0Tom@Dewitt

We would like to develop an air type oil cooler that is better than the stock Z51 or Z06 cooler but need some input, advice, and a volunteer to prototype this. We want to design something that is big enough to handle anyones needs and fit in a good location, preferably in the stock mounting, and hoses if possible. Anyone with a 2007-2010 Z51 and/or Z06 car have any pictures, dimensions, etc would be welcome. We would also give a few of these away if anyone local wanted to volunteer their car for mounting and fit checks.

timd38

Just an idea, but why not make one that uses the Z06 lines and mounting only bigger. That would make life simple.

Breathless Performance in FL has take of Z06 coolers that you could use as a pattern.

el es tu

What about an engine oil & transmission cooler setup for the A6 cars?
Im sure people would be interested in a drop in upgrade like this...

0Tom@Dewitt

That is exactly the plan, but when you go bigger stuff gets in the way.

71'AirStrike

kill the Fog lights, and use that front area.

I know there are some "kits" out there, but actually use a nice curved cooler.
build proper mounting and most important design proper shroud and ducting.

my 2 cts

73sbvert

Tom, I'd be happy to try anything you come up with! Me and my '07 base convertible that is!
My avg temps here since I got the car are around 210*-230* or so, and I'd LOVE to get those under 200* if possible. My car is a stick too, no trans oil cooler needed.

Very happy with the quality of radiator for my '73 so I can't imagine anything else you come up with would be of any worse quality!

Please let me know!


Paul

HOXXOH

My concern is the mounting locations available. I have a Vararam and a stand-alone transmission cooler. It's already crowded in front of the AC condenser. How much more stuff can go in front of the radiator before it needs another capacity increase and more fan speed to suck the air through?

The ideal cooler for me would be a stacked plate about 3.5" x 21.5" that would fit parallel to the ground in the space behind the lower bumper cover and in front of the air dam. The left half as an oil cooler and the right half for the transmission. That way it'd be a vertical airflow and the cooler wouldn't block the horizontal flow coming in the front. The stacked plate construction would be hardy enough to deal with debris.

I currently have a B&M 70273 mounted in that fashion. It only has about 3.5" exposed, yet still hasn't reached 200 degrees in heavy Phoenix traffic during 110+ ambient temps. I have a 3600 stall torque converter and bypassed the radiator cooler. My oil temps have been reaching 230-240 and I'd prefer to keep them closer to 200. I have the F55 suspension, so no Z51 stock oil cooler, but it doesn't require rocket science to hook up oil lines.

JoesC5

What about the Z06 and GS? That area, where you want to put the oil cooler, is blocked off on the Z06 and GS to prevent vertical airflow. I suspect that GM had a reason to install the block off when they use the Z06/GS front splitter, etc. Must have something to do with the car's aero and front downforce at speed and creating a high pressure zone to force feed the front brake scoops on the Z06/GS..

HOXXOH

Both the Z06 and GS grille openings are larger (taller) than the standard C6 which allows more frontal airflow. The Z06 and manual GS already have an oil cooler and neither require one for an automatic. Most of the A6 GS owners bought for appearance, not performance. What that leaves is the narrow body '05-'12 cars, which is the larger market being targeted.

BTW, The standard C6 air dam also creates pressure for front brake cooling.

taken19

Tom, I would be willing to be a test car for you, but I live in S. Florida. I can provide certian dimensions and feedbck for you if needed, but unfortunately can't meet you in person due to our locations.

My oil temps got up to 257 F on my first track in August (heat of the summer), and I wasn't pushing the car hard - shifting between 5000-5500 RPM most of the time. I have the Z51 option which has the integrated oil cooler in the radiator. Coolant temps remained under 200 F for the duration of each session. I would like to find a way to keep oil temps under 230 F no matter what time of year.

Sean

SinisterC6

How about something for FI cars?

JoesC5

Tom asked specifically about a replacement oil cooler for the Z51 and the Z06, not a base C6. He asked for dims etc and volunteers for a 2007-2010 Z51 and/or Z06. The questions I raised addressed the aero with the Z06's front facisa and the block off cover under the nose of the car. I mentioned the GS as it uses the exact same front fascia, etc as the Z06. The GS/Z06 air ducts/front fascia gets 400% more cooling air to the front brakes vs a base C6. You start screwing with the aero by removing the cover, then you also screw with the amount of air flowing through the ducts.

Charley Hoyt

Tom, I am happy to help any way I can. I have a 2008 Z51 that sees regular track duty and is in need of additonal oil cooling. At my last track day my oil temp was hitting ~309 by the end of the session. Let me know what dimensions / pictures you are looking for and I can provide them. Additionally I would be happy to track your prototypes.

Thanks,
Charley

Charley Hoyt

The market for this product is much larger then you have stated. Despite the fact that the Z-51, Z06 and Grand sport come stock with oil coolers, they do not have enough capacity for repeated track use.

Charley

HOXXOH

He said develop a cooler "better than the stock Z51 or Z06 cooler", not specifically as a replacement for those cars. He also said something to handle anyone's needs. I certainly interpreted the "anyone" to include us lowly base owners too, which is why I stated what my ideal would be. I guess I was the only one to provide dimensions too.

My response to your concern about the Z06/GS addressed the different airflow and the lack of automatics that would require my ideal cooler. I can't understand why you would think I advocated modifying the aero on the wide body cars to fit what would be the ideal for me.

As far as airflow for brakes, I was only mentioning that the C6 also had ducts, because you stated that the Z06/GS splitter performed that function infering that the base cars couldn't.

HOXXOH

I understand the heavy use capacity issue, which is why the desire to produce something better. That doesn't preclude designing something to accommodate all the cars that did not come from the factory with coolers.

I merely stated that the narrow body cars are a larger market. They account for 81% of all '05-'10 production (less the ZR1). The non-Z51 option narrow bodies even are 50% of that total. If I were creating a product, I'd target the 81% that included the 50% with no factory cooler. JMHO

ScaryFast

Tom, I'm local to you (Novi and Howell) and have a C6 Z51 car that is being converted to a race car this winter. I'd be interested in working with you (I already have your radiator in my other race car ). I have full fabrication support and can take any measurements necessary as well as build mock ups / brackets, etc. to test fit. We can support both street and on track testing, I have a good amount of data acquisistion equipment as well should we want to install thermistors at various points in the cooling system.

You don't have a PM option, if interested PM me with contact number.

Thanks!

0Tom@Dewitt

This sounds like a good place to start. I don't PM because I have several emails, websites, facebook, forum threads, etc to cover I don't have time to check for PM's. Just call me sometime at the shop, 517-548-0600 and we can talk about this. H0XX0H has some real valid points about addressing the volume useage and not a few race cars. Once we come up with something, we'll give a couple of them away for testing. Stay tuned

camaro_zach

I have a 2008 LS3 manual base c6, heavily modded (cam, heads, headers, coil overs, sway bars, stoptech brakes, etc), which I road race very regularly. I have been having heat management issues for some time now. I have a z51 car so i had the stock tiny oil cooler, then upgraded to a z06, then an LG radiator, and now I have an aftermarket oil cooler with custom lines run to it. I still would like to see temps lower.

If you would like some hard numbers from a car that is road raced very regularly, let me know when you are doing your testing. I would love to see an easy to swap product come out that solved everyones heat issues! It would be no big deal for me to slap back on the stock lines and test out your product along with the z51 and z06 coolers all on the same day at the track.

WHT

Tom, are you going to provide a thermostat (internal?) that accepts the stock GM oil lines? IMO, lack of a thermostat is the biggest problem for some of us when installing a Z06 cooler on street cars. And, it would set your cooler apart from others.