mesospeedy

First off, I tried to search for the oil cooler options, but couldn't find what I was looking for. Who makes the direct replacement for the factory Z06/GS air to oil cooler? I know there's the Finspeed, but I seem to remember seeing another option from mocal or someone similar that is the same basic size, but a bit thicker and more efficient. Plan is to do a bigger cooler and a thermostat since I drive on the street, and in pretty cold weather during the winter.

On a manual trans car, is it necessary to upgrade the trans cooler? Can you add a stand alone in the place of the radiator one without going to the trans/diff pump style setup? Is that option even worth it?

Finally, if the two above upgrades are made, is the stock radiator able to keep up with hot VIR track days? Will removing the trans cooling and upgrading the oil cooling help coolant temps at all?

Sorry if this is all covered somewhere else, didn't find exactly what I thought I was looking for thru search, if there is a thread, feel free to send me in that direction. I'm trying to keep the car at good temps without modding any more than I have to. I had thought of going with a track only car, but at this point, work doesn't allow me to do more than a few track days a year, so I can't justify having a car set in the garage for 48 weeks of the year, haha!

Thanks in advance!
Michael

Bill Dearborn

The wide body trans cooler fluid is pumped from the rear where it cools the diff and the trans. The diff has a built in pump that pumps diff fluid out to a heat exchanger where the tranny fluid cools the diff fluid. That system works very well.

I have only run at VIR in the spring and fall so can't talk to oil temps in the summer. However, I did a lot of running in the hot days of August at the Glen where ambient temps would be in the high 89s to low 90s and my Z06 oil temp never exceeded 260 degrees and the coolant temp ran at 230 degrees. If you are concerned about oil temps when driving on the street in low ambient temps I would go with a larger radiator with both built in EOC and TOC and maintain a stock thermostat. A larger radiator will bring coolant temps down on track which will also reduce oil temps and on the street the heat exchanger in the driver side tank will warm the oil quicker and bring it to a higher temperature than the stock fluid to air cooler will. DeWitts makes such a radiator and I think you can get a Ron Davis Racing Radiator as well. I had an RD in my C5Z and those suckers are thick and very efficient at cooling oil and coolant.

Bill

mesospeedy

Thanks for the great info Bill! I wasn't sure if the stock trans/diff setup was up to the task of 90°+ ambient temps, that's the one I have the least info/knowledge on. Were the oil and coolant temps you posted for the C6Z with the factory radiator and air oil cooler? If so, it seems I may be ok for now with the stock stuff, I'm not out to set records right now, just enjoy the car at hpde. I'm likely gonna be in the beginner or intermediate groups for a bit since I've had a couple years away from the track, and no track days in this car yet, so it won't be pushed 10/10ths. I just wanna make sure I take care of the car so I can avoid any major maintenance for a while!

blkbrd69

Some good reading here.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...iscussion.html

May want to call Michael w Improved Racing and see how he is doing on a kit.

Bill Dearborn

My temps were with a completely stock system. I have been tracking the car for 5 seasons and haven't had any cooling issues and despite how hard I try I just can't baby the car.

Bill

mesospeedy

That's the thread I was trying to find, thanks! The setrab 172 is the cooler I had remembered seeing for a stock replacement.

Bill, that's pretty reassuring! If oil and coolant can be kept around 260 and 230 as you've seen, maybe I'll be ok with a little water wetter and good oil on the stock pieces.

Thanks again guys for the info!

mikeCsix

For a C-6 auto, any thoughts about adding an OEM differential cooler and plumbing the atf through the heat exchanger and adding an in-line plate style radiator to help absorb the additional heat?

The issue I have is trying to cool the differential and retain the stock mufflers.

3X2

Replace the stock radiator and oil cooler with a Ron Davis radiator with built in EOC and TOC. You'll also need to replace the oil cooler hoses with ones from a 2005 Z51 part.

Bill Dearborn

That may not work. I am not sure but part of the diff/trans cooler hookup may be in the blank section between the manual transmission and the diff. The auto uses all of that space. The diff has a built in pump that pumps the diff fluid to a liquid to liquid heat exchanger where the diff heat is transferred to the trans fluid. The trans fluid is pumped to the radiator at the front of the car and that pump has to be located somewhere. I saw a development version on a C5 and the pump was located inside the blank section. Also the auto trans runs hotter than the manual and diff cooling may not be as effective.

Bill