Heat exchanger o-rings. Are they something special?

[Keith-i]

My service manual advises the o-rings on the intercooler and heat exchanger are replaced every 5 years as part of routine checking of the tube stacks. Now each one of these coolers has 4 o-rings which are £20 each from Barrus. Are they anything special or would they be available from other sources for a lot less. I know the dimensions which helps.

 

[Dawnrazor]

Not to my knowledge.

I replaced mine in January, following a strip and clean. I just removed the old ones, measured them and the heat exchanger element with digital vernier calipers, replaced with standard O-Rings and it's been fine ever since.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Not to my knowledge.

I replaced mine in January, following a strip and clean. I just removed the old ones, measured them and the heat exchanger element with digital vernier calipers, replaced with standard O-Rings and it's been fine ever since.

+1, out of my box of assorted o-rings from Lidl (€2.99, AFAIK ).

 

[Norman_E]

Useful guide here. http://www.martins-rubber.co.uk/blog/an-o-ring-material-selection-guide/ I have the box of rings from Lidl and suspect that they are Viton.
Best choices for a heat exchanger may well be Nitrile or Silicone, and I am pretty sure that Martins could advise you.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I buy my O-rings from an outfit that specialises in servicing heavy hydraulic machinery like mobile cranes, earth movers, excavators and similar beasts. If in doubt about the dimensions take one of the old rings with you because they can go up in steps of 0.01mm. The cost, at least for the ones that I use (a 27hp marine Diesel) is nowhere near the figures that you mention.
I also use their O-rings as driving 'belts' for the surface planer/thicknesser that is in the woodwork section of my home workshop!