LT1 Oil Cooler lines

How hard is it to replace the engine oil cooler lines? I'm replacing the radiator in my '94 Roadmaster wagon and the engine oil cooler lines have always leaked a little if the car sits. I would actually prefer to eliminate the oil cooler but a lot of folks on this forum seem to have trouble with the adapters when they do this and I don't have time right now for experimentation. In any case the radiator I ordered has the engine cooler in it. Should I go ahead and replace it or is it a bear? Normally it would be a no-brainer but with work and school and my commute I'm pinched for time and plus I have a new-to-me every day car that has not proven itself yet and I don't like not having my backup car. It will still be at least two weeks before I can get to it. Also, Rock Auto has the GM lines and I generally put nothing on this car except OEM but Dorman has a set that's half the cost. Any opinion? Money is a little tighter than usual too. Thanks.

I bought the dorman and am having trouble with the lines and gasket sealing haven't had time to pull it apart but may get rid of it all together... Jeff

My doorman set has been fine so far.

My old part had about 1/2" removed from the center of the metal and rubber gasket (cut into two parts) that bolts between the lines and adapter how did your dorman part go together there? As one gasket? Jeff

I bought these lines recently. I just cut the middle part out of the gasket making it two pieces and it should fit fine.

What gasket are you talking about? My dorman came with two single gaskets much like an ac line.

Thanks 95blackwagon this seems to be the fix. Jeff

71novaguy maybe you got lucky and they supplied you with the right ones. Your welcome bamalongroof.

I ordered mine through advance auto and they show it with the two single gaskets in their online pics

That would have saved me a tense moment. Jeff

I replaced my leaking cooler lines with OEM lines from GM. They leak as bad as the originals. Has anyone had better luck with Dorman or other brand replacements?

The leak is at the crimp between the metal portion and the hose.

bocoogto wrote:

I replaced my leaking cooler lines with OEM lines from GM. They leak as bad as the originals. Has anyone had better luck with Dorman or other brand replacements?

The leak is at the crimp between the metal portion and the hose.

I had that leak at the exact same spot. The lines were replaced once by the dealer, by the way, which caused me additional grief since the stud in the cooler housing had damaged threads and stripped out under pressure. Sprayed almost all the oil out of the car.

I'm surprised to hear that the replacement OEM lines have the same problem. I got a set of AC Delco lines from Rock Auto and they were fine. I had to helicoil the stud mounting hole and I would recommend ditching the Dorman elastometric seals and getting the genuine GM ones. The GM dealer one-piece gasket worked much better. If it's leaking there, by the way, make sure the stud is completely seated in the body of the cooler. If it's standing off any amount, it won't seal properly.

I had that leak.
Fixed by cutting off the crimp using my dremel.
Replaced crimp with hose clamp. So was fairly simple to fix.

The rubber hose fails gets loose, nothing wrong the metal tubing.