oil leak from the cooler/radiator

[Tuga2112]

I phoned coolexperts about the oil cooler, asked to speak with steve but didnt get there, the guy i spoke with checked hes paperwork and told me £234 plus VAT.
at this point SJs altenrative is a better option (at 196 + vat).

I am surprised the coolexperts price tag to be higher than SJ's but nothing i can do about that.

at the moment im more inclined in doing the same Pinky did a few years ago.

[GeoffSmith]

I phoned coolexperts about the oil cooler, asked to speak with steve but didnt get there, the guy i spoke with checked hes paperwork and told me £234 plus VAT.
at this point SJs altenrative is a better option (at 196 + vat).

I am surprised the coolexperts price tag to be higher than SJ's but nothing i can do about that.

at the moment im more inclined in doing the same Pinky did a few years ago.

If you didn't talk to him then I suggest you e-mail Steve and ask him if there is an LEC discount (similar to the one for the radiator) otherwise you'll go to SJs.

[Tuga2112]

If you didn't talk to him then I suggest you e-mail Steve and ask him if there is an LEC discount (similar to the one for the radiator) otherwise you'll go to SJs.

i did email them at "info@" email address. with a header on the style "FAO steve Elan M100 oil cooler" still no reply to that.

[GeoffSmith]

If you didn't talk to him then I suggest you e-mail Steve and ask him if there is an LEC discount (similar to the one for the radiator) otherwise you'll go to SJs.

i did email them at "info@" email address. with a header on the style "FAO steve Elan M100 oil cooler" still no reply to that.

His profile has his e-mail address, which is more likely to get straight to him.

[Tuga2112]

His profile has his e-mail address, which is more likely to get straight to him.

ill give that a try when im home tonight. thx

[Tuga2112]

Ive managed to find a post from Steve where he disclosed hes email address whithin the company as suspected. "steve@coolexperts.co.uk"
I have emailed him, explaining my position as well as how everyone else advised me to contact him, and provided a couple of links to my profile in the forum and the yellow car project thread, just for the sake of demonstrating im not just a random guy joining the forum to get the discount.

now that i had some time to look over the figures. I noticed the "coincidence" that SJs price + VAT is pretty much the same price i was given without VAT from coolexperts when i called this morning.
im starting to think the price i was given was incorrect and that vat was already included in the number (although the person on the phone specifically said "plus Vee Ay Tee" )

ill wait for a reply from steve till tomroow evening, and then make up my mind.

[Tuga2112]

still waiting for a message from Steve.

I Have however looked further into alternative solutions. as the estimated cost of 250 feels like being exploited for the brand name when the setrab oil cooler is priced on the 120-150 range.

I will be purchasing the bits needed to create a decent test jig for the cooler in order to pinpoint exactly where the leak is.
attempt fixing it using alluminium brazing technique, testing it to 13-15 bar on cold oil, and follow up with fitting in the car, and letting it warm up to see if temperature makes a difference.

There's a pirteck centre close by where i live (perks of living near birmingham) which i will visit next weekend in order to enquire about getting some new feed and return pipes

As a fallback I also have purchased some alluminium sheets in order to experiment with the strenght of the bonds in order to fabricate my own brakets for a standard setrab cooler which i can source from some place close to derby.

if the original fix doesnt work, and when i arrive to collect the setrab cooler i find it to need more work than just brackets i am expecting... then the last fallback is SJs

[Simon_P]

Reading your post, a couple of things may be useful to you.

The original lotus part is a modified Setrab cooler, its an odd size so Setrab are the only source.

The SJ cooler is a modified Setrab part. You can by the Setrab cooler and modify it yourself. Forget about welding aluminium just make the parts and take them to someone who can there is only about £10 to £20 of welding to be done.

Forget repairing the old one, it isn't going to work.

The new Setrab cooler has a different thread so needs adapters. The adapters make the pipe fitting and clearance harder than it is already.

If the coolexperts cooler is a modified Setrab cooler then you have a direct comparison, if they make it themselves it should be to the original spec and not need adapters.

If the oil cooler hoses have the original bulbous swaged ends they need changing, if the swage is parallel it should be ok.