The OEM Oil Cooler - What You Need to Know

We have heard a lot of questions and discussion about the new OEM oil cooler. Questions like "Is the new oil cooler really updated? Is it really improved? At Bullet Proof DIesel, we asked these questions too. So, we bought a new oil cooler, cut it in half, and then compared it to the old, problematic OEM version. Here is what we found:

Analysis: Between the old and the new version there is an added layer of coolant pathways. With the increase from 10 coolant pathways to 11, the manufacturer has added ~10% more coolant path through the cooler.

Commentary: There is little doubt that having more coolant levels will extend the length of time required to plug the coolant pathways. However, the real question still remains "How much longer?" If, for example, the average oil cooler goes 50,000 miles before failing, will the new design last 10% longer - say, 55,000 miles?

Conclusion: After adding one additional coolant level, the critical issues with the OEM oil cooler still exist: the plugging of the coolant paths and the internal rupturing of the plates, allowing oil to fill the engine's cooling system.