Oil leaking from front near radiator?

[fender22]

Had the radiator replaced yesterday and noticed this morning an oil leak (mine doesn't normally have any :-) right up the front away from the motor and fan under the radiator. IN fact it's dripped down off the bottom of the bull bar. Is there an oil cooler or something there they may have disconnected and haven't tightened up properly or the inter cooler or there may be a bit of spillage from when they removed something?

[BigJon]

Check the oil cooler lines where they go into the radiator. Drivers side.

[Scallops]

If it's not what BigJon says - and if it's on the drivers side - check the steering box for a leak. (I know - steering fluid isn't oil)

[justinc]

A common issue, that I warn customers about, is that after a radiator removal etc on a Defender, the oil that leaks out of the cooler when the lines are removed runs into the end of the chassis, and is nearly impossible to get out afterwards. This will leak out over time, usually a few days, and help the chassis from rusting

Obviously if it is getting worse, check that an Oring hasn't been damaged etc when the connections were refitted.

JC

[LowRanger]

What sort of radiator did you end up getting,just a recore or aftermarket replacement?And has it fixed your overheating?

Wayne

[fender22]

Was definitely engine oil. I rang the radiator guy this morning and he informed me about the oil cooler lines. I couldn't work out where the hell it was coming from as it was dripping from underneath the bullbar? which is at least a foot in front of any of the oily bits. Anyway, I reckon you're right Justin, I reckon it's just a bit that spilled onto the fins and down onto the bullbar ledge and I parked it on a slight backward incline last night and it's dripped out. Will keep an eye on it but my oil level wasn't down so I reckon that's all it is.

They replaced the core. Not sure on radiator anatomy but apparently the pipes / insides of the original one were well and truly shot. I think it still has the top and bottom tank bits but the finned part in the middle has been replaced :-) I thought they did well to find one same day actually. I'd hate to break down in the bush! No one seems to keep any parts? British offroad, 4WD spares, Rover jag spares, Austral (hmph)

Did notice it takes a considerably longer time to come to temperature but eventually still climbs to about the middle where it used to. It was only after about half an hour solid 100-110k highway driving it went a wee bit higher which seemed wrong to me with so much airflow. Haven't had a chance on the highway to see how it is but sat in traffic for ages this morning and all good. Should it run a bit cooler on the highway or is it normal for it to climb a bit?