L98 oil cooler: re-use or replace?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 43
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L98 oil cooler: re-use or replace?
oil cooler pt# 14084369 $80.00 plus to replace
Bolting exterior items on the rebuilt L98 and found the oil cooler part.
I pressure washed it with slight attention given to the internals of the part.
Is this an item I should just clean more thoroughly, or replace. Dollars are adding up quickly and my instinct is to just give it another cleaning and install it back onto the motor.
Replace or Clean and re-use.
PS How does that item bolt back onto the block anyway?Again...thank you for the ongoing assistance.
Darrell.
Bolting exterior items on the rebuilt L98 and found the oil cooler part.
I pressure washed it with slight attention given to the internals of the part.
Is this an item I should just clean more thoroughly, or replace. Dollars are adding up quickly and my instinct is to just give it another cleaning and install it back onto the motor.
Replace or Clean and re-use.
PS How does that item bolt back onto the block anyway?Again...thank you for the ongoing assistance.
Darrell.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
If you're talking about the cooler that sits above the oil filter, reuse it. I've known some who simply discard and run w/o.
The part itself is not complicated. Shouldn't be clogged, though simple cleaning wouldn't hurt. The bigger issue is the hoses. You can use generic hoses (and that I'd replace). OEM-shaped hoses aren't around anymore, but I took the old ones and matched up to similar for better fit.
BTW...I'm not convinced a new, replacement is still available EVEN if you found a part#. Not to worry, as I recommend, no need to buy. (Unless you see overt signs of corrosion that is.)
You should also be able to test flow thru the coolant and thru the oil passages if you're really concerned.
The part itself is not complicated. Shouldn't be clogged, though simple cleaning wouldn't hurt. The bigger issue is the hoses. You can use generic hoses (and that I'd replace). OEM-shaped hoses aren't around anymore, but I took the old ones and matched up to similar for better fit.
BTW...I'm not convinced a new, replacement is still available EVEN if you found a part#. Not to worry, as I recommend, no need to buy. (Unless you see overt signs of corrosion that is.)
You should also be able to test flow thru the coolant and thru the oil passages if you're really concerned.
Instructor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
Oil coolers are a metal grindings filter, if you have ever had an engine problem that has caused metal filings to get into the oil, replace it, very difficult to impossible to clean them out of a cooler but they will work there way out into a new engine. There are stories about guys that have gone thru engine after engine until the cooler was replaced.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
I use my cooler to heat up the oil at the track. The stock L98 piece is actually a oil/water heat exchanger. Between rounds, the oil is usually pretty cool and the heat of the water helps get the oil temperature up quicker.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Roswell Georgia
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
1. It has been my experience that monitoring the oil temp while driving and stopped, when the oil is cool such as just after a cold start, when the oil is cold, the oil and water are the same temp.
2. Then, when the water is hot enough, the thermostat opens, and the oil temp starts climbing faster than before the thermostat opened.
3. the oil temp is usually 50 degrees hotter than the water at normal running temps after 18 minutes.
4. The oil temp without the cooler climbs about 6 degrees through the duration of a lengthy stoplight.
5. after I installed the cooler, the oil temp drops about 5 degrees at the end of the stoplight.
6. My thoughts are that it is a warmup heater and a stoplight cooler, but the oil doesn't stay in it long enough to act as a true "cooler" at engine speed unless the oil pressure is lower, and the flow reduced such as idle.
Say what you will, it still adds about a half pint of extra oil and a quart of extra water, so on that merit, it is useful.
Just don't expect drastic number changes with it, and without it.
2. Then, when the water is hot enough, the thermostat opens, and the oil temp starts climbing faster than before the thermostat opened.
3. the oil temp is usually 50 degrees hotter than the water at normal running temps after 18 minutes.
4. The oil temp without the cooler climbs about 6 degrees through the duration of a lengthy stoplight.
5. after I installed the cooler, the oil temp drops about 5 degrees at the end of the stoplight.
6. My thoughts are that it is a warmup heater and a stoplight cooler, but the oil doesn't stay in it long enough to act as a true "cooler" at engine speed unless the oil pressure is lower, and the flow reduced such as idle.
Say what you will, it still adds about a half pint of extra oil and a quart of extra water, so on that merit, it is useful.
Just don't expect drastic number changes with it, and without it.
