LT4 Engine Oil Cooler
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
LT4 Engine Oil Cooler
I'm planning to add an engine oil cooler. 307* during track days forces me to short shift for a lap or so several times during the course of a 20 minute session to cool things down a bit. Doing so is, IMO, a waste of perfectly good track time :D
Anyway...I'm thinking of adding an Earls or Fluidyne cooler that's roughly the size of the PS cooler. I plan to custom fab a bracket so that I can mount the oil cooler in front of the PS cooler. A cooler the size of the PS cooler isn't large by any stretch of the imagination. However, track sessions don't last for more than 30 minutes and I'm only looking to reduce peak oil temps by ~20*
Here are my questions...
- Does using an oil cooler the size of the PS cooler seem large enough to meet my desired 20*F peak temp reduction?
- I'd prefer to not use an oil cooler thermostat due to the added leak potential of the additional fittings. Since the smaller coolers only hold ~.30 qts, can I expect the oil to still warm up sufficiently during normal street driving?
:cheers:
Anyway...I'm thinking of adding an Earls or Fluidyne cooler that's roughly the size of the PS cooler. I plan to custom fab a bracket so that I can mount the oil cooler in front of the PS cooler. A cooler the size of the PS cooler isn't large by any stretch of the imagination. However, track sessions don't last for more than 30 minutes and I'm only looking to reduce peak oil temps by ~20*
Here are my questions...
- Does using an oil cooler the size of the PS cooler seem large enough to meet my desired 20*F peak temp reduction?
- I'd prefer to not use an oil cooler thermostat due to the added leak potential of the additional fittings. Since the smaller coolers only hold ~.30 qts, can I expect the oil to still warm up sufficiently during normal street driving?
:cheers:
Pro
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 504
Likes: 9
From: Youngstown Oh
Re: LT4 Engine Oil Cooler (96GS#007)
I can't answer any of your questions but I have one of my own. Can a second PS cooler be mounted and plumbed as a transmission cooler? WOuld it give you the cooling needs you need? Might be nice to add the cooler using stock looking parts. ;)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
Re: LT4 Engine Oil Cooler (TiIngot)
I can't answer any of your questions but I have one of my own. Can a second PS cooler be mounted and plumbed as a transmission cooler? WOuld it give you the cooling needs you need? Might be nice to add the cooler using stock looking parts. ;)
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Re: LT4 Engine Oil Cooler (96GS#007)
[also posted in the racing section]
Get a BeCool, or similar racing radiator, BIG difference.
I've also installed an electric waterpump.
I haven't been back to the track yet, but it makes a big difference around town, the car runs 5-10 degrees cooler in traffic! :cheers:
For an oil cooler exoticmusle.com makes a nice kit.
It sounds expensive, but you need a special 90 degree adapter to clear the cats, if you still have them, all the lines are stainless, and the cooler is the plate type, which is more durable. I asked if I should run a thermostat. They said not to, it cuts the flow rate down, just block it for winter driving.
Get a BeCool, or similar racing radiator, BIG difference.
I've also installed an electric waterpump.
I haven't been back to the track yet, but it makes a big difference around town, the car runs 5-10 degrees cooler in traffic! :cheers:
For an oil cooler exoticmusle.com makes a nice kit.
It sounds expensive, but you need a special 90 degree adapter to clear the cats, if you still have them, all the lines are stainless, and the cooler is the plate type, which is more durable. I asked if I should run a thermostat. They said not to, it cuts the flow rate down, just block it for winter driving.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 1
From: Wichita KS
Re: LT4 Engine Oil Cooler (BrianCunningham)
I've got the Be Cool radiator & a Mocal oil cooler mounted directly in front of my PS cooler. During the ORR event out in the Nevada desert last month my oil temps stabilized at 233 degrees. I didn't buy any kit, just ordered the parts individually. I use a Canton take off where the oil filter used to be & remote mounted the oil filter under the L/H headlamp area. The Mocal cooler is almost the exact same size as the PS cooler. I fabricated the mounts from aluminum extrusion...
Here you can see it from the side here;
Here's another shot;
Remote oil filter;
I've got more pic's & part numbers if needed
-Jim
[Modified by superlund, 5:29 PM 8/22/2003]
Here you can see it from the side here;
Here's another shot;
Remote oil filter;
I've got more pic's & part numbers if needed
-Jim
[Modified by superlund, 5:29 PM 8/22/2003]
