Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

I just purchased an oil cooler, and am thinking of how to hook it all up.

I was going to simply buy a remote filter relocation kit, and run one of the lines into the oil cooler.

I'm wondering if I should use a thermostat.

I've noticed some oil cooler kits for sale on the forums, don't use thermostats and some do.

Just wondering if it would be dangerous not using a thermostat, for a car that is half street driven, half track driven.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/
Share on other sites

You don't need a thermostat.

My r32 oil temp gets up to 180 degrees farenheit (autometer oil temp gauge) pretty quick. The cooler is right behind the front bar so gets lots of air. Only time it had any trouble is driving on the highway though crazy heavy rain at night. Oil temps didn't get above 150.

Just run a cover over it if you are worried.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1675582
Share on other sites

thanks for the link

hm, I think I'll use a cover on it. I'm not having trouble with oil temps, daily driving doesn't put much stress on it, and i very rarely drive the car hard on the street for long periods. It's drifting + summer which is worrying me. So much just make up some sort of cover, and take it off when I drift or weather is hot

Second question, does the size of the lines on the oil cooler matter? Is too small going to restrict oil flow?

The cooler I have is a magna automatic transmission cooler (pov oil cooler of choice...) and from memory, lines have inside diameter of around 4-5mm (i'll check for sure tomorrow)

Does anyone know if this will cause a problem?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676074
Share on other sites

I have run my car without an oil cooler and I have run the same car with an oil cooler. It has always stayed at around 80 degrees and stays there. Good thing with the oil cooler (non-thermostate type) is that even after a hard drive it stayed at 80 degrees, without it it used to go up.

My cooler was made by HKS and if they thought it would of been better to include a thermostate - they would of included it.

I always thought once I had the cooler that temps would be very low but it does get to 80 degress quickly but it stays there.

Edited by WetGTR
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676080
Share on other sites

Its all about temperature differentials. The heat input into oil from a running engine is a damn site greater then the heat loss from a little multi row cooler with ambinet air passing over / through it.

The added cost of an external thermo, the added threaded connection that are just more potential leak points. I have heard of some old kits having their thermos fail in the closed position meaning the coole rnever got to see any oil...havent seen it, ony heard and it seems to sound like a possibility.

Mot kits seem sto use Dash 10 lines, so a bit bigger then what you are looking at...coolers are so cheap these days, you can get a quality 19 row cooler for $200. Its the lines etc that cost all the money

Plus i always give my car a good 60-90 seconds of cold idle time before i start to drive it slowly off at low rpm. In this time there is no airflow through the oil cooler anyway, so its ony effect is as a heat sink as it comes up to temperature.

Anyway these are the reasons why i have convinced myself not to reach back inot my pockets for a thermostat

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676297
Share on other sites

i dont have a thermostat either.

My oil temps seem to drop almost down to 70 degrees while driving on a coldish night, while cruising.

Last night while giving it a bit, it didnt go past 90 degrees.

While it does take a while to get up to operating temperature, I dont think i could justify getting a thermostat either. Particularly not with summer around the corner!

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676317
Share on other sites

well, whole purpose is to do it on the cheap...

I'll be buying a remote filter relocation kit from

http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=97814

so $95 for that

The transmission cooler itself was $15

$110 for a remote filter relocation kit *and* oil cooler is pretty damn cheap...

I've gone out and measured the lines properly, inside diameter is actually 7mm. So are dash 10 lines 10mm inside diam? or what...

Here are some pics of the cooler. It's made by Denso, and plenty of people have used them on these cars as engine oil coolers before.

Actually. I have more confidence in this than I do in some of the cheap chinese/taiwan things you see floating around. But yeah, i'll see how it goes, I'll be regularly checking oil pressure and temps once it goes on.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/merli...r/oil_cool1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/merli...r/oil_cool2.jpg

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676350
Share on other sites

The transmission cooler itself was $15

Never use an auto transmission oil cooler (if that's what this is) as an engine oil cooler - they aren't designed to handle the same pressures or flow rates.

Always use a thermostat as that will ensure the oil is maintained in the correct operating temp range. It's no different to running a thermostat in your radiator system (road going car).

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676401
Share on other sites

hm,

thanks for the advise. I'm going to take it down to a guy who owns a radiator place I know. and get some advise there. Maybe they can pressure test it to see if it will cope or something.

This is just a temporary solution, but at the moment, I can't afford something decent. And I don't want to get one of the cheap ones floating around.

Equipment that came stock with a car which passed ADR requirements etc. was probably built to higher standards of quality than some of the cheap crap you see on the market. So It's just a question of whether it can handle higher oil pressure. Though, I know a couple people who have been using these exact ones in other cars without any problems.

As I said, i'll try and get an expert opinion and perhaps pressure test it before I go ahead.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676437
Share on other sites

i personally think you have missed the whole purpose of the thermostat

90% of all engine wear happens in the first 2 minutes until the engine oil reaches operating temp. So running the oil cooler in this period of first start up is a big no no as you don't want to slow the oil heating process and extending the wear period on the motor every cold start up.

As for temp control of the oil the thermostat will have next to NO IMPACT why you ask? well there is a oil to water heat exchanger on nearly RB engine and the engine temp is much more influence by water temp ie water thermostat and raditor is what control the running temp of the engine and those oil. So the oil thermostat is purely for cold start ups

pete

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676448
Share on other sites

90% of all engine wear happens in the first 2 minutes until the engine oil reaches operating temp. So running the oil cooler in this period of first start up is a big no no as you don't want to slow the oil heating process and extending the wear period on the motor every cold start up.

It's analagous to the reasons for running a thermostat in the radiator system....

As for temp control of the oil the thermostat will have next to NO IMPACT why you ask? well there is a oil to water heat exchanger on nearly RB engine and the engine temp is much more influence by water temp ie water thermostat and raditor is what control the running temp of the engine and those oil. So the oil thermostat is purely for cold start ups

Only RB26 runs an oil cooler standard (oil/water type). Thermostat is not just for cold start-ups - although that's clearly a good reason - as it's important to have some form of oil cooler to control oil temps when high temps might be expected, particularly on high output/modified engines.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676513
Share on other sites

thanks for the advise.  I'm going to take it down to a guy who owns a radiator place I know.  and get some advise there.  Maybe they can pressure test it to see if it will cope or something.

Obviously it's your choice, but pressure is not the only consideration. Most (if not all) the auto trans coolers I've seen have quite small fittings compared with dedicated engine oil coolers. It is important that the oil cooler does not act as a restrictor in the oil supply...

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676531
Share on other sites

so, oil pressure should be a good indicator of flow yeah?

If so, I think i'll just try it out, and if I'm getting lower than normal oil pressures, I'll just abandon it and for out for a decent cooler.

I'm sure an oil filter also provides a fair restriction on the system.

Cooler I've chosen has been chosen specifically because it is one of the larger ones you generally find on stock cars.

----

Edit, Just to add,

I used to have a cordia turbo, which came stock with an engine oil cooler, which was smaller than the one I'm using, and had smaller lines. So by that basis, I don't think the size of the lines should pose a restriction, but i'm curious on people opinions here..

Edited by MerlinTheHapyPig
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676705
Share on other sites

you can see on some of the cheap kits >$300 the fittings are rather small compared to the brand name ones which use earls fittings. I dont like the idea of putting any extra restrictions in the oil lines than there has to be.

Oil filters do put some restrictions on the system but there are websites out there that have tested all the brand name ones - incl. K&N and Purolator (which i use) and these give the least restrictions to flow, as well as the better design for filtration.

I dont normally boot my car around for extended periods, but the other day i did (wasnt a hot day either) and within 5 - 10 mins oil temps shot up to ~95 deg. Water temps stayed around the usual 85.

I wont be fitting a cooler without a thermostat, as i believe the info about cold starts, as well as daily driving i want my oil to stay around 85 as well. There is an operating range for oil, and the quicker i can get my oil there, and keep it there all the better i say.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676726
Share on other sites

Always use a thermostat as that will ensure the oil is maintained in the correct operating temp range.    It's no different to running a thermostat in your radiator system (road going car).

Ah, it worries me that you say 'never' ...your posts are always on the money...and im not running a thermostat

My thinking was its a heat exchanger, so really requires air to pass thru it if its goign to have a hope in hell of doing anything. The fact that i sit in my car park for 2-3 mins, starting the car, opening and closing garage doors, strappign myself back into my silly seat and harness, then for thre first 3-4 mins driving down my street im in heavy traffic, i cant fathim that the oil cooler is doing anything????

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/92819-oil-coolers/#findComment-1676936
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • I haven’t taken them out of the cases yet    inside the box is this packaging which is pretty much like a massive blister pack 
    • Purchased a NC MX5 a while ago Basic suspension mods done, BC coils and Whiteline sway bars  New DBA calipers, discs and pads Added some 17 x 8 Konig Decagrams with 215/45 17 PS5's Added some typical NA bolt on's, i.e. full exhaust and intake  Added 0.5ltrs with a MZR2.5 swap, nice bump in torques  Found a detachable hard top which is locked in for a colour match with my local paint shop in Feb 25, this also includes some PDR as it has received a few love taps from parking in the local shops when in the hands of my Minister for War and Finances, me, I park nowhere near other cars and typically park on the street The little thing is awesome, I drive it everywhere, it handles like a dream whether I'm up it or just cruising  But now,  because I'm a idiot, I keep looking at turbo kits....... did I mention I'm a idiot Why is dose so appealing  All of the NA 2.5 glory, well.......until sometime in 2025 anyway....🤪  
    • I would not be surprised if you are the only person on earth that has the interest/desire to do that lol.  The Haltech base map is a really good starting point, the car will fire easily and drive very well, even on mild boost levels. To me, following your advice sounds like some sort of ancient Chinese water torcher lol (this is not an insult Josh, never change <3)
    • Those car show concepts from the 2000's and 2010's like the Floria and IDx were brilliant and should've gone ahead, at least one of them. But neither Honda nor Nissan are thinking about affordable performance any more, which is truly sad.  Even if Toyota's liquid hydrogen ICE development reaches the point where it's commercially viable and the infrastructure to support it, Honda/Nissan would have to wait until Toyota allow fee access to their patents to offer it with any smaller performance models they released to take advantage of it.  
    • A sporty manual RWD coupe with a IL4 Honda engine would only be a good thing I assume we won't see anything released for a few years though, unless informal talks and designs have been going on for a few years,  and due to the current, and future, emmisions and safety requirements, I assume anything "sporty" they would do would be at least some hybrid thingie And hopefully anything they are thinking of has nice lines, without lots of plastic and fake bits hanging off it like that horrendous FK8 that looked like it was designed by a 13 year old The other issue of course in the current market is cost, currently the type R is around $70k, a twin is around $50k Meh, I'm old and grumpy and would rather buy a older model car and waste my coin on that than buying anything currently available new  
×
×
  • Create New...