Cracked Oil Cooler - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Misfit · 03-23-2014, 08:17 PM

So here's what's going on. I'll be dropping my 2014 1SS LS3 with 3800 miles off at the dealership tomorrow morning for a cracked oil cooler. I talked to their service department yesterday and they said I should be covered under warranty despite my mods. So I pulled it off yesterday evening to clean it up and I isolated the crack. Put some JB Weld on the crack and let it cure (service department said this was OK). Just put the oil cooler back on and topped off the oil. I won't be starting it until I go for my 5 minute drive to the dealership, I'm hoping the quick fix holds up. It is definitely a crack in the actual oil cooler though, no loose bolts and no damaged seals. I'll keep you guys posted on what the dealer says. Chances are I put a heavy enough bead of JB Weld on it that even if they don't cover it under warranty it should hold up until I can spend the $400 on a new one.

FryZ · 03-23-2014, 09:56 PM

Cracked on a 4K mile '14?? At least from the sound of it your dealership is pretty cool.

Matty1LE · 03-23-2014, 10:01 PM

Wow that sucks to hear your cooler has already cracked at such low age and miles! It is cast aluminum so that is the only thing that would make premature failure occur is flaws in the casting. Im going to be taking in my 2014 2SS 1le before the first oil change is due to fix my very fineline oil seep at the silicone between the oil pan gasket and block. Seems to be the same damn problem on my 2005 GTO w/ LS2 engine. Out of curiosity I put it on a lift in my shop to see what the bottom end of a 1LE was like and was pretty pissed off to see a drool mark down my oil pan with less than 550 miles! Ill let it wait so I can get a free oil change out of warranty for my pain and sufferings lol. Thanks to our south of the border friends for not sealing the LS3 properly!

Any other 2014's with Mexican built LS3 have any leaks or issues yet?

Dimitrim · 03-23-2014, 10:22 PM

Why aren't the towing it???

Misfit · 03-23-2014, 10:25 PM

Yeah this surprised me, but honestly I would rather this happen now when warranty should cover it. I plan on doing a lot for performance with this engine and weeding out the weaknesses now is all part of the process I guess. Just have to wait and see what the dealer says tomorrow.

Misfit · 03-23-2014, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimitrim

Why aren't the towing it???

Because if for whatever reason they decide they won't cover it under warranty, I have no desire to pay $100 for towing (due to mods, or the fact that I've changed my own oil). I spent about $5 and about 2 hours worth of work and I'll be able to drive it just fine.

Misfit · 03-24-2014, 05:39 PM

Update: Warranty won't cover my cracked oil cooler because when I installed my headers at 250 miles I must have knocked them against the oil cooler causing it to rupture some 3550 miles down the road. I'm still scratching my head over that one. Service department tried to charge me $85 for a "diagnostic fee" and wanted to charge me $965 to repair it. I argued my way out of the diagnostic fee and told them I would rather not pay them $570 to install a $395 part that I can swap out in less than an hour in my driveway. This should be criminal. By the way the JB Weld did not work and it leaked all the way there and all the way back. I ordered a new oil cooler that should be in on Friday. And that's why I would rather fix everything myself than ever have to deal with the service department.

Matty1LE · 03-24-2014, 09:01 PM

Wow total bummer man sorry to hear that. Unfortunately dealers will pull all the yarn out just to piss on your aftermarket parts. There is so much effen room to do the headers on these cars I find that hard to believe you "bonked" the header hard enough into the cast aluminum to crack it. Unheard of in my opinion.... Luckily the cooler is very easy to change on these cars. Im waiting to perform any mods on my 2014 until at least my first oil change is done.

Pro Stock John · 03-24-2014, 10:26 PM

Bummer mine was covered under warranty but I had it towed to a specific dealer so I had to eat that.

I plan to delete the cooler this year actually.

03-23-2014, 08:17 PM	#1
Misfit Jumpmaster Drives: 2014 Camaro SS LS3 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Carolina Posts: 56	Cracked Oil Cooler So here's what's going on. I'll be dropping my 2014 1SS LS3 with 3800 miles off at the dealership tomorrow morning for a cracked oil cooler. I talked to their service department yesterday and they said I should be covered under warranty despite my mods. So I pulled it off yesterday evening to clean it up and I isolated the crack. Put some JB Weld on the crack and let it cure (service department said this was OK). Just put the oil cooler back on and topped off the oil. I won't be starting it until I go for my 5 minute drive to the dealership, I'm hoping the quick fix holds up. It is definitely a crack in the actual oil cooler though, no loose bolts and no damaged seals. I'll keep you guys posted on what the dealer says. Chances are I put a heavy enough bead of JB Weld on it that even if they don't cover it under warranty it should hold up until I can spend the $400 on a new one. __________________ Danny 2014 1SS Ordered 18 SEP 13 Delivered 25 OCT 13 Picked up 30 OCT 13 CAI Intake, VMAX Ported Throttle Body, Apex Motorsports Catch Can, Apex Intake Scoop/Washer Bottle Relocate, Skip Shift Eliminator, Stainless Works 2" Headers, High Flow Cats, Retro Catback Exhaust, JRE Tune...more to follow 12.6087 1/4 ET @ 113.98MPH on stock tires.

03-23-2014, 09:56 PM	#2
FryZ Drives: 2011 1SS/RS Synergy Green Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Syracuse NY Posts: 96	Cracked on a 4K mile '14?? At least from the sound of it your dealership is pretty cool. __________________ 2011 SGM 1SS/RS M6 - E-Force/3.25 pulley - NEP blower cam - Kooks - Borla - ZL1 pump/ADM/ID 850 - RotoFab - Mantic - FR41-275/315 - MGW - Katzkin - tuned by New Era Performance - 650/611

03-23-2014, 10:25 PM	#5
Misfit Jumpmaster Drives: 2014 Camaro SS LS3 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Carolina Posts: 56	Yeah this surprised me, but honestly I would rather this happen now when warranty should cover it. I plan on doing a lot for performance with this engine and weeding out the weaknesses now is all part of the process I guess. Just have to wait and see what the dealer says tomorrow. __________________ Danny 2014 1SS Ordered 18 SEP 13 Delivered 25 OCT 13 Picked up 30 OCT 13 CAI Intake, VMAX Ported Throttle Body, Apex Motorsports Catch Can, Apex Intake Scoop/Washer Bottle Relocate, Skip Shift Eliminator, Stainless Works 2" Headers, High Flow Cats, Retro Catback Exhaust, JRE Tune...more to follow 12.6087 1/4 ET @ 113.98MPH on stock tires.

03-24-2014, 05:39 PM	#7
Misfit Jumpmaster Drives: 2014 Camaro SS LS3 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Carolina Posts: 56	Update: Warranty won't cover my cracked oil cooler because when I installed my headers at 250 miles I must have knocked them against the oil cooler causing it to rupture some 3550 miles down the road. I'm still scratching my head over that one. Service department tried to charge me $85 for a "diagnostic fee" and wanted to charge me $965 to repair it. I argued my way out of the diagnostic fee and told them I would rather not pay them $570 to install a $395 part that I can swap out in less than an hour in my driveway. This should be criminal. By the way the JB Weld did not work and it leaked all the way there and all the way back. I ordered a new oil cooler that should be in on Friday. And that's why I would rather fix everything myself than ever have to deal with the service department. __________________ Danny 2014 1SS Ordered 18 SEP 13 Delivered 25 OCT 13 Picked up 30 OCT 13 CAI Intake, VMAX Ported Throttle Body, Apex Motorsports Catch Can, Apex Intake Scoop/Washer Bottle Relocate, Skip Shift Eliminator, Stainless Works 2" Headers, High Flow Cats, Retro Catback Exhaust, JRE Tune...more to follow 12.6087 1/4 ET @ 113.98MPH on stock tires.

03-24-2014, 10:26 PM	#9
Pro Stock John Writer Drives: 2010 SS / 1967 Camaro Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 7,221	Bummer mine was covered under warranty but I had it towed to a specific dealer so I had to eat that. I plan to delete the cooler this year actually. __________________ PROJECT HEAVY CHEVY Camaro Now: Mods for the Masses Part I \| Part II 13.15@106 1.95 \| 100% Stock 12.37@112 1.85 \| + Kooks Headers/Cats + 20" 555R + CAI + BW TB + UDP + Tune 12.06@113 1.70 \| + CD 3200 + 18" NT05R + RCR Intake + NE OTR + GPI Tune 11.84@115 1.59 \| + 3.91s + Race Star 17x7 Fronts 10.90@125 1.47 \| + GPI VVT Cam + BW Ported Heads + CD 3800

03-23-2014, 10:01 PM	#3
Matty1LE Drives: 2014 1LE Camaro 2$$ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 68	Wow that sucks to hear your cooler has already cracked at such low age and miles! It is cast aluminum so that is the only thing that would make premature failure occur is flaws in the casting. Im going to be taking in my 2014 2SS 1le before the first oil change is due to fix my very fineline oil seep at the silicone between the oil pan gasket and block. Seems to be the same damn problem on my 2005 GTO w/ LS2 engine. Out of curiosity I put it on a lift in my shop to see what the bottom end of a 1LE was like and was pretty pissed off to see a drool mark down my oil pan with less than 550 miles! Ill let it wait so I can get a free oil change out of warranty for my pain and sufferings lol. Thanks to our south of the border friends for not sealing the LS3 properly! Any other 2014's with Mexican built LS3 have any leaks or issues yet?

03-23-2014, 10:22 PM	#4
Dimitrim Dimitri Drives: 68 GTO 455 Ram Air; 2014 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Novato, California Posts: 602 View My Garage	Why aren't the towing it???

03-24-2014, 09:01 PM	#8
Matty1LE Drives: 2014 1LE Camaro 2$$ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 68	Wow total bummer man sorry to hear that. Unfortunately dealers will pull all the yarn out just to piss on your aftermarket parts. There is so much effen room to do the headers on these cars I find that hard to believe you "bonked" the header hard enough into the cast aluminum to crack it. Unheard of in my opinion.... Luckily the cooler is very easy to change on these cars. Im waiting to perform any mods on my 2014 until at least my first oil change is done.