If willing/able to remove or replace the hoses there is no need to remove the filter nipple. From the factory they appear to be somehow loc-tited in place. They can be a bear to remove. Usually it is best to replace those two hoses while there anyway. They love to get pin holes. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of John Rodgers
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2015 5:05 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 2.1 L Oil Cooler Seal Replacement

Boy, did I learn a lesson today! When you start a job be sure you have on hand  ALL the parts in question.

The  change-out went well - I had done this on my '88 GL easy enough - until I started to remove the pipe that goes through the oil cooler. Slid the internal pipe wrench inside to loosen it - and the end of the pipe wrench inside the pipe sheared off, leaving no way to remove it or the pipe.

After a bit of consternation I called Van Cafe and got a new one shipped.
It will be here MONDAY. In the meantime I used a pipe wrench to remove the pipe, which of course detroyed the threads on one end of the pipe.

The lesson here is, be sure ALL elements of the job are taken into account before starting.  The pipe I should have thought of as a failure point and had another on hand. Had the molded hoses if I had to take them off the cooler. That would have been the time to replace them, but the pipe I never thought about. So, I am delayed tbree days before I can button it up and hit the road.

John