Here are some pics I took uder the car of left and right heat exchangers and oil filter. The right heat exchanger along with the oil cooler and oil filter have oil dripping down on them. This is what the mechanic will be working on Nov early. I assume these are galvanized heat exchangers can anyone tell? Anyone offer reasons why oil is dripping down on oil cooler, oil filter and right heat exchanger? Remember I am not a mechanic, wanted to get opinions/possiblilities on where the oil may be coming from, might share this with the mechanic early Nov. Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

use a magnet

Before you and your mechanic remove the filter or the oil cooler change the oil pressure switch. They get hot and the plastic cracks with age allowing the switch to leak. Been there AL

The HEs look like stainless.

Who ever invented the term stainless steel was a liar

There are lots of grades of "stainless". They range from those that corrode only minimally to those that corrode heavily but will take a long time to actually rust through even though they look terrible.

SSI heat exchangers are somewhere in the middle of that spectrum.

Be aware that the 400 series stainless steels are magnetic.

Many OEM exhaust systems on modern cars are 400 series stainless. Have to meet EPA lifecycle requirements for emissions. Will not easily rust though but don't need to look pretty and brown surface corrosion is not a key concern.

Great advice.....easy to check.

The oil cooler seals...not so easy. Having done those with the engine in the car....I'd yank the engine if I had to do it again.

And if you have the engine out....slippery slope...might as well do the galley plugs, and the clutch if it looks worn....that too.

Otherwise, get a drip pan.

The HE's... the early SS IIRC used CS tubes and SS shells. Later they used SS tubes which had a tendency to stress relieve and crack at the tubes and then at the ears used to mount the HE's . These should be inspected every year for that. Don't depend on some "mechanic" to do this....be my advice.

Are you suggesting that SSI HE's are that particular grade of stainless?
I wasnt talking about other OEM's I know from experience that SSI's boxes will (not)
pass the magnet test, no matter how ugly they may be.

Nope. I don't know what SSI's are made of for sure but appearnace suggests 300 series.

Sorry if I implied that SSI's were magnetic. That wasn't my intent.

Thanks to all........I am going to a special mechanic with lots of 914 experience, I would not take this car to any mechanic, would not trust them at all with these cars, thanks to all for any advise, opinions, suggestions.

When CRES is work hardened it can become magnetic. Since these were drawn or stamped they were probably annealed first which has a tendency for the carbon to migrate towards the grain boundry of the metal.

I wrote a paper on this once.....now.....where did I put that paper?