ird cooler pipes

I have a freelander td4 year 2000. sprung a water leak from an ird cooler pipe, i put her onto a ramp to find that the metal pipe that goes into the ird cooler has split but must of been squashed for a long time (maybe on a previous repair) anyway for a temp repair i bypassed it by joining the rubber hoses together. there is no way that the metal pipe can be repaired as the damage is rite on the ird cooler access point. it looks as if there has been no water passing through the kinked metal pipe for a long time, and my question is how important is it that a replacement is to be done or can i get away with leaving it as is?
Thanks in advance

Nightmare

There should never have been an inter-cooler, not in the 1.8 petrol or manual diesels anyway.

For the V6 or auto boxes, possibly

A new cooler is around £80, the IRD has to come out to replace it.
I'd leave it bypassed, maybe make an airflow in the sump guard.

Northern Irelander said:

Nightmare

There should never have been an inter-cooler, not in the 1.8 petrol or manual diesels anyway.

For the V6 or auto boxes, possibly

A new cooler is around £80, the IRD has to come out to replace it.
I'd leave it bypassed, maybe make an airflow in the sump guard.

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Thanks for your comment. btw it is a diesel auto. i have looked all over to get the info of weather to have it repaired or just leave well alone..

I think N.I's idea is the most practical if you just do normal driving on the roads, don't tow serious weight trailers or do any serious off roading. Such activity is more likely get the IRD hot. Basically if you're not having the hammer the drivechain for long periods of time you should be okay.

The oil cooling is to keep the oil from getting too light that it stops working and lets metal hit metal. Not ideal.

IRD units are expensive. The cooling system is required because very little airflow passes over the IRD due to its location, therefore NIs suggestion re air-scoop will certainly help. I would also change IRD oil (easy job) for semi or full synthetic oil.

whats the pipe made of & have you a pic of the damage?

oggy said:

whats the pipe made of

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Aluminium, the cheapest thinnest sort they (LR+Austrians) could muster

You couldn't repair or weld, copious amounts of Tec7 would even struggle to do the job.

No access 'in-situ' due to the IRD bracket, it really is a let down on the design front.

We use a product at work for repairing aluminium oil coolers etc. It is heat cured so the lack of space would be a problem.
At £104 a tube it aint cheap though

here is a picture of the sqashed pipe. i think that it must of been like this for a long time as i have been smelling coolant when i get out of my landy, it must have been weeping from the pipe untill this week when it decided to break into a full motion waterfall!!

Mangled

I see there is a tad more space between the cooler and bracket in the auto-box setup. Still not enough to get at it.

I have a thread 'IRD removal', if you are wanting to sort the prob. Personally I don't think it is worth the heartache.

oggy said:

We use a product at work for repairing aluminium oil coolers etc. It is heat cured so the lack of space would be a problem.
At £104 a tube it aint cheap though

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No not exactly cheap, if I was going to repair, I'd use same bore copper pipe, anything is possible

As the primary source of heat generation in the IRD is the hypoid bevel drive, going mondo by removing the prop shaft would unload it and minimise heat development. At least this would give you more time to consider your options without doing irrepairable damage.

Thanks for all of your help on the matter. i am going to take your advice and make an air scoop and also change the oil. can you point out where the drain and fill is for please? thanks in advance........

Download 'RAVE' workshop manual via 'Greenoval' an absolute must have for the 'hands on' owner.

Remove flimsy plastic underbelly panel & chuck it, that will make things a bit cooler on the move

I have looked at the Rave cd but there is no place on there telling me where to find the drain and fill plugs!!!! or even how much it takes !!!

markiep said:

I have looked at the Rave cd but there is no place on there telling me where to find the drain and fill plugs!!!! or even how much it takes !!!

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Maintenance. p 171 IRD non NAS models

Capacities. p 151.

Dann said:

Maintenance. p 171 IRD non NAS models

Capacities. p 151.

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Great thanks for your help

Hi all
Just joining in with this thread
I’ve a 04reg td4
And am in process of swapping my slave cylinder
Which excellently placed inside the gearbox housing
OMG
Anyway long story short
Removed IRD
Tonight
And underestimated the weight
It literally dropped an inch longer than anticipated and totally snapped of cooler pipes
At the point where there’s a bracket fixing it to IRD
I don’t have prop so it’s literally front wheel drive permanently
I have IRD in my little hideout ( the shed )
Can I get joints for the aluminium pipes or could I get longer hoses
Actually the only hose that would be to short is the one which seems to got to back of engine block
Other is of a T connection higher up
Also Is there any oil seals etc that need to be replaced whilst. IRD is out
Thinking Drive shafts and looks like a little rubber ring seal on End of shafts
Help