One of the ugliest spots on my bike are the oil cooler lines. They aren't the only rusty spot, but the most visible, sticking out like a sore thumb. Last year, maybe the year before, I got a set of new old ones from eBay and intended to swap them out with the next oil change. But, there they sat on my messy work bench, stuffed in a box with other Duc odds and ends.
Recently, I started cleaning up my work space and bought a second tool box so I could fully separate all my SAE and Metric tools. The Metric went into my fancy new box, and the barely used SAE and specialty tools stayed in the old Craftsman. I still need to address the other cabinet, but those drawers are overflowing, so a larger one is the only fix. While cleaning up the rest of the clutter, I found the oil cooler lines and decided now was the time.
After a general application of PB Blaster and some soak time, the old ones came off without issue. However, the vibration dampeners tore apart when I tried to remove the cooler side connections. Luckily, I found a set on Amazon and they should be here any day. I ordered 2 sets so I could keep a spare. With older bikes, that's generally a good idea. Sometimes, it's the only option, like when I had to order the vacuum port o-rings for the Hurricane. I got them from a manufacturer and could only get them in a large quantity.
There is plenty of other rust to tackle, like the crusty header pipes but that's off season work, along with those pesky leaking head o-rings. Maybe I'll add another bike to the garage this year, so the Duc can be down for extended service and clean up?
Stay safe out there!
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