Will an oil cooler really lower engine temp.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Will an oil cooler really lower engine temp.
Lots of debate. Do external oil coolers really work? Are they a waste of money? Do they work but with marginal results? Please specify why you feel it does or does not work.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
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They work for the conditions they''re designed for, on a moderate street car they're a waste of money. It takes a lot more than just a cooler to be able to regulate the oil temp somewhat independently from the water temp.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
I am one of the few that monitors oil temperature. I have a good gage in the side of the oil pan and watch it alot while stop and go and cruising. I find the oil temp nearly always follows the water temp but about 20 degrees lower. Stop and go gets the oil pushing about 200 but hit the open road and within a few miles it is down to 170-180 max. Water sits at about 190 or 195.
I feel an oil cooler is a waste on a street machine.
I feel an oil cooler is a waste on a street machine.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20,715
Likes: 25
From: Sorrento Italy
i have an oil cooler on my tvr and used to have one on my 1.340cc fully modified mini cooper and in my abarth 695, it's needed to keep oil at a proper preassure (...and temperature) in a high revving engine WHEN beeing used on full hammer....otherwise is useless added weight and possibly also a cause of oil circulation problems.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
From Tom DeWitt (of radiator and oil cooler fame):
That's right, you can't cool an engine down by cooling the oil. With that said, we do offer a very nice EOC for anyone that wants one. You can't have it if you have an automatic because there is no room for two coolers. The photo below shows the (3) three plate that GM offered and our (7) seven plate aluminum.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1637110&page=2
He gets my vote for honest marketer on the forum!!
As far as I'm concerned, the poll is OVER
Dep
That's right, you can't cool an engine down by cooling the oil. With that said, we do offer a very nice EOC for anyone that wants one. You can't have it if you have an automatic because there is no room for two coolers. The photo below shows the (3) three plate that GM offered and our (7) seven plate aluminum.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1637110&page=2
He gets my vote for honest marketer on the forum!!
As far as I'm concerned, the poll is OVER
Dep
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: South of GR MI
I also monitor oil temp in my hotrodded S10. It is always hotter than the water. Usually 20 degrees. It goes down to 200 idling and a around 215-225 driving, depending on ambient. It's a .030 406 making around 450hp or so. Ran 12.20 a few yrs ago.
I know the my cooler works because I monitored before and after. I don't really remember the before temps, but I know it would be up in the 240 range cruising. The temp was not a problem till I bodydropped it a couple yrs ago, that's when it went to the 240 range. Lowering the body seems to have cut off most of the airflow around the pan. I drove it for a little while without the plastic air dam installed. Putting the air dam back on the bumper raised the temps about 15 degrees. Installing the oil cooler dropped them back down.
I just bought a 71 Corvette from a member here and will be putting the same motor in there. I probably won't monitor oil temp anymore because I don't have a place for the gauge.
Sorry for the rather disjointed post.
I know the my cooler works because I monitored before and after. I don't really remember the before temps, but I know it would be up in the 240 range cruising. The temp was not a problem till I bodydropped it a couple yrs ago, that's when it went to the 240 range. Lowering the body seems to have cut off most of the airflow around the pan. I drove it for a little while without the plastic air dam installed. Putting the air dam back on the bumper raised the temps about 15 degrees. Installing the oil cooler dropped them back down.
I just bought a 71 Corvette from a member here and will be putting the same motor in there. I probably won't monitor oil temp anymore because I don't have a place for the gauge.
Sorry for the rather disjointed post.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
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From: Palm City, FL
IMO the Oil temp will not be very different from the Coolant Temp in most street cars... that said, if your looking to lower oil temp, then just lower your engine coolant temp. That said, I don't think running a street car's coolant below 180 is a good idea as it will make it difficult to get rid of any condesation that has accumulated in the oil.
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Added weight and wasted money on a street car. Same category as 4,000 cfm fans, 1,000 lb front springs and twin 130 amp alternators. 
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Actually there is more of a call for those in a street car since street cars live at a lower RPM range where the engine will do more idling. Lower AMPS at idle and high wattage stereos don't mix.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
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St. Jude Donor '07
Removed bumpers = less weight and money saved.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
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millions and millions of cars have left the factory with no oil cooler,
pickups weighing 5000 to 6000 pounds pulling another 8000 to
1000 pound trailor with BBs no oil cooler on them. I'm sure the
factory was smart enough to know there pickup might pull that
load through 115 degree desert heat or pull all that weight over
mountain grades. All my eighteen wheeler diesels have engine
oil coolers, 10 gallons of water, 12 gallons of oil, but they are
ment to pull 80,000 to 120,000 on flat or mountain grades
and are expected to last for 750,000 to one millon miles before
the first rebuild. How hard are you going to work a 5000 rpm
400 pulling a 3600 pound car around.???
pickups weighing 5000 to 6000 pounds pulling another 8000 to
1000 pound trailor with BBs no oil cooler on them. I'm sure the
factory was smart enough to know there pickup might pull that
load through 115 degree desert heat or pull all that weight over
mountain grades. All my eighteen wheeler diesels have engine
oil coolers, 10 gallons of water, 12 gallons of oil, but they are
ment to pull 80,000 to 120,000 on flat or mountain grades
and are expected to last for 750,000 to one millon miles before
the first rebuild. How hard are you going to work a 5000 rpm
400 pulling a 3600 pound car around.???
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Florida
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
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From: Palm City, FL
I think the years that had stock oil coolers was when they started putting in all the emmission control crap... I think one thing they did to reduce emmissions was increase the engine cooling temp thermostat to 210* or something. This increase in engine running temp might have sparked them to cool the oil while still having the engine run hotter.
I'm not saying that the oil would be cooler than the engine, but the oil tends to be 20* or so hotter than the engine. That said, if the engine is running at 210, then the oil would be 230, which maybe they felt was too hot. So they put an oil cooler so the oil could be closer to the engine temp of 210*
Now it is doubtful that your running your engine with anything more than 180* thermostat, if that's true than you oil would be around 200*. I believe that this is where most moderate streeet cars should be. Any cooler than 180* can make it difficult to evaporate condensation in the oil... how cool do you really need your oil to be???
No spanking pleze
Maybe????
