godzilladude

I track the car (C6, A6, recently blown) only a few times a year. After putting it off for a year or so, I finally took it out for a run at MSR-Cresson, clockwise. Had a lot of fun, and this was the first time with the blower and hood. Took it easy the first round, to see how the car would do, and it had no issues. Second time out, pushed it, and oil got over 290 by the end of the 20 minute session, on a 70-ish day. So, I'm thinking about adding an oil cooler.

As this is my daily driver, I'd think a thermostat would be a good idea, to get it warmed up in the winter. I've seen some vague comments here and there, that makes me wonder if there is something bad about adding a thermostat. Anything I should be aware of? Certain ones problematic? One in the sandwich better or worse than one inline?

Thanks!

ErnieN85

Oil thermostats are fine although most pass about 10% through the cooler when closed. so they don't work as well as you would think (to warm up quicker) something you will need is a big transmission cooler

RX-Ben

I don't think you can fit a sandwich t-stat.
The Earl's in-line t-stat works very well.

CHJ In Virginia

I use the DRM separate oil cooler and a MOCAL 150 deg thermostat on my Z06. This combo is really the best of both worlds. The thermo keeps 90% of the flow bypassing the cooler until the 150 deg mark. It then gradually opens to avoid thermal shock from cold oil in the cooler. I have driven the car in ambients from 0 deg in winter to 105 deg in August and it worked great.

godzilladude

Yep. This started life as a base car, no extra coolers at all. I saw one Setrab had listed that was for two fluids, with a fans, long skinny thing, they said they did it for Corvette racers. Makes me wonder if that goes somewhere near the back and then was vented out where the license plate was, if that makes any sense.

I did get some equipment and software to do some logging with, see what other obvious issues show up.

godzilladude

Heard a lot of good stuff about DRM.

Bill Dearborn

I had a B&M Thermostatic Oil Bypass valve installed in the oil lines of my C5Z. It set the oil temp at 180 degrees and always allowed a minimum of 15% to go through the cooler or to bypass the cooler if the temp was above 180. Keeping oil flowing through both circuits keeps air bubbles from forming and possibly damaging the engine.

Bill

trackboss

While the idea of a thermostat is nice for a street driven vehicle with an oil cooler it is just more complexity. More restriction in the oil system. More connections/opportunity for leaks/failure. Why not either use an oil to water exchanger or simply block off the air/oil cooler if too cold on street?

VetteDrmr

One thing I don't understand: you pushed your car hard enough to get the engine oil to 290 but didn't have a problem with your tranny fluid overheating? Didn't see anything in your sig about a tranny cooler, and *usually* the tranny fluid is your "throttle", causing you to back off to manage its temp.

I've lived both with and without an t'stat in my EOC lines. It does increase the pressure drop and reduces heat transfer, it does have four more opportunities for leaks, and it's one more thing to engineer and package.

But it does what you want, keeps the oil warmer in conditions where you don't need full cooling.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

godzilladude

That is a very good point.

godzilladude

I did not look at Trans temps, though it sounds like I really should. I was hoping (perhaps stupidly) that the car would send me a warning if that temp got too high. Another very good reason to get the logging working. I'll have to look around the forum to see where folks put their trans coolers. Thanks for the thoughts.

rjs209

For a car that sees both track and street, an oil thermostat is a good idea. I have a C5 that I installed a MOCAL oil cooler and in line 207 degree opening thermostat. Works perfectly. Normal operating temps and pressure on the street and oil temp after 20 laps is never over 225 degrees. I used to see 290+ on track. True, the "plumbing" is a bit more complained and time consuming but I've had no leaks or other issues. My 2 cents!

blkbrd69

Here is what I had to do.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-course-t.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-p...tat-lines.html

2MCHPWR

i've used this for 2 seasons of racing:
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...andwich_Plates

turbrorx7

This looks like an excellent solution.