external oil cooler for C4
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Effingham Illinois
external oil cooler for C4
I want to install an external oil cooler on my 85' have been looking at the derale stacked plate cooler and there thermostatic sandwich adapter. Does anyone have pictures of there installation including cooler location, hose routing, type and size? I have a mostly stock engine but have removed the stock water type cooler from the system.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
I just installed mine on my 85 last month. I routed the cooler lines straight up and came under the power steering pulley and then over and around the radiator box just underneath the frame rail to the front of the a/c condensor. Here are a couple pics:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
It's actually mounted to the A/C condensor. There are special ziptie type plastic things made especially for that and they just slide through the fins of the condensor. Some coolers and kits come with them, but you can get them separately also:
oil cooler mounting kit
oil cooler mounting kit
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
It's actually mounted to the A/C condensor. There are special ziptie type plastic things made especially for that and they just slide through the fins of the condensor. Some coolers and kits come with them, but you can get them separately also:
oil cooler mounting kit
oil cooler mounting kit
What do you use for a thermostat, an adapter/stat combo or inline?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,960
Likes: 707
From: WI
I used plumbers tape, metal strap with holes, to mount mine. I had removed the front fan so used those for bolt holes. It went together really simple. (trans cooler)
There's an oil cooler for sale in the parts section.
There's an oil cooler for sale in the parts section.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
I took the factory cooler off and my temps are higher now by @ 15 degrees.
When summer comes, I will know more about what my temps will be when I get the engine back in and when it gets warmer ...
Looks like you can cool your oil for $200
When summer comes, I will know more about what my temps will be when I get the engine back in and when it gets warmer ...
Looks like you can cool your oil for $200
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Effingham Illinois
cooler
Nice pics! That looks like that will work but my car still has the fan in front of the AC coil and I don't really want to loose it I have noticed that if it is unplugged it does not get as cold with the AC on. I will have to make a mounting bracket to space it out from the front of the fan what hose size did you use? Those look like push lock fittings correct? what brand of cooler is that? Sorry so many questions! I like what you did with the fittings facing down so the coil will drain out and not stay full! good idea, 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
Nice pics! That looks like that will work but my car still has the fan in front of the AC coil and I don't really want to loose it I have noticed that if it is unplugged it does not get as cold with the AC on. I will have to make a mounting bracket to space it out from the front of the fan what hose size did you use? Those look like push lock fittings correct? what brand of cooler is that? Sorry so many questions! I like what you did with the fittings facing down so the coil will drain out and not stay full! good idea,
Not sure what you mean by push lock fittings. I used Earl's plumbing fittings, a 1/2" NPT to -8AN adaptor and then a -10AN 90 degree hose end on each side, and that is 1/2" hose. I did wind up putting a small hose clamp on them after I took the photo. I originally bought a compete Derale kit that included the oil filter adaptor, hose, cooler, etc., but then decided to use a different cooler and got one of these (the smaller 15,000 BTU unit):
cooler
And I'm pretty sure the factory auxiliary fan will clear just fine with the cooler mounted directly to the a/c condensor like that - I don't think you'll need to do anything special. I took mine off and it didn't really seem to make much difference for me. My main cooling fan comes on and runs all the time when the A/C is switched on.
Good luck!
Dan
Last edited by danno85; Mar 1, 2009 at 04:28 PM. Reason: correction on cooler size I used, correction on AN fitting size
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Effingham Illinois
cooler
Hello,
Not sure what you mean by push lock fittings. I used Earl's plumbing fittings, a 1/2" NPT to -10AN adaptor and then a -10AN 90 degree hose end on each side, and that is 1/2" hose. I did wind up putting a small hose clamp on them after I took the photo. I originally bought a compete Derale kit that included the oil filter adaptor, hose, cooler, etc., but then decided to use a different cooler and got one of these (the smaller 15,000 BTU unit):
cooler
And I'm pretty sure the factory auxiliary fan will clear just fine with the cooler mounted directly to the a/c condensor like that - I don't think you'll need to do anything special. I took mine off and it didn't really seem to make much difference for me. My main cooling fan comes on and runs all the time when the A/C is switched on.
Good luck!
Dan
Not sure what you mean by push lock fittings. I used Earl's plumbing fittings, a 1/2" NPT to -10AN adaptor and then a -10AN 90 degree hose end on each side, and that is 1/2" hose. I did wind up putting a small hose clamp on them after I took the photo. I originally bought a compete Derale kit that included the oil filter adaptor, hose, cooler, etc., but then decided to use a different cooler and got one of these (the smaller 15,000 BTU unit):
cooler
And I'm pretty sure the factory auxiliary fan will clear just fine with the cooler mounted directly to the a/c condensor like that - I don't think you'll need to do anything special. I took mine off and it didn't really seem to make much difference for me. My main cooling fan comes on and runs all the time when the A/C is switched on.
Good luck!
Dan
Those are good prices for the cooler you used I will check into one of those. Thanks for your help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
I used this one from Derale, it is not billet, but looks like a good piece to me:
oil filter adaptor with thermostat
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
I used this one from Derale, it is not billet, but looks like a good piece to me:
oil filter adaptor with thermostat
oil filter adaptor with thermostat
Thanks!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 664
Likes: 119
From: Albany OR
Here are a couple of pictures of what I did for my oil cooler. I tried a thermostatic controller, not a sandwich type, it did not seem to work, oil was always cold when street driving. So I did away with the thermostatic controller. -10 hose and fittings, 13 row cooler, the hose routing picture is dated, hose run closer to the engine block now.
An idea of hose routing from below car
Cooler mounted in front of radiator
Brian
An idea of hose routing from below car
Cooler mounted in front of radiator
Brian
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,698
Likes: 3,468
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
I used this one from Derale, it is not billet, but looks like a good piece to me:
oil filter adaptor with thermostat
oil filter adaptor with thermostat
Can you use this adapter with an oil accumulator or will is not fill the accumulator while its closed?