jwh172

I have been going to HPDE events in Texas this year and my oil temps are going up a bit higher than I am comfortable with. In the morning sessions my oil never gets above 260 but in the afternoon sessions I have to take a cool down lap or pit because the temp is at 275 and climbing. I have been looking at the oil coolers from DRM and Lingenfelter.

Do any of you guys have a preference of DRM or Lingenfelter? Do they come with thermostats? If not do i need one as I do like to take the car out on the weekends too.

Jon

CHJ In Virginia

I personally used the DRM cooler kit with a MOCAL 150 degree thermostat. Randy fixed me up with the entire setup. I was reaching near 300 deg oil temps in the summer at VIR during a 30 minute session before cooler install. After install, I ran an event again at VIR in August where the ambient temp was 105 deg. Oil temp never went over 250 deg during the session !! The MOCAL thermostat bypasses the cooler till the oil temp reaches 150 deg and then gradually opens eliminating thermal shock. My Z was very driveable in winter with the thermostat.

BigMonkey73

You can run the heater and help drop that down until you get an oil cooler installed.

hisvett

Jon; you didn't state what model car you'er running. I too saw temps like you right after I got me Z51; I installed the Z06 Grille and rear quarter scoops.....not a true fix but I have seen oil temps drop 10+ degrees....and the car looks better.

What tracks are you running and with what HPDE organization? I'll keep an eye out for ya if you'er running MSR Cresson or ECR.

ImprovedRacing

I assume this is a C5? We make an oil cooler adapter with a built-in thermostat, which will simplify installation and lower overall cost. We can help you out with the cooler and lines as well.

Dan H.

I have the DRM kit with the race core. I'm really happy with the performance of this setup. I'm in the northeast and could easily hit 300F in about 8 minutes of a 20 minute session. I would then have to short shift and pay more attention to my gauges than the track. I now see temps in the 260's maybe 270 at the hottest. This kit does a great job managing oil temps. I tried a track spec hood vent thinking it may help at a lower cost. It did not help oil temps at all. I think it may help water temps, but def not oil.

This kit does not come with a thermostat. If you want one, you'll have to source it separately. I've also gotten used to priming the oil pressure before starting my car. Hold the gas to the floor when you hit the key and the car won't fire (C5). Its a flood clear program in the ECU. I crank the starter about 5 times and then I start to see some oil pressure register on the DIC.

I have two complaints with this kit. One, the instructions are just a bunch of pictures. I don't consider these real instructions. Second is there is juuuussssssttttt enough oil line to get it all connected. About a half inch more of line would make things easier. I would recommend it, just give yourself some time for the install and be ready to call your car some choice names.

apex26

My C5Z has the LG racing radiator with the integrated oil cooler, which is probably comparable, and a 160 degree thermostat. Just went to an event at Summit Point, which was 87 degrees Saturday. My oil temp got to about 290 in a 25 minute session with the heater on high. On Sunday the ambient was low 50's, but the car still hit oil temps of 260's with the heat on high. I have the track spec hood vents, didn't have time to install them. Hard to believe they will totally solve the problem, wondering what to do next if not. Reprogram the fans, which I have not done yet?

Ludeaem

What? Really? This is handy after a long winter in storage

Dan H.

Yup, it works. Sure beats pulling the fuel pump fuse.

Put the gas pedal to the floor and hold it there. Then put in the key and crank it keeping the gas pedal floored. Car won't fire.

I usually have to crank it five times or so, and for a good five seconds each time.

jwh172

Thanks for all the good input everyone. I am gonna pull the trigger on an oil cooler soon so i can make the next track day in may.

Improved, can you send me some links/prices to your equipment? I have heard of your blocks/thermostat but i didn't know you guys sold coolers too.

For all of those interested, my car is a C5 Z06. I have only ran Texas World Speedway (3 events) but I hope to get up to MSR Cresson soon. I finally broke 2 minutes at TWS with a 1:59:996 (video below) in the March event! I stay in third gear for most of the lap, but i shift to fourth on the front and back straight. I assume this is why i am getting the car hot by lap 5 in the afternoons. Breaks my heart when I have to let cars go by while I do a cool down lap.

cre8fun

I don't think the fans are part of the equation as they don't run over 35 mph.

since airflow over radiator is not fan driven at speed, focus on getting more air through the radiator (make sure you are getting as much as possible hitting the front and some also swiss cheese the fan shroud so air can flow more freely out the back.). also, try flushing your radiator fins from the back side with water. I too a hose and ran it from back to front on radiator and even though my car only had 40K on it, I could not believe how much crap came out. that may help your overall cooling. most don't have issues once they switch to a ron davis or dewitts - if the aforementioned issues don't work

jwh172

I forgot to mention that I already have a 160 thermostat and had the fans reprogrammed with my tune. It worked great for temps on the highway and sitting in traffic but I don't think it had much effect on track days.

bigmackloud

I got all my stuff from Improved Racing. Setrab 625 cooler (same that comes in the DRM kit), their adapter block with integrated oil thermostat, braided SS lines, AN fittings, etc. I also opted to get the Race Flux insulation for the lines. the oil lines run rather close to the headers so it's important to protect them from the heat. plus braided hose can be rather abrasive, so it protects anything the lines may rub against. And I fabricated my own mounting bracket. Located mine in front of the condenser/radiator. Also, I went with 10-AN lines. You might be 12-AN lines to fit but it's going to be significantly more headache, fyi.

I was hitting 275* in Nov/March before the cooler. With the cooler I think I hit 250*, but in the August heat at VIR.

If it helps, here's a video I put together of my installation. May help you get some ideas together and visualize the installation.

apex26

OK, so it's nothing to do with the fans. The radiator is new and very clean up front. Guess, install the hood vents and see what happens. Maybe it will do more than one would think, because all the heat evacuated from the various coolers winds up in the engine compartment surrounding the motor anyway. The vents cool the whole compartment, plus increase the speed of air through the system.

TKOGTO

Not sure what constitutes a necessary cool down lap oil temps in a C5Z but in my C6, no way am I doing a cool down @ 275*F. The limp mode max in the C6 is 320*F. This is what GM sets to protect the engine so I suspect there are several additional degrees of a safety margin built in. Now I don't recommend running to 320*F but 290*F, at ~10% below GM's safety margin level, is fine. Been doing it for years. By all means add cooling but don't cut yourself short @ 275*F.

apex26

Interesting and reassuring--thank you. Just as added insurance though, I'm switching to Amsoil because the weight of the oil crashes from about 10 to 3 at about 300*F--a mighty thin layer of protection. Amsoil holds up better. At 275*F I do what you do--keep driving but turn the heat on high.

Deuce Man

Interesting, I wasn't aware of the 320* limp mode. I have a 07 Z51 and I started hitting in the mid 290's at Mid Ohio when I started getting better. Crazy thing was, at 105* degrees outside at NCM, I never hit above 275* with the stock Z51 cooler. I ended up installing a Z06 cooler but my temps are still getting up to 290* at Mid-O. At Putnam Park I hit 300* and backed off last year. I am heading to Road Atlanta this year in June and a little concerned about the heat. If I hit 300* again I am going to install a Dewitts and see how that helps.

Either way, glad to hear someone else is running in the 290's and has been doing so for a while. Thanks for the info!

jwh172

I have actually watched this video a few times when I was doing my research on oil coolers.



At 275deg I do a lap in fourth gear, don't rev over 5,000 rpm and the temperature is usually back down to 250deg by the end of the lap. Since I am still new to HPDE I don't mind a slow lap that much since I can take it easy and think about my previous laps before I go back into try hard mode.

Am I being overly cautious with 275? When the Honda guy tells me that 275 is a scary oil temp, I got a little worried.

Phoenix64

I'm allowed to run the T700 in a UH-60 for up to 30 min with an oil temp between 275 and 302 F.
Those engines are sealed for life, as in the oil never gets changed, so I don't worry too much about running my C5 at 290 for 5-10 min.

Fun fact- the UH-60 uses its fuel to cool the oil with a liquid to liquid cooler.

db2xpert

Reprogramming the fans only helps with normal driving speeds in traffic, not high speeds.
Check to be sure the radiator is sealed to the front so all air has to go thru it. Hood vents will help a bit, but not a huge difference.
What was your coolant temp?