Fix Your Stuff Community Store

Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement

What you need

  1. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement, Oil Cooler: step 1, image 1 of 1

    • After removing the side panel, it's clear that my oil cooler has been leaking for a while. Fortunately, AFAB sells a complete replacement kit including a new oil cooler and new hoses!

    Edit

  2. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 2, image 3 of 3

    • The tail light covers come off easy enough with 10 screws and a single connector.

    • The white housing beneath comes off with a bolt on the left and a screw on the right.

    Edit

  3. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 2

    • On my Vixen there was a hex head bolt on the top right, and a on-its-way-to-being-stripped Phillips head bolt on the top left.

    Edit

  4. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • There were two Phillips screws in the bottom of the panel, but these weren't actually attached to anything.

    • My new side-routed exhaust definitely made it harder to get this panel out.

    Edit

  5. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1

    • There's one electrical plug and 4 obvious hex bolts to remove the condenser fan.

    Edit

  6. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 6, image 2 of 2

    • Once the condenser fan is removed we can get a good look at the oil cooler. The fittings are certainly leaking, but the cooler itself might actually be fine.

    • The Vixen bleeds black and I bleed red, whoops!

    Edit

  8. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 7, image 2 of 2

    • Here's all the shiny new replacement parts. You can buy the oil cooler kit from AFAB.

    • I made a mess of the threads putting one of the blue aluminum fittings in to the top of the new oil cooler. Thanks to a 1/2" NPT tap and die from Harbor Freight and a friend's help I was able to salvage it and I don't think it leaks, but time will tell...

    Edit

  9. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 8, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 8, image 3 of 3

    • On a closer inspection, all my existing fittings are leaking, which at this point I suppose is a good sign.

    Edit

  10. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Getting the oil cooler off the condenser was easy, there's just two bolts. But it's still attached to the engine...

    Edit

  11. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 2

    • It was easy enough to loosen the hose clamps and pop the hoses off.

    • This made a mess, because not surprisingly, there's oil in the lines.

    Edit

  12. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 1

    • The old oil cooler is out!

    Edit

  13. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 12, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 12, image 3 of 3

    • There was a lot of oil/dust sludge beneath the oil cooler, requiring a rather dirty cleanup.

    Edit

  14. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 13, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 13, image 3 of 3

    • Removing the remaining couplers was quite challenging.

    • I was able to borrow some large metric wrenches (24 mm and 27 mm) from a friend to help with this step.

    Edit

  15. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 14, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 14, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 14, image 3 of 3

    • After the first fitting was off, I was able to get a 24 mm socket over the second one to remove the fitting.

    Edit

  16. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 15, image 2 of 2

    • I routed the new lines the same as the old ones.

    • The plastic lining the hole the hoses go through is definitely decaying, but seems like it'll still protect the hoses ok.

    Edit

  17. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 16, image 2 of 2

    • The lines are just barely long enough, but it reaches!

    Edit

  18. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 17, image 2 of 3 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 17, image 3 of 3

    • Mounting to the condenser is straightforward.

    Edit

  19. Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 2 Vixen 21 Oil Cooler Replacement: step 18, image 2 of 2

    • Everything's in place!

    • I spent some more time cleaning the dirty panel below. Thus far I have no leaks from the new oil cooler!

    Edit
Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Luke Soules

106,923 Reputation

21 Guides authored

Badges: 50

+47 more badges

Team

iFixit Member of iFixit

Staff

135 Members

16,817 Guides authored

0 Comments

Add Comment

View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 0

Past 7 Days: 7

Past 30 Days: 37

All Time: 964