Saab 9-5 Aero - split oil cooler pipe

[bikerPaul]

My 2007 9-5 threw it's guts all over the road at the weekend thanks to a rotted oil cooler pipe. Thankfully i was literally around the corner from the garage so dropped the car off there.

It transpires that the replacement part is on "back order" from Saab so i am guessing that i am not going to see one anytime soon. evilBay is turning up nothing and a quick tinterweb search seems to return this as a common fault with a few people reporting a similar issue.

Short of getting a replacement made is there anyone with any clever ideas?

Cheers
Paul

[BigTom85]

A temporary solution would be to bypass the cooler with a length of pipe and a couple of jubilee clips.

[bikerPaul]

Looks like i am going to have to get the part made so depending on how long this will take this may well be a short term option.

I don't see the power steering fluid overheating any time soon in Edinburgh. Especially not if todays weather is anything to go by.

[Jakg]

If it's for the power steering I had something similar on my old Proton - the pipe going to the cooler sprang a leak and i lost all my fluid. Couldn't find a replacement (and from what I read they were rubbish anyway) so I removed the entire cooler and bypassed it with some old hose, re-using the clips. Worked fine.

Apparently for that model the cooler was only required in hotter climates. Bit of a bodge, though.

[tonyvid]

My indie spotted mine were rotten before they failed - luckily! It's tucked under the front bumper/undertray so not something that easy to spot as is dissolves away.

Try Leelac in Little Staughton, Beds or http://www.saabtechlimited.co.uk/ (my very good indie) for a secondhand one

[bikerPaul]

tonyvid said:

My indie spotted mine were rotten before they failed - luckily! It's tucked under the front bumper/undertray so not something that easy to spot as is dissolves away.

Try Leelac in Little Staughton, Beds or http://www.saabtechlimited.co.uk/ (my very good indie) for a secondhand one

Thanks fella but i managed to source one through PartsGateway and it should arrive tomorrow. Fingers crossed it is the right bit and the right fit!

P.S. Thumbs up for your indie spying that!

[bikerPaul]

It turned out that the oil cooler pipe i got was from the wrong model so i ended up having to get one made (<£200 so not too bad) as a week off the road was enough.

Whilst it was in the garage i also had an MOT done (passed with just the one advisory thankfully) and a major service including an oil change for the autobox (what a difference!). Anyways, all is good now.

So i am left with the cooler pipe for the power steering hydraulic fluid for a pre-06 (dame edna) model. I don't know if it is generic to all 9-5s before that or not but if anyone wants it before it ends up in the bin then let me know.

Cheers
Paul