Trans Cooler Leaking?

[picklesRs4]

Hey guys I had my stagea rsfour on the hoist at work yesterday trying to find a leak from my engine, im new to these motors so im not 100% sure but I think its my trans cooler right where it comes out of the trans, just above the oil filter. Basically can anybody confirm this for me? Also if it is trans cooler is it better to go genuine Nissan or aftermarket?

[GTSBoy]

That's not a trans cooler. That is the engine oil to water (coolant) heat exchanger. For warming up the oil faster and then kinda keeping it cool(er) when running normally.

It may be damaged, in which case getting it off pronto would be a dead necessity. But it may just be that it is leaking from the oil filter gasket. Give the area a degrease, take it for a drive, have another look.

[picklesRs4]

Ok I was way off haha. I cleaned it up last night and will bring my car In again tonight to see exactly where it's coming from. Would it be worthwhile just replacing the whole thing rather than seeing how gaskets go? The motor is nearing 150, 000 km

[GTSBoy]

You can't buy an aftermarket one, there's no such thing. Nissan might stock them, but they'd be a million dollars. They do have a reputation for failing internally and then mixing oil and water (obviously not good). When that happens people usually just get rid of them and/or replace with an external oil cooler (but then sadly losing the warming up aspect of it).

If it is leaking oil externally, I would be very surprised to see that it wasn't just leaking from the filter gasket.

[picklesRs4]

Alright I guess I'll give Nissan a call tonight and get some gaskets, seems like I may as well go ahead and at least give that a go. Doesn't seem to be leakong internaly, no oil in the coolant and vice versa. Thanks for the help as well, much appreciated

[Ben C34]

As Gtsboy eluded to, check the oil filter gasket first, and make sure filter is tight enough before you go buying stuff.

[scotty nm35]

Not sure about the RB one, but on the VQ there is a large Oring behind it too, which is known to leak. I doubt they are much different in design.

[GTSBoy]

Alright I guess I'll give Nissan a call tonight and get some gaskets, seems like I may as well go ahead and at least give that a go. Doesn't seem to be leakong internaly, no oil in the coolant and vice versa. Thanks for the help as well, much appreciated

Apart from the o-ring behind it that Scotty mentioned, the gasket you are interested in is not a Nissan supply. It is the standard rubber gasket that comes on every oil filter.

If it is leaking from there, then the chances are that the filter is just not tightened up enough, or at install time someone managed to damage the gasket or make it pop out of the groove that it is supposed to be in, or something similar.

[picklesRs4]

Oh right, thought we were talking abouy a seperate gasket. I serviced it myself 2, 000 km ago and there was a little bit of oil around already, I'll check everythong again and degrease again and see how I go

[picklesRs4]

Think it is that heat exchanger leaking. Checked the filter by hand and it was tight, and there wasn't a lot of oil around the seal other than what came off the exchanger

[scotty nm35]

So unbolt the water part and look at the condition of the O ring behind it. You will have to replace it I am sure.

[picklesRs4]

Haven't pulled anything apart yet but it seems to be coming from behond the main housing for the oil warmer so im going to go with what I've been told and het and o ring for it and change it when I service my car