Factory Sandwich style oil cooler?

[Geeshik]

My Explorer has a strange setup for what looks like an oil cooler just above the oil filter. All parts are badly corroded, including the little steel tank the hose connects to and to my shagrin, the aluminum housing it mounts to. The hose is in very bad condition because it is so close to the exhaust.

I once had a VW Jetta with a very similar setup and it was very problematic. I could not locate a replacement for that one when it went bad to save my life. (I live in Wisconsin where road salt eats everything that isn't soaked in oil or covered in POR 15) I'm not looking forward to trying to find the parts through Ford either as I'm sure that if they are available, they will cost a couple appendages.

Are there aftermarket units that are inexpensive, or is there a way to get rid of this system altogether? This truck has the factory tow package, but it doesn't have the auxiliary heating controls for the second row.

 

[Geeshik]

Oil cooler parts:

Found them on Tousley Ford Parts Depot online. Just the parts i mentioned would be $190 plus shipping. Any better prices out there? Aftermarket? I have to drop a pile of money on getting the timing chain components/gaskets/miscellaneous, and was hoping to figure out something a little cheaper than this as I haven't worked for 3 weeks now.

 

[broncojunkie]

I just posted a thread a few weeks ago when I replaced one of the hoses. It wasn't too bad. Take off the front passenger wheel and you can gain access to most of it through the wheel well. The end of the hose that attaches to the upper water pump is a little rough, but just take your time.

I'm assuming you do know that the system carries coolant and not oil.

That price sounds about right. I had to order my .part through the dealer as well.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=367764

 

[Geeshik]

Thanks for the reply. Not too worried about getting at it, and I know the hose carries coolant into the "sandwich", but oil passes through the center of the sandwich and into the filter. The whole thing is one big corroded mess and I know as soon as I touch it, its going to fall apart. I was just hoping for a less expensive solution or suggestions how to eliminate it.

What style bracket do the Explorers without the factory oil cooler use? Does the filter just bolt to the side of the block, or is there a bracket to keep those filters vertical as well?