Dirty Howie

My car is a C6Z06 which is my DD and track car. I recently installed the FINSPEED oil cooler which works great on the track.
See my post: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-finspeed.html

As a dual purpose car I wanted to get my oil temps up for street driving. FINSPEED has a perfect fitting plastic insert that fits to the front of their oil cooler which was designed to retain the insert.

I also wanted to protect my new oil cooler from the rocks and track turds that impact the cooler during track and street driving. The FINSPEED mesh screen grill will stop most everything that gets past the OEM egg crate grill. And it looks really nice, huge improvement over stock plastic.

Lastly I wanted to be able to quickly remove the oil cooler insert. I didn't want to crawl under the car to do it so I cut away the stock egg crate. I can remove the mesh grill, place or remove the insert and replace the grill in 2 minutes flat !!

I will be gathering data this week on street oil temps. Next weekend I wlll be at the track to prove or dispel the notion that a well made screen mesh affects cooling capacity.

Here are some pics:









This is what my old cooler looked like. Not good for air flow.



DH

ErnieN85

CGZO6

Sweet! Just ordered a Dewitts, guess this in next on the mod list.

Dirty Howie

The oil cooler is such a nice unit compared to the stock. Its like Dewitts compared to stock radiators

It is direct plug and play for our cars. Unplug stock and plug in the FINSPEED oil cooler to stock lines and mounting points.

Too bad you ordered Dewitts already. FINSPEED is going to come out with a badassed radiator and I will hopefully be getting the first one


DH

John Shiels

my car ran hotter with a screen for sure.

dfinke23

FMI, did you have the mesh installed over the factory grille, or in place of?
Was the mesh similar to Howard's, smaller or larger?

Thanks,
DF

Dirty Howie

John, first day of testing today. Oil got warmer. But Coolant was unchanged. So at least on the street there is absolutely no detriment to running the FINSPEED mesh grill

I wil be at the track next saturday and will be running with and without the screen to put this controversy to rest


DH

Dirty Howie

Incase it isn't clear in the pictures, I removed all of the stock egg crate grill except the vertical supports which is where the mesh is secured. The FINSPEED grill fits perfectly in the grill orifice so it is supported all around the perimeter by the stock grill framework.


DH

dvandentop

nice quality piece daniel keep up the good work!

Dirty Howie

Well so far with the mesh grill installed and the oil cooler insert in place I see the following:

1. Coolant temps are unchanged
2. Highway driving oil temps get to a max of 165* (was 150* before)
3. Easy city driving oil temps get to 185-190* (was 160*)
4. My oil cooler is not getting any crap in it


DH

Dirty Howie

Ran Button Willow Raceway yesterday with my Finspeed mesh grill. All I can say is I am extremely happy with this piece. In this picture you can see some of the track turds from just 1 session that did not get to my cooler to plug or dent the fins.



My oil temps ranged from 237* to 240* after 30 minute sessions with ambient temp at 65* My coolant remained at 217*

These are the same fluid temps I experienced last month with my Finspeed oil cooler without the Mesh Grill. So I am comfortable saying that there is absolutely no increased fluid temps with this mesh as some warned me about in the past.

Then it took me 1 minute to replace the oil cooler insert to keep my temps up during my drive home and until my next track day.

This is a very trick setup that I highly recommend

I can't wait for the Finspeed radiator


DH

Dirty Howie

Here is my Finspeed oil cooler and mesh grill in action


DH

X25

Is Grand Sport cooler same as Z51 or Z06? Since it has the dry sump and has the exact same oil capacity (10.5 quarts), I wonder if the cooler has same capacity and size as Z06, too.

Dirty Howie

I'm pretty sure the GS has the exact same setup as the Z06. Daniel at FINSPEED should be able to confirm this. My setup has been working great and my cooler has stayed in perfect condition with the grill and insert (for street use only)


DH

0Finspeed

The GS cooler is the same as the Z06, and holds just shy of 1 qt. Our cooler has a 1.65 qt capacity.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

victorf

Is there a gap in the middle between mesh trim piece and grill opening?

Instead of using zip tie and butchering the plastic grill, I utilized existing holes, custom brackets and rivnuts to mount my 1/4" cres woven wire mesh grill screen. It did take some thoughts, my installation is similar to OEM, set back approx. 6" behind OEM egg crate. It is secure, stealth and efficient.

Dirty Howie

There is no gap. The FINSPEED mesh fit flush in the nose opening. I wanted to remove the OEM egg crate grill so I could reach in there and remove or place the oil cooler insert before and after each tack event. the way I have it set up it take me 1 minute !!!


DH