engine to front oil cooler leak SC

[rlane]

MY 1978 SC has a leak where the flexible hose meets up with the hard line going back to the thermostat (front oil cooler Tstat). Looks like it has to be replaced as a unit. Anybody had experience with this? Issues or problems?
Should I replace the Tstat to oil tank and "S" lines as well? (I assume these are original lines as pretty much everything else on the car is)
Thanks
Richard

[targa80]

The flexible line is crimped to a hardline that connects to the thermostat switch. One of two things are going to happen. (1)You will have no problem removing the bad line. (2)It is going to be a real pain in the A$$ and more than likely you will damage the thermostat. When I did mine I fell into the (2) catagory. The OEM oil line is expensive ~ $250. In my own case the parts guy at the dealership mentioned an after market line for under $100. I went with the aftermarket and it worked just fine. In my own case if I had to do it again I would disconnect the two lines one from the engine and the one from the oil tank. I would remove the thermostat and trombone as one piece and then remove the individual connections on a work bench. You might have to apply heat to break the connections.

[rlane]

Thanks Pat..I had the Tstat out last year when I upgraded to a carrera cooler up front..so maybe that part won't be so bad (FLW-famous last words!)

[82SC]

while getting service at TRE, tim mentioned that my lines were seeping too...he suggested "upgrading" them. He said there were newer and better lines out...

I don't know if he was refering to aftermarket designed ones....

let us know if you find out

MJ

[fredmeister]

Well I will tell you that I replaced both the lines early last year in my 911SC and at Mid Ohio 2 weeks ago the same line you are referring to separated at the fitting where the rubber section connects to the hard line going to the T-stat. Needless to say that at 90 mph I dumped 12 quarts in about 3 seconds all over my right rear tire and the track and half the cars behind me. I was lucky I didn't spin and wreck the car or blow the engine. Still didn't like the fact that I ran for about 2 seconds with the oil light on before managing to shut her down.
I called Pelican to ask for a refund and am in the process of sending in the line to let them examine the manufacturing defect that caused this. I hope it is not a symptom that turns out to happen more than once as I assume that it was the one in a couple thousand pieces that slipped by quality control from the company producing the lines for Pelican.
Moral of the story is replace them and make sure to inspect the new lines at this critical connection point before installing them. You will need to remove the line that runs from the T-stat back to the sump tank before being able to remove the upper line that you mention is leaking (from the engine to the T-stat). The nuts require a large crescent wrench that will fit a 30mm nut.

[rlane]

Dang! I was there Easter weekend at Mid_ohio...which run group were you in?
I am worried because the leak, while still <1 ounce/week is getting bigger!

[fredmeister]

I was there on Palm Sunday with Allegheny region of PCA. Happened between turn 13 and the bridge on the short straight in the back. Turn 13 is the fast left hander before the right hander called "The Carousel".
The rubber hose is held on to the hard line with a compression fitting. This whole assembly pulled off the hard line as it was never crimped properly. Don't know if the aftermarket lines Pelican sells were as good a quality as Porsche would demand, but they seemed pretty good quality other than this failure. Hopefully it was just a fluke.