Rotate oil cooler?

[Mark S]

1.9TD (AAZ).  As one of the early AAZ 'pioneers', I have just realised (after 17 years) that my oil cooler (sandwich device between block and oil filter) is mounted incorrectly: my coolant hoses exit towards the rear of the bus while other examples I have found on the internet show them pointing upwards.  I figure that if I can rotate the oil cooler by 90 degrees then I can rationalise the hose arrangement to use a stock S-shaped hose to the aux water pump as well as remove a joiner that presumably adds an extra bit of length on the other feed.

Does anyone know what would be involved in turning the oil cooler?  Hopefully a simple job but it would be good to understand the fixings, any requirement for new gaskets etc and other pitfalls (and hence whether it is worth even bothering).

A nice, clear picture of a stock JX would also be really helpful in understanding how the hose arrangement should be.

Thanks, all.



 

[silverbullet]

All of the VAG oil interwarmers are retained by a large, thin nut (27mm a/f iirc) which is revealed when the oil filter is removed.
There is an o-ring seal between the cooler and engine block, always replace it as they get baked and do not seal after being disturbed.

[Mark S]

Thanks for this, job done.  Once filter removed it was quite easy to find the thin nut and remove the oil cooler before relocating it the right way.  I was expecting it to be a faff but was pleasantly surprised.  I actually did it before seeing your post but the O-ring looked OK; I'll order a new one now to be sure.

In the process I realised the plumbing was wrong so I'm about to order a proper TD bottom hose to do it properly.  Onwards and upwards!