Those Deadly Rubber Oil Cooler Lines 2GRFE

[KAA]

Another brilliant video from The Car Care Nut, this one covers replacing the horrible rubber oil cooler lines with the upgraded metal ones on the 2GRFE Engine. As always AMD shows it all in detail with excellent explanations of the correct procedure.

Enjoy All

KAA

 

[Tony Prodigy]

Deadly alright. I don't know what Toyota were thinking designing a ticking time bomb like that Rob.

There is no excuse really for someone to think that passing hot engine oil through a rubber hose would be a good idea right ? I don't understand how management signed off on it at the time either.

Was there a recall on this as there was for the VVTI lines ? I don't remember.

Anyway, the metal replacement part was what they should've used in the place. Better late than never I guess 🤪

[Hiro]

9 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

There is no excuse really for someone to think that passing hot engine oil through a rubber hose would be a good idea right ?

There has to be a rubber hose somewhere in the line to accommodate engine movement (same goes for clutch lines etc, and even exhaust pipes in transverse engines need to have a flex joint of some sort to prevent the flanges from cracking), plenty of oil coolers over the years have used flexible rubber.  The key thing is whether or not THAT section had to be rubber (and whether the chosen rubber was sufficient or not)

[KAA]

Can't recall there ever being a recall on this issue at all and will try and get a peek at mine before Christmas lands on us. I think if there was a recall AMD would have mentioned it in the video as he usually does. Either way I can understand the need for rubber as Ian mentioned but not on a part that can dump all the oil out in a few seconds and make the engine go boom.

KAA

[campbeam]

Instead of a recall, Toyota Australia provides an extended warranty for this issue when this oil cooler line leaks. I have previously researched this so if one of these rubber hoses ruptures and the oil warning light displays pull over immediately and call a tow truck to take your vehicle to the nearest Toyota dealer.

In March 2022 after 15 years and 237.000 kms, this happened the next day after I had arrived at Wagga Wagga rather than on the Newell highway. Very fortunately it was only a leak rather than a rupture so no damage to the engine.

Phoned Toyota Australia Customer Service 1800 869 682 who gave me a warranty claim number and details of the local dealership Thomas Bros Toyota Phone: (02) 6926 0500  Although my Aurion was still driveable, towing was arranged by the dealership. Again very fortunate circumstances in that this large size dealership did have the parts on hand and managed to prioritise the repair so it was done in days instead of weeks.

Big learning from this is to know or be able to access the contact number for Toyota Australia and Toyota dealerships. My unregistered standby Aurion has these rubber oil cooler lines which will be replaced after it is registered and before any road trip.

[Tony Prodigy]

18 hours ago, Hiro said:

There has to be a rubber hose somewhere in the line to accommodate engine movement

I agree. Where it is absolutely necessary.

18 hours ago, Hiro said:

plenty of oil coolers over the years have used flexible rubber.  The key thing is whether or not THAT section had to be rubber (and whether the chosen rubber was sufficient or not)

I understand the need for oil coolers to have a rubber hose connectors. They're typically mounted in the frontal air stream so doesn't get the abuse if it were closer to an area where hot exhaust and general engine heat can degrade those hoses.

I suspect the quality of the rubber used by Toyota was also questionable, seeing that the offending item is mounted close to the engine and exhaust, perhaps more thought could've been given to the longevity of the part. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors hey ?

 

[Tony Prodigy]

10 hours ago, campbeam said:

In March 2022 after 15 years and 237.000 kms, this happened the next day after I had arrived at Wagga Wagga rather than on the Newell highway. Very fortunately it was only a leak rather than a rupture so no damage to the engine.

You were very lucky Ash. It could've been worse. Also lucky to have been given good customer service with the warranty too. 

Good stuff 

[ferrec]

I have a 2008 RX350 (73000km). I went to the Lexus Dealership today (Sydney City Lexus Waterloo). I asked them to replace a metal oil cooler line for my car. But after checking my car, the dealership said it not need to be changed because it has no leak.

Edited January 12, 2023 by ferrec

[ferrec]

On 12/19/2022 at 4:07 AM, Tony Prodigy said:

Was there a recall on this as there was for the VVTI lines ? I don't remember.

there was a recall for the VVTI lines? I didnt know that

Edited January 12, 2023 by ferrec

[Tony Prodigy]

8 hours ago, ferrec said:

there was a recall for the VVTI lines? I didnt know that

Yes. If you had the rubber hosed lines. Can't remember from what year, but I think from around '07 I think. It was the very early 2GR-FE engines. They corrected all the potential failure points with the later models. In the case of the Aurion, the 40 series was the affected model and the 50 series was when all that was done at the factory before it was unleashed.

[campbeam]

22 hours ago, ferrec said:

I have a 2008 RX350 (73000km). I went to the Lexus Dealership today (Sydney City Lexus Waterloo). I asked them to replace a metal oil cooler line for my car. But after checking my car, the dealership said it not need to be changed because it has no leak.

Only when there is a leak or oil seepage from the oil cooler lines will they be replaced by Toyota Australia.

As highlighted by The Car Nut in his YouTube video, these rubber oil cooler lines deteriorate with age become hard and rupture. Essentially they are a ticking time bomb and will eventually fail.

In my case, I got very very lucky with oil seepage under pressure rather than a leak or line rupture. My warning was an oil burning smell and some oil smoke coming from the bonnet. Others on the internet have reported the line failing while driving on the highway and the warning was the low oil pressure light displaying. Only option was to pull over to the side immediately, turn off the engine and then have the vehicle towed to the nearest Toyota dealership. In most cases, there was no detectable engine damage as the engine was turned off in time. Those that ignored the oil warning light did so at their own expense.

Unfortunately, my stand by Aurion has the rubber oil cooler lines which will need to be replaced following registration and before any highway driving.

22 hours ago, ferrec said:

there was a recall for the VVTI lines? I didnt know that

There is no current recall or extended warranty for the rear VVTi line which has the rubber mid-section. The front VVTi line is full metal so no problem. I understand that back in 2008-09 there was a limited Toyota Service Bulletin [TSB] and a kit was made available to dealers to replace that rubber mid-section with an upgraded quality rubber. If so, there would be a record and maybe even a sticker placed on the driver's door opening of the chassis adjacent to the dashboard.

Later manufactured vehicles have the full metal rear VVTi line. This is the case for my standby Aurion manufactured December 2008.

I anticipate that only if/when the upgraded rubber mid-section hose that was replaced under this previous TSB would Toyota Australia replace this rear VVTi line with a full metal version at their expense.

Any vehicle still with this original rubber mid-section in the rear VVTi line will eventually need to have the full metal line and it will be at the owner's expense. This is exactly what I had to do. Amazing how much oil flows down the side of the engine at idle just from an undetectable pinhole leak. Very fortunately, I had previously done my research on this known issue and had the parts on hand. It was a very frustrating weekend spent replacing that rear VVTi line.

In conclusion, please call Toyota Australia Customer Service on 1800 869 682 to confirm which oil lines will be covered.