1990 K2500 Oil Cooler Lines

[Tristin Bowen]

I'm hoping this is the place to come for questions like this. I'm replacing my oil cooler lines, and I cant seem to find new lines that look like the original lines that went in the truck. I have gone to Autozone, Orileys, and looked online, and I must be missing something. Ill add a picture of my cooler lines, can someone help me find the right replacement part? All the replacement parts I can find dont have as much metal hose, its more rubber hose than not. And maybe I just need to make those work, but it seems sketchy. Engine is 350 if that helps. Thanks! 

[Supreme Pizza]

I would not be concerned about the amount of rubber. The only part that needs to be metal is the very ends, where it bolts up.

 

The rubber is to allow the engine to move independently of the cooler. So the more rubber there is, the less flex there would be on the rubber, as it would distributed over a larger area. The fact is though, the movement is so minute, that its completely trivial. Anyway, I would just buy what ever hoses will bolt up. The amount of rubber does matter in my opinion. For that matter, you could even repair you existing lines. Just use a small pipe cutter to remove the rubber sections, flare the ends, and install new hose sections.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Supreme Pizza

[Tristin Bowen]

Thanks for the reply, that makes sense about the flex in the hose. From what I have read, these lines leak all the time. It might be a good idea to just fix the rubber like you suggested, but that might be outside my ability at the moment. I guess I just try to throw the generic lines on. I bet they will work just fine. 

[Supreme Pizza]

If you have the ability to take those on and off, then you have the ability to fix them.

 

Total cost: Between $20 and $35.

Total time to replace the rubber sections: 15 minutes.

 

Just don't use a hacksaw, you really need the pipe cutter.

 

You could even skip flaring the ends if you had to - by using sand paper on the sections of pipe, to keep the hoses from slipping off.

 

You would need to measure the outside diameter of your metal pipes before ordering the hose.

 

 

 Here is what you would need:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Edward-Tools-Harden-Mini-Cutter/dp/B08WJTN9LY/ref=sr_1_21?crid=2NNIX7PQKDKC8&keywords=pipe+cutter&qid=1642215817&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sprefix=pipe+cutte%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-21

 

https://www.amazon.com/Expander-Expanding-Universal-Refrigeration-Swaging/dp/B077RT3D79/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mishimoto-Black-MMHOSE-CC12-4-Universal-Catch/dp/B07NPH92J5/ref=sr_1_6?crid=19IV3XPQ16HZT&keywords=oil+hose+universal&qid=1642215963&sprefix=oil+hose+universal%2Caps%2C274&sr=8-6

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by Supreme Pizza

[richard wysong]

if its 4wd theres not a lot of clearance for the larger rubber hose. Ive replaced mine a couple times and get them from the dealer. they suck to do with 4wd, jack the motor up, take the motor mount off etc. sometimes they leak at the crimps and sometimes they rust out

[richard wysong]

the pipes are metric so if you decide to repair them make sure you get the right hose , it has to be designed for hot oil. I would use hydraulic hose. if theres a place near you that makes hydraulic hoses they can crimp new hoses to the pipes. I would just order them from GM if I was doing the job. too much work to do it twice

[Tristin Bowen]

Thanks for the tip on the metric. I do have a 4wd, and it does seem like a tight fit. I think I will try to fix the rubber portion first, and I guess plan B is to either go to the dealer or use the generic version. I found some YouTube videos on how to replace those clip on hose fittings at the oil filter adapter too, so if I'm doing it I might as well do that too! 

 

My truck has leaked a small amount of oil for years now, I assume from the crimps. A week ago or so I heard spurting under the truck, and I was hemorrhaging oil. The stream was coming from the oil filter adapter, and it has sorta escalated from there. Thanks for the help and suggestions! 

[richard wysong]

you might try a NAPA store, sometimes their parts are reboxed factory parts

[Supreme Pizza]

3 hours ago, Tristin Bowen said:

Thanks for the tip on the metric. I do have a 4wd, and it does seem like a tight fit. I think I will try to fix the rubber portion first, and I guess plan B is to either go to the dealer or use the generic version. I found some YouTube videos on how to replace those clip on hose fittings at the oil filter adapter too, so if I'm doing it I might as well do that too! 

 

My truck has leaked a small amount of oil for years now, I assume from the crimps. A week ago or so I heard spurting under the truck, and I was hemorrhaging oil. The stream was coming from the oil filter adapter, and it has sorta escalated from there. Thanks for the help and suggestions! 

 

 

 

For the routing of the old cooling lines, keep in mind that you can rout them how ever you want. For example: When you replace the rusted out metal brake lines that run from the master cylinder to all 4 wheels, there is a way to make the job much faster. You leave the old lines in place. Just leave all the rusted lines on the vehicle, and use them as an approximate guide on where to run the new lines. Sometimes you deviate from the path and go over the frame rather than under. So with the oil cooler lines, you can run the hoses where ever you want. The more rubber hose you have, them more options you have. You can have them twist around your driver seat headrest if you want, so that you have a "hat warmer".

 

 

 

 

[richard wysong]

the only problem with that is there is VERY little clearance between the engine and the differential,thats why they use the long pipes short hoses. you could probably have hoses made except for the stupid connectors on both ends. it may be possible to change the connectors on the engine but the 1s on the rad hold the cooler into the rad tank so you would have to make an adaptor

[DonYukon]

I got tired of fixing those , i ran a delete kit on mine with zero issues since  32k miles now and no issues 

[newdude]

On 1/14/2022 at 8:24 PM, Tristin Bowen said:

I'm hoping this is the place to come for questions like this. I'm replacing my oil cooler lines, and I cant seem to find new lines that look like the original lines that went in the truck. I have gone to Autozone, Orileys, and looked online, and I must be missing something. Ill add a picture of my cooler lines, can someone help me find the right replacement part? All the replacement parts I can find dont have as much metal hose, its more rubber hose than not. And maybe I just need to make those work, but it seems sketchy. Engine is 350 if that helps. Thanks! 

 

 

The OEM lines are still available.  12472286 and 12472285. 

 

GM probably altered the design over the years slightly which is why they might look different.