Page 1 of 1

Clips on the oil cooler hoses.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:21 am
by HowardQ
I may be a bit thick, possibly missing something, (actually just senile I think), but before Christmas I finally got around to having a go at sorting out my oil cooler that has been weeping very slightly since about last January but never got any worse. Didn't want to pay Aprilia £350 or so for a new one so purchased one off Fleabay for a decent price recently, looks a bit tatty but the ex site member that sold it me assures me it's oil tight. I thought I'd fit it for now and probably get the old one rebuilt at somebody like Serck, or posibly a bike rad specialist.
So should have it swapped in half an hour I thought, even an old fart like me.
Thought I'd make sure I could get it off OK before I drained the oil.
Belly pan off, bottom mounting off, look at top two mountings and thought how the feck do I get spanners or sockets on the top mountings.
Took me about an hour the get the top left hand mounting off, (as you look from the front). Managed to loosen it with very thin spanners with different head angles, then finally got it off with a small 1/4 socket on one end when loose enough.
Then just left with the right hand mounting.
I suppose I could take off the whole support bracket that holds the two main rads and the water rads themselves, but did not want to do that, as I was just about to go on holiday. In any case there has to be a way to just get the oil rad off, it looks so easy when you first look at it!
Seems to be no easy way to get a spanner or socket on either the R/H bolt or the nut. The metal pipe and rubber hose make it even worse.
Thought I'd remove the hose and drain the oil anyway, then realised I did not know how to remove the hose clamps, that seem to be crimped on (??), sorry but I grew up with jubilee clips, am I missing something simple here. :smt017
If I chop em off, do I have have to get new clips crimped on or can I go back to my old jubilee clips. :smt017
There looks to be just enough room for them.
Still not sure if do I chop the clips, if this will help me get at the bolt.
In the end I put it all back together and went on holiday.
Back now so any advice will be seriously appreciated !!!

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:54 am
by Pierre
Sorry, had the cooler off but it was all 1 unit with other stuff so cant help there

But I have reused those crap crimp clips but only as i didnt have the right sized jubilee clip to replace it.

I had to use the biggest set of pliers i had and basically just dragged the hooky bit back over the top of the lipped bit, took bloody ages and skinned all 11 knuckles :smt003

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:00 am
by HowardQ
Thanks for the advice Pierre, much appreciated.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:19 am
by D-Rider
Seem to remember the workshop manual tells you that you shouldn't use jubilee clips - presumably the Aprilias manage to vibrate them loose like they do with the normal nuts and bolts ....

.... but as I haven't got a crimping tool or a supply of these crimps, I'll use jubilee clips and try to put them on in such a way that they can't easily come undone.

Not yet taken the cooler or rads off .... but was going to the other week but ran out of time.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:00 pm
by HowardQ
Thanks Andy, that's in line with my thinking.
Will have another go shortly. Just itching to get back on it if we get a fine weekend, not had it out for a while as I was using the old CBR during the cold weather before Christmas and also had the Falco off the road to have new steering head bearings fitted, so can't remember the last time I rode it and in need of a "fix".

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:28 pm
by D-Rider
Howard, I was just looking at the manual for something else but flicked through the section on the oil cooler. It mentions the use of both the crimp fittings and the screw type (ie jubilee clips) - so I think that either are considered fine by Aprilia (at least for this application.

Clips

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:40 pm
by Kenif
I used jubilee clips after the first 312 attempts to reinstall the original clips failed and blood loss was making me dizzy....
:smt009
They're fine :smt004

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:08 pm
by Fausto
Agreed. Those funny clips used as OE require a special tool to apply them and it could be argued that a jubilee clip is better than an incorrectly fitted OE clip.

Try loctite on the jubilee clip if worried about it uncrewing.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:21 pm
by HowardQ
Thanks again for all your help, I am happy using jubilee clips, probably with loctite on the threads, just need to work out how to get that bloody R/H mounting bolt off. May well be easier if I pull the pipe off first, will have a bit more space around the bent alloy intlet pipe.

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:17 am
by Falcopops
Fausto wrote:Agreed. Those funny clips used as OE require a special tool to apply them and it could be argued that a jubilee clip is better than an incorrectly fitted OE clip.

Try loctite on the jubilee clip if worried about it uncrewing.
:smt045 Jubilee clips for me too, although I can understand the concerns. I recall reading something in the Aprilia literature that the o/e clips must be used, but as Andy pointed out there is further Aprilia advice that other clamps can be used.

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:20 pm
by HowardQ
Thanks Dale, although in your case you'll now have to stand on your head and screw them the other way I suppose! :smt005
Hope all goes well for you in the new job.
I would think the standard Falco rear indicators should be OK on the bike as things like that are made for all markets. There are usually only small one off changes like the amber side reflectors added to US models.
If Andy does not manage to find something to measure his with ?? :smt017 ??
I'll check mine when I get home tonight and let you know.