Engine oil cooler repaired/replaced

[Jim2015]

So I've been thinking of purchasing a new to me M1. I came across a 2021 with under a thousand miles on it. Car looks great on the website, but the carfax reports that the oil cooler was repaired/replaced. Just wondering if the bad cooler could cause serious damage to the engine immediately. TIA

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[luc]

So I've been thinking of purchasing a new to me M1. I came across a 2021 with under a thousand miles on it. Car looks great on the website, but the carfax reports that the oil cooler was repaired/replaced. Just wondering if the bad cooler could cause serious damage to the engine immediately. TIA

Damage as in heat related ?
I seriously doubt it. Plenty of Coyote engines had no oil cooler from the factory. Only really needed if you track the car

 

[Skye]

I assume the car was repaired by Ford, under warranty.

If so, I'd be curious what details are available from an Ford Oasis report, if the repairing mechanic made comments on what was seen before the replacement. With the VIN from CarFax, take it to a dealer, explain yourself and see if they'd gift you a report.

At one extreme, if the cooler had a weak connector, was damp in an area with the cooler then being replaced, great. At the other, the customer might not have noticed until the wrench light came on or the gauge was reading super low. Too low oil pressure or fill, but for how long and what conditions?

 

[Jim2015]

Damage as in heat related ?
I seriously doubt it. Plenty of Coyote engines had no oil cooler from the factory. Only really needed if you track the car

That is the concern. Heat damage. I occasionally track my 2015 with no cooling and probably a time bomb if cooling upgrades are not added. The M1 will be better suited for track abuse.

 

[Jim2015]

I assume the car was repaired by Ford, under warranty.

If so, I'd be curious what details are available from an Ford Oasis report, if the repairing mechanic made comments on what was seen before the replacement. With the VIN from CarFax, take it to a dealer, explain yourself and see if they'd gift you a report.

At one extreme, if the cooler had a weak connector, was damp in an area with the cooler then being replaced, great. At the other, the customer might not have noticed until the wrench light came on or the gauge was reading super low. Too low oil pressure or fill, but for how long and what conditions?

Good idea talking to Ford service manager. I would assume that it was repaired by Ford. Is the Oasis report only obtained from a Ford dealership or is there other options? I never heard of this report.

 

[ice445]

I'd be more worried about coolant and oil mixing but even that isn't a huge deal if caught early

 

[murick]

I'd be more worried about coolant and oil mixing but even that isn't a huge deal if caught early

The way the external coolers (from the engine and the transmission) are positioned inside the bumper you can easily bust one without basically touching anything else (including the regular radiator). I am not saying it was the case with the OP's car, but I would not be surprised if it was.

 

[Jim2015]

The way the external coolers (from the engine and the transmission) are positioned inside the bumper you can easily bust one without basically touching anything else (including the regular radiator). I am not saying it was the case with the OP's car, but I would not be surprised if it was.

The report says the oil cooler only, nothing about the radiator. Since just the oil cooler was repaired, no oil should have made it into the engine coolant system?

 

[Skye]

Is the Oasis report only obtained from a Ford dealership or is there other options?

Only from a Ford dealer or someone within Ford that has access to those systems. It's my understanding it's all repairs done for warrantied failures. It is distinct and separate from the car's service history. Both the report and the history could help define why it was replaced.

Let's say a Service Manager prints an Oasis Report and there's nothing on it. IMO, that would tell the cooler was damaged by road debris or something that didn't fall under the warranty. If the repair is on the Oasis, hopefully it will have comments.

The discussion above could lead to a complimenting ask for the car's Service History. As with the Oasis, tech comments could help.

I'd chat them up on an off day, like Tue-Thu, late morning through early afternoon, when things might be slowest. I'd like to think that most Service Managers or Advisors would at least pull the information up on a screen for a quick discussion, if not print it off for a potential customer.

Edit:

Always interesting histories with these cars.

Bought new in Sunrise, FL (SE FL), 03/2021.

Next service history is 11/2023, when the oil cooler was replaced.

Up for sale at Delray Beach, FL (SE FL), 03/2024.

Arrives for sale in your area eight days later.

I'd want to confirm the cooler was replaced and the actual service history.

From my personal experience*, the inputs at the dealers are not always 100% accurate. An "oil change" could turn into a "oil cooler replacement". See mileage. At the time of the cooler replacement, the mileage was 3500. But photos in the listing show 602 on the odometer.

While the cooler might have actually been replaced, the dealer might have just been prepping the car for sale and inputing something to get a service record in.

* Extended warranty purchased. Ford and CarFax say my A/C system was replaced. LOL.
* Recall work accomplished. Ford and CarFax say I received a full-service oil change.

In the first example, it's a fluke of the Ford software and that dealer. In the second, the specific recall information was not available at the time, so the dealer entered a default selection.

 

[Skye]

Since just the oil cooler was repaired, no oil should have made it into the engine coolant system?

That would be my thought. It's a separate, dedicated circuit.

 

[ice445]

That would be my thought. It's a separate, dedicated circuit.

I forgot the Mach 1 gets a real oil cooler and not the fake coolant exchanger one that the GT gets. So yeah, it will be 100% fine post repair with zero risk of any real issues.

 

[Mjschneidy]

Mach 1 uses the Gt350 air to oil cooler. Issue with these is they get easily damaged due to location. Best route is to have ford service department pull a full repair history like others have suggested. I would pay attention to how many miles since repairs to cooler. If recent then I would be suspicious of reasons for selling (other related issues).

 

[murick]

Borrowing the image posted by @Skye, the respective coolers are:

 

[sakman84]

[/QUOTE]

That would be my thought. It's a separate, dedicated circuit.

Do you have the original source for the image at the Top?

 

[traxiii]

I had to replace my rear diff. cooler after a large brass valve flung up and bent and cracked the cooler. The fluid from the diff. fluid pump only comes on when the fluid reaches a set temp., and it is fairly low flow and pressure. I smelled it before I noticed any leak probably after the second time driving it after it happened. The read diffuser got wet, and only a few drops were noticeable until I dropped it. (the whole story is in one of my threads)

I checked the level and lost maybe a shot glass worth of diff. oil, lucky, but unlucky the coolers were on back order for 3 months. Patched the leak with JB Weld, and disconnected the pump until I was able to swap the new one in. This all happened the day after I got the Mach home, after driving 2900 miles from Granger Iowa.

If the oil cooler had a small leak from either something hitting it, or a connector issue, a puddle would be noticed before long. If it were catastrophic like that guy that rammed his bumper into a curb in an underground parking garage, you would smell it first, because it's going to spray oil on something hot or you'll see smoke. Even if the line came off completely, you would have a little time to shut it down after getting a whiff or seeing smoke, with 10 quarts.

It probably had a small leak that was spotted by a puddle on the ground. Was the car fax clean of collisions? A fender bender could cause an issue with any of the three coolers.

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