Oil cooler failure - first hand experiences?

[v8hgt]

I read that there is a build date in July 16 where something changed to rectify this issue. There is a guy in the UK who has had his cooler replaced under warranty on a pre July car, only for the replacement cooler to die in the same way. I also read there is no change in part numbers between old and new coolers.

So I’m left wondering what changed in July 16 ?

Did ford take the cheap option and fit newer cars with some kind of heat shield between cat and oil cooler? Are newer cats ceramic coated? Did they move the cat back or forward a little?

Would love to get an early 16 car on the ramps alongside a 17 car to check for differences around the cooler.

Sponsored

 

[12baller12]

I read that there is a build date in July 16 where something changed to rectify this issue. There is a guy in the UK who has had his cooler replaced under warranty on a pre July car, only for the replacement cooler to die in the same way. I also read there is no change in part numbers between old and new coolers.

So I’m left wondering what changed in July 16 ?

Did ford take the cheap option and fit newer cars with some kind of heat shield between cat and oil cooler? Are newer cats ceramic coated? Did they move the cat back or forward a little?

Would love to get an early 16 car on the ramps alongside a 17 car to check for differences around the cooler.

Unfortunately there have been cars built after July 16 with failures. There was a guy in South Africa who had one of those built after July 16 fail, and the cooler fitted was manufactured before then! So who knows if much changed at all.

 

[v8hgt]

Unfortunately there have been cars built after July 16 with failures. There was a guy in South Africa who had one of those built after July 16 fail, and the cooler fitted was manufactured before then! So who knows if much changed at all.

Very true. But if they didn’t change the cooler but changed the hot things round it that cause the problem this could explain it. Was the SA car running aftermarket headers? Had a heat shield come off etc?
Having that specific build date listed in the TSB implies there was some form of change but no one seems to know what.

Knowing what was changed would be very helpful as my car is after that date. Knowledge might help me decide if headers are a good/bad idea or if I should regularly inspect a heat shield at each service etc.

 

[12g]

Please find my letter to Ford Australia.
I apologize for the delay. I had a mishap with standing in my 4WD air con condensate and then walking into the house with glazed floor tiles. Nasty knee dislocation and split head.

Anyhow, I did a lot of research into ACCC and I decided to stick to the basic issue and not complicate it with all the mod options etc as I did not want a complicated reply from Ford.
I also read through about 100 vehicle safety recalls from all brands of cars and there are many recalls based on the same hazards as the Mustang oil cooler failure; fire, engine failure in traffic, oil on the road etc
As I am away for a few weeks after Xmas, I don't expect to report back until late January. However if Ford's reply is inadequate, I will pursue the next stage then.
I posted the letter today by registered mail.

Sorry to everyone who is having an oil cooler failure. I am one of those that is very worried about one of these happening to my car, as I only drive around 4,000k/m per year and possibly will happen to me when my car is out of warranty.
I sent an email to Ford New Zealand utilising Peter’s letter (Bushranger) with some changes for New Zealand law, I have listed the letter as well as the reply.
My car was built on the 20-08-2015.
Unfortunately not a good outcome.


Ford New Zealand Reply:


Dear Peter,

Re: Potential Oil Cooler Failure - Ford Mustang 2016-2017 GT

Thank you for your e-mail to Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited (Ford New Zealand).

In response to your email, we can advise that we have checked your vehicle and there are no outstanding Recalls or Field Service Actions on your vehicle.

If you are experiencing any further concerns or have any questions, please contact your local Ford Dealership.

In the interim, if you need to contact us directly, please feel free to call the Ford Customer Relations Team on 0800 367 369, or alternatively email [email protected].

Kind regards,

Customer Relationship Centre
Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited
Postal address: Private Bag 76912, Manukau City 2241, New Zealand

I did a service on my car today and took a photo of the oil cooler looks OK at this stage.

 

[Drewbo]

Ford New Zealand Reply:

What a bullshit canned response.

To be expected, I guess.

:tsk:

 

[v8hgt]

Sorry to everyone who is having an oil cooler failure. I am one of those that is very worried about one of these happening to my car, as I only drive around 4,000k/m per year and possibly will happen to me when my car is out of warranty.
I sent an email to Ford New Zealand utilising Peter’s letter (Bushranger) with some changes for New Zealand law, I have listed the letter as well as the reply.
My car was built on the 20-08-2015.
Unfortunately not a good outcome.


Ford New Zealand Reply:


Dear Peter,

Re: Potential Oil Cooler Failure - Ford Mustang 2016-2017 GT

Thank you for your e-mail to Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited (Ford New Zealand).

In response to your email, we can advise that we have checked your vehicle and there are no outstanding Recalls or Field Service Actions on your vehicle.

If you are experiencing any further concerns or have any questions, please contact your local Ford Dealership.

In the interim, if you need to contact us directly, please feel free to call the Ford Customer Relations Team on 0800 367 369, or alternatively email [email protected].

Kind regards,

Customer Relationship Centre
Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited
Postal address: Private Bag 76912, Manukau City 2241, New Zealand

I did a service on my car today and took a photo of the oil cooler looks OK at this stage.

Do you by any chance have a wider pic of your car showing the cat and the cooler?
I could do a shot of my sept 16 car from the same angle and look for any visual differences.

 

[GT 550]

[MENTION=8448]12g[/MENTION] that should be painless to reply to; 'Thank you for your response, however it fails to address the matters raised in my correspondence. Would you please reconsider your response in order to address these matters'. What arrogant presswads. If they brush you off again you can probably get the NZ equivalent of fair trading involved, what you're asking is a pretty straightforward question that a consumer would reasonably expect could be answered.

Anyone managed to get hold of their buggered cooler? While there has been plausible conjecture it'd be interesting to know what's causing the failure. I'm also concerned that, as occurred with the BA Falcon trans cooler that shared a chamber within the radiator structure in a similar liquid/liquid configuration, the partition between the chambers will perforate.

 

[12g]

[MENTION=8448]12g[/MENTION] that should be painless to reply to;

Have sent a reply back to Ford New Zealand the next day in the same line as you were indicating.
As yet NO REPLY.

 

[12g]

Do you by any chance have a wider pic of your car showing the cat and the cooler?
I could do a shot of my sept 16 car from the same angle and look for any visual differences.

Here are the photos, hope they are some help? good idea.

 

[GT 550]

If it's heat that causes them to fail (either oil leaking or oil and water mixing) then header wrap, a honeycomb heat shield or something like a turbo blanket should fix it if the cooler design and material is correct. But any modification would have to be authorised by Ford etc blah blah which takes time and means they would be formally acknowledging there's a problem. They did respond to the battery cable melting issue (crude but hopefully effective long term) but IIRC it took fire/s or loss of power ie a safety issue for that to happen. Ford recalled the GT350 due to the oil line failure setting fire to cars. Some time ago a Canberra car was reportedly producing smoke, but no fire.

Apologies for going a bit OT, but has anyone had a look at how close the headers are to the aircon lines on the driver side? Just doesn't look right to me. Interested in others' views if you have a moment to check.

 

[v8hgt]

I’m going to look under my sept 17 build car in the next couple of weeks. I am beginning to suspect the simple ‘fix’ is a heat shield. Ford may well have put this on later cars. If not I can easily fabricate one myself when my aftermarket headers go on. Even more reason to ceramic coat them and wrap them too!

 

[12baller12]

I’m going to look under my sept 17 build car in the next couple of weeks. I am beginning to suspect the simple ‘fix’ is a heat shield. Ford may well have put this on later cars. If not I can easily fabricate one myself when my aftermarket headers go on. Even more reason to ceramic coat them and wrap them too!

Mine is a Feb 17 build and there is no extra shield or wrap.

 

[v8hgt]

Think I’ve found my solution to the problem.
Ceramic coated headers and zircotec heat shield wrap around the oil cooler body and water feed pipes. That should keep the heat down to acceptable levels as the ARH headers move the cats way back out of the way.

If it ever fails I will remove the oil cooler and cast iron manifold it sits on entirely and add a sandwich plate to the filter boss, feeding a laminova oil cooler which is basically an aftermarket oil / liquid cooler used by many TVR and Ultima. They retail for approx £330 so are much cheaper than the alternatives.

 

[GT 550]

Well today my car oil cooler shit itself ironically I’ve purchased the street fighter kit and dropped it off at the mechanics for a early Jan install on the way home the cooler died.

So has anyone on this forum had a failed oil cooler if so were you out of pocket? Did you have any mods etc

If no one has I will report when I know more tomorrow when I drop it off at a ford dealer.

I have Mods Xforce headers, CAI, Tune so will let you all know but if someone has been through this would love to know the outcome thanks

[MENTION=23500]stang_86[/MENTION] how did you go with the dealer?

 

[stang_86]

Update.

So turns out I will be getting a brand new engine yay
This is under warranty mods I have are Xforce full exhaust CAI tune.

Turns out if you get the oil milkshake rather than flushing the engine etc which people claim.
I got a brand new engine radiator etc about 36 parts.

So I’ve been told the engine should have arrived today and my engine is already out of the car.

I will let you all know once I’ve got my car back.

Sponsored