sperkins

Which is the better choice and why?

Aardwolf

The stacked plate type is much more durable, it also cools better. It is heavier and more expensive though.

Bill Dearborn

The stacked plate cooler is more efficient.

Bill

davidfarmer

I agree, plate coolers are the only way to go. Those tube coolers are only good for very light duty work like mild cooling for an ATF system.

sperkins

Any negatives to mounting a cooler in front of the condenser?

waddisme

Which one were you looking at? I have been looking at the B&M one. Are you putting yours in yourself? Are you doing the accusump at the same time? I have been researching this for the past week.

waddisme

I was thinking of mounting mine behind the front license place with the fresh air mod. You can get a plain cover from Gene for $20, do the mod. For the winter, you can put the original cover back over it to help oil warm up. That is my plan so far. It hasn't been scrutinized by the forum yet. What do you think?

0Randy@DRM

We don't mount the cooler there, because it fills the front end with more air. Air in the front end causes lift, and can make the front end light at speed.

Randy
Plate coolers are cool!!!!

J.R.

Randy,

I have not experienced any lift with a front lic plate external oil cooler. This is at speeds up to 160 mph with a rake of 1/2 in. I have experienced substantially lower oil temps. I am running a stock bottom breather setup (no splitter).

waddisme

Mount them on the condenser then?

0Randy@DRM

That is the best place, in our minds. The wind tunnel can sometimes tell you more then a driver's feeling any day of the week.

Randy

Aardwolf

Well you could mount it there then have an excellent excuse to get a vented hood!

sperkins

Any downside to the decreased air flow actually getting to the radiator?

0Randy@DRM

One shouldn't need a excuse to buy a vented hood Smallest opening in the front of the car has always been a benfit in racing. Less opening is better.

Randy

0Randy@DRM

You can see a increase in the water temp. But most of the time it even itself out.

Randy

AVB

Good info... I've run dual tube/fin type in series, have seen great results and had planned on updating to plate style, due to it's improved efficiency.

Nice to know for sure it'll make a difference!


For OEM fascia's, keep in mind that the front plate location is nice if it's set up so that the air that went through it, the now heated air, is diverted away from the radiator and not feeding the additional hot air to it. And yes more air in needs more ways to get out.

waddisme

Randy -

What are your thoughts on this guys tests. Is there a speed (~160+?) where the mod becomes a liablity? 15* seems like a good drop in temps.

"I did the fresh air mod through license plate area a few weeks ago and can tell you I will never block off that area ever again. I ran tests on the street/freeway and came up with these results mounting 2 digital probes next to TB and next to CAI air filter. Stock 187 thermostat. I have now also taken out both fender extractor plastic water shields and removed the rear hood seal which also helps get under hood heat out. I am also this week re-routing both front brake cooling ducts towards the radiator and intercooler areas but havnt decided whether to route them towards behind the intercooler area for more radiator cooling or in front of intercooler area to help drop the air temps there. Looks like ill be mounting several more temp probes to monitor whats going on. I don't need the brake cooling ducts for the street or back roads I run and I don't track the car anymore..

85-88 degree outside driving 35 mph at 2700 rpms:
Closed: probe next to filter 118 / next to TB 215 / water temp 214
Open: 85 / 185 / 208

85-88 outside degrees on freeway at 65 mph at 2700 rpms:
Closed: probe next to filter 95 / next to TB 225 / water temp 204
Open: 85 / 174 / 188-190

Good enough results for me to run it open. So much cooler air was available I had lean surging at 1500-2800 or so in all gears city and freeway driving. Average temp drops of 50+ degrees under hood temps and noticeable water temp drops cruising in town and on freeway.

Now I realize these results are not racing on a track but even so track speeds have got to benefit from it also. I've gone 150-160 several times with it open and didn't notice the cars handling or front end lifting on straights at those speeds were affected enough to warrant me to alter my driving style one bit or cause me to have to slow down with front end floating around with too much air going into that area.


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