines of what you did, although to be fair I'm surprised the cooler setup has as much wriggle room as it does to allow this to happen.

The oil cooler is on my list for the next couple of years, so I've made a note to check the alignment before tightening it up. Thanks for the follow up.

As for the oil separator. After it took me several hours to get out the first time, it slipped back in with not so much as a wiggle. As I've said elsewhere the bastard that wrote the manual "reposition the crankcase vent oil separator" needs a kick in the quoit. "Reposition" my arse!

I found the most important part of the job was removing the fuel return line clip "thingo" from the right hand side (when bent over the motor) of the valley. Getting the fuel line and connectors out of the way let me "insert and rotate" the oil-sep and it "just dropped into place".

Again, really appreciate you doing a follow up. Lots of people don't and it leaves the rest of us in the dark.