Installing an oil cooler?

[spetz]

To my knowledge, you can't just install an oil cooler to work all the time... and you use something like a thermostat that only flows oil through the oil cooler when the oil is getting hot.

Is this true? If so where can I buy these parts and for how much? Assuming I already have an oil cooler and just need those additional parts

[BLKCRX]

What the !! LOL

All the oil coolers I’ve ever seen never use a thermostat, they typically using an adaptor from the back of the block, either relocating the filter or a sandwich on the back.
These work all day every day, as oil never stops circulating.

A good adaptor will cost 100$
A good oil cooler will cost $280 - $380
Branded Earls teflon lines will be 100$ per M
Earls fittings –an 10 approx 50 – 100$ per fitting ( total fittings 4 or 6 )

As for who can do this, your local performance workshop can.

Regards James

[Steer^Gimic]

What the !! LOL

All the oil coolers I’ve ever seen never use a thermostat, they typically using an adaptor from the back of the block, either relocating the filter or a sandwich on the back.
These work all day every day, as oil never stops circulating.

A good adaptor will cost 100$
A good oil cooler will cost $280 - $380
Branded Earls teflon lines will be 100$ per M
Earls fittings –an 10 approx 50 – 100$ per fitting ( total fittings 4 or 6 )

As for who can do this, your local performance workshop can.

Regards James


are you sure??
iv heard about thermostats for oil coolers to operate at certain temps. alot of street/track cars block off the cooler when every day driving with a plate or iv even seen a piece of cardboard a few times.

[whtdc2]

the one I've got "Trust oil cooler" comes with a thermostats sandwich plate, and I think all the Japanese brand oil cooler comes with thermostats sandwich plate

[BLKCRX]

i use the earls ones n yeah no thermostat in those ;)
If you need a oil cooler, you can never have to cold oil !!

Regards James

[Boost]

hmmm interesting.. i guess there is really no point in circulatiing the oil to the cooler if cooling is not required.

[BLKCRX]

hmmm interesting.. i guess there is really no point in circulatiing the oil to the cooler if cooling is not required.

Why not ? doesn’t cooler oil perform better than hotter oil ?



Thus the cooler your oil the better..

[e240]

Why not ? doesn’t cooler oil perform better than hotter oil ?



Thus the cooler your oil the better..

Not true. Oils have a working temp. If you're oil is not at Op temp, you will face accelerated wear.

[bennjamin]

Not true. Oils have a working temp. If you're oil is not at Op temp, you will face accelerated wear.

for sure...i have read ( not just on HT) that using a oil cooler on the street can be dangerous for engines under normal driving conditions - that is , other extremes when excess cold or wet weather etc creating sludge build up and flow restrictions in the cooler itself and then engine failure....

It makes sense - peeps have used simple cardboard to blocke the coolign fins during normal road use etc but can a brain here expand upon the viscocity ratings of SOME oils ? ( that is , "race" oils etc that could clug up under cooler conditions) ?

[Boost]

like others have said... oil performs optimal at the correct temp.

[spetz]

Yeah I was aware that around 80 degrees is the best temp for the oil to be (obviously dependant on what oil you use).
And I am sure oil cooler should have a temp trigger that say the oil reaches 90 degrees it starts flowing through the cooler, and once it drops to say 80 it just goes directly to the engine again?

What do people think of the ebay oil coolers? They are roughly $100 oil cooler only which is a 19 row cooler.
Can the temp switch work with these or are there special coolers for this stuff?

[BiGANG]

What do people think of the ebay oil coolers? They are roughly $100 oil cooler only which is a 19 row cooler.
Can the temp switch w...ork with these or are there special coolers for this stuff?

I dont see anything being wrong with the ebay oil coolers, Just make sure you get quality hoses n fittings when you hook it all up, which is the most expensive thing anyway in most cases if you get braided hoses. The thermostat thing would be (if you get one) on the engine with the hoses attached to that so it shouldnt be a problem hooking up to a different cooler.

[Weq]

james, is that really u?? running a oil cooler without a thermostat is a ticking timebomb.

[smoknhothonda]

for sure...i have read ( not just on HT) that using a oil cooler on the street can be dangerous for engines under normal driving conditions - that is , other extremes when excess cold or wet weather etc creating sludge build up and flow restrictions in the cooler itself and then engine failure....

It makes sense - peeps have used simple cardboard to blocke the coolign fins during normal road use etc but can a brain here expand upon the viscocity ratings of SOME oils ? ( that is , "race" oils etc that could clug up under cooler conditions) ?

Sludge build up is caused by infrequent oil changes, not by an oil cooler...

But yes oil needs to reach a certain operating temp to start working effectively, generally this takes around 30 mins of driving.

If you do stop start runs every day (10 mins), and dont change the oil frequently, this is when you get a sludge buildup.

As far as I know an oil cooler is only really needed if the car sees the odd track days driven under extreme conditions.

A fresh top up of Castrol R 10W-60 before a track meet without an oil cooler would be fine in most circumstances.

[bennjamin]

Sludge build up is caused by infrequent oil changes, not by an oil cooler...


you mis-understood my post. I refer all points to a earlier statement that a thermostat is NOT needed for a external aftermarket oil-cooler...which afaik ( and logically) is not correct.

Point is - we need to know IF a aftermarket oilcooler (without some sort of thermostat to re-route oil ONCE it has reached past normal operating temp.) will leave a engine starved of properly flowing oil where it needs it during every day to day driving. That is , without a thermostat the oil will not actually heat up to the rated viscocity as the routed flow thru the cooler plates will reduce the temp and keep it below the oils rated range...

[CONAN]

A fresh top up of Castrol R 10W-60 before a track meet without an oil cooler would be fine in most circumstances.

What kind of cars do you suggest this oil is used for?

[smoknhothonda]

[QUOTE=bennjamin]you mis-understood my post. I refer all points to a earlier statement that a thermostat is NOT needed for a external aftermarket oil-cooler...which afaik ( and logically) is not correct.

for sure...i have read ( not just on HT) that using a oil cooler on the street can be dangerous for engines under normal driving conditions - that is , other extremes when excess cold or wet weather etc creating sludge build up and flow restrictions in the cooler itself and then engine failure....

I really cant see how using a oil cooler on a street car can be dangerous under normal driving conditions.

If excess cold and wet weather conditions were to create sludge buildup, the oil just has to be changed more often....

Im not in for a bitch session, but I think that info is a bit misleading (using an oil cooler on a street car under normal driving conditions)

Im sure any red blooded ozhonda regular wont be just driving under normal driving conditions :P

But seriously an oil cooler can only benefit, if the car sees the odd track day, and has a turbo/supercharger kit, or even mild mods like cams/ECU etc.

Castrol R 10W-60 can be used in anything from a 1.6L civic through to a group A commodore. (Larry perkins uses this stuff).

But for a daily driver this oil is a bit too extreme, a 5W-30/10W-40 would be more suitable.

[bennjamin]

Castrol R 10W-60 can be used in anything from a 1.6L civic through to a group A commodore. (Larry perkins uses this stuff).

But for a daily driver this oil is a bit too extreme, a 5W-30/10W-40 would be more suitable.

Ofcourse aftermarket oil coolers are an investment for your car and will work great for both normal driving (liek normal ) and for hi revs (extra line opens up to the cooler:)) but we are speaking in terms of a oil cooler WITHOUT a thermostat as mentioned before.
my question is relative to this part ...to the viscocity ratings of oil at start and warmed up :)

HOW can a NON-thermostat equipped aftermarket oil cooler effect oil efficiency ? CAN normal driving conditions and the cooler part of the oil route adversley effect the heat up/cool down cycle of oil ? Hence , prematurely wearing main bearings etc ? etc etc etc...