MACH7

Oil cooler line removal on a 85 12a

I am trying to loosen the end of the oil cooler line that connects to the front of the engine. When I turn it the oil line starts to twist. Who has taken theirs off that can suggest how I can safely loosen (without damaging the oil line) the front so I can put a new crush washer in to stop an oil leak.

Hades12

Use two wreneches, There is a fitting in the engine that you need to hold still while you turn the one on the line.

This is all assuming you have a Front mount oil cooler. I have no ideal what the beehive fitting looks like.

MACH7

The 85 12a has the "beehive" cooler

Glazedham42

iTrader: (4)

Same idea for the 12A, it's just a metal tube instead of the rubber line for the front mount oil cooler. Here is how to loosen the tube on your 12A. I usually use 1" wrench and a 15/16" wrench for this job. I imagine they are really metric sizes but I've found these two work nicely if you've got them. I'm not sure which wrench fits where, but you can figure that out. Put one wrench on the inside to hold the fitting in the engine still. It may be a tight fit with your fan in there but it can be done, I've done it quite a few times. You can always take it out too if it is in the way. With the first wrench still on the inside fitting, put the other wrench on the nut for the tube. Hold the inside wrench totally still (you don't want the fitting to turn at all inside the engine) and turn the outside wrench on the tubing nut counterclockwise. Counterclockwise would be towards the floor, or the rad, or the front of the car, however you want to look at it. You'll probably only be able to do 1/8 of a turn at a time, but it will come off, so be patient. Have some rags ready for the oil too.

jweather73

Yeah.... I had a hairline crack in mine just between the bend if the pipe and where it goes into the engine. I didn't know it was a crack at the time and though that the nut might not have been tight enough, so I tried to tighten it... didn't fix the leak, so I tried to back it off a bit then re-tighten it...OOPS! That "hairline crack" that I never saw, turned into a huge gash! When the engine got turned on during my many many attempts to "patch" the hole, that gash turned into "Mt. St. Penzoil"... and if you end up getting it replaced, I think Mazdatrix has it for like $125 or so... mine is now "patched" and doesn't leak, but a word to the wise... it ain't pretty if that cracks and needs to be replaced... just be REALLY careful... Good luck!