Oil/Water heat exchanger gasket

[Stu Alderson]

As anyone any experience of replacing the oil/water heat exchange gasket with out the use of lift? i.e. on your back on the garage floor ?

It appears to be straightforward, but cumbersome irrespective of whether you go in from the top or the bottom? so any experienced advice would be useful. btw its a '89 S2

Thanks
Stuart

 

[924nutter]

It can be done. You need to remove the exhaust manifold and undo the rhs enginie mount, as well as the obvious undertray. Raise the engine up with a trolley jack as this gives better access to the bolts, and take the oil filter off, or out of the way or something, it was 13 yeas ago but I did do it. Actually I am surprised that an 89 S2 has seal trouble. When I did mine, mind you it was in 1995, the latest spec gasket had a green seal, bonded to a thin steel shim, and I think the "0" rings should be green as well. Porsche continually developed this initially troublesome area. Whilst it was out I took the trouble to blank one end and put 6 bar of air on it, in a bucket of water to check for leaks. I had some pretty trick sockets, i.e. sockets with one half of a U/J cast into it giving the benefit of a U/J without the awkward length.

 

[Stu Alderson]

Thanks Nutter, I know it can be done, just not the weather for laying on a cold garage floor for to long so if there had been any "easy" dodges I could make use of so much the better, will just have to keep a hip flask n hot water bottle near by.

The replacement gasket is part numbered up as the later model, I intended to do the same as you with the cooler element just to check for leaks in it prior to replacing all the bits. I am reasonably confident that its the "O" rings causing the problem as it is oil in water and not vice versa.

btw do you still own a 924? if so I have a complete one which I am about to get rid of its complete except for an auto gearbox, any bits are free to a good home.

Thanks again

Stu

 

[sawood12]

By the way, on turbo's it is not actually an oil water heat exchanger as they have oil coolers mounted behind the front bumper, however it is probably the same gasket.

Apparently once you remove it there is a long stem which you have to withdrawer and it is longer than the space between the block and the inner wing so there is a bit of giggery pokery to do to get it out which can be a bit of a PITA apparently but is entirely possible. When mine needed doing there was alot of misinformation around saying that it was not possible with the engine installed and that you needed to unbolt the engine from it's mounts to enable you to move the engine slightly. This is obviously rubbish.

 

[bertelli_1]

Unbolting the PAS pump gives some useful extra room, you don't need to remove the hoses, just hang it out of the way. And remove the oil pressure relief valve. Whe refitting its important to centralize the housing on the relief valve before tightening the housing bolts.

 

[924nutter]

ORIGINAL: Stu Alderson


btw do you still own a 924? if so I have a complete one which I am about to get rid of its complete except for an auto gearbox, any bits are free to a good home.

Thanks again

Stu

Unfortunately I still have a complete, well bar the rusted away off-side rear cill, 924 in my garage awaiting disposal, and a second 924T up on ramps waiting for global warming to kick in so I can take the gear box out for my other turbo, but thank you for thinking of me.

Is the flange gasket leaking or do you have oil in the water? If it is the later have the cooling system pressure-tested, as a leaking head gasket will manifest the same symptoms. Dont support the engine in the middle of the sump or you could put the jack through the alloy, and as Fen has said, that is definitely an engine out job