Duramax Oil Cooler Upgrade | Keep Those Temps Down

In this video, Nick from Duramax Service Center discusses oil coolers, focusing on a truck that came in with leaks in its oil cooler. Rather than rebuilding the existing oil cooler, Nick recommends upgrading to a Max Flow oil cooler, which offers superior cooling capacity and several improvements over the stock version. One significant upgrade is the switch from a metal gasket to a rubber gasket on the elbow where the coolant flows through. The metal gasket used in the stock oil cooler is prone to pinching, which can cause leaks that are difficult to stop once they start. The rubber gasket on the Max Flow oil cooler is easier to install without causing leaks.

Nick explains that a common area for leaks in these trucks is where the coolant and oil travel together. Leaks can occur at the oil filter if it's not tightened properly, or from the O-rings that connect the oil cooler to the engine block. However, the most frequent issue they see is coolant leaking at the elbow, which the upgraded oil cooler addresses effectively.

Another notable feature of the Max Flow oil cooler is the option to install an oil temperature sensor, a feature that is not available on the stock trucks. The Max Flow cooler also uses a different oil filter from the 2020 models, requiring an upgrade from the standard 2001-2019 filters. For those with stock manifolds, some modifications, such as grinding down the heat shield, may be necessary to fit the new oil cooler, but the instructions provided are straightforward.

Nick concludes by mentioning that they will install the Max Flow oil cooler to keep the oil temperatures down and get the truck back on the road.