engine and drivetrain So, what to do with oil cooler..??

[02for2]

OK... '76 Auto here, going to swap in a 5-spd.

The car currently has the radiator w/ oil cooler which circulates ATF to/from the 3HP12 automatic.

Obviously, with the 5-spd this will be made obsolete.

My question is, has anyone used this integral oil cooler as an engine oil cooler?

There is a engineering house which makes a billet CNC'd Accusump Sandwich Adapter for adding an Accusump to the Porsche Boxster which screws onto the existing oil filter pickup (like the filter does now) and the filter then screws onto it. It provides 1/2" N.P.T. in and out ports which you would route the cooler lines to. It should work just as well for the M10 motor, all you'd have to do is hook up supply and return lines from the take-off to the radiator oil cooler. Obviously, you would also slightly increase the system's oil capacity - approx. 0.5 -1.0 Qts.

Some questions I have is would there be a loss of oil pressure? Will the stock oil pump be capable of pumping the oil to the cooler and back? And, is there any lowered temperature range benefit from such a setup? Drawbacks?

TIA for your thoughts!

Cheers!

[inkatouring]

I've never used the radiator oil cooler -- only an external one. The external ones lower temp, but I'm skeptical about what would happen when the oil is in the same radiator (although obviously not mixing together) with the coolant.

But this is the sandwich plate to use on a non-tii if you go that route: (http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/product/2972/Sandwich_Plates).

The stock oil pump is fine to get the oil there and keep the pressure up. But is your oil hot? Is your engine significantly modified? In other words, is it necessary?

[TobyB]

The trans cooler in the rad has pretty small passages. It's also not designed

for very high pressures. Or motor oil- it's an ATF cooler, and ATF is thin.

I wouldn't use it- if you want an oil cooler (only really needed for track, btw)

add a purpose- built oil cooler.

fwiw,

t

[cliffwarren@yahoo.com]

Without getting too technical, I would just say that unless something is wrong with your engine, you shouldn't need to cool your engine oil. Engine oil needs to be hot to burn off impurities that form. The worst thing (well, one of the bad things) you can do to your oil is to not let it get hot enough. That's why lots of short trips are bad. You want to get that oil hot during a nice long drive to keep it healthy.

[02for2]

OK... I'm convinced, at least for now.

You all make some good points.

I'm not worried about the cooler sharing proximity with the radiator becasue the runs much cooler than the engine oil and it definitely benefits from the cooler.

Also, using the sandwich plate linked here with it's integral 180 degree thermostat insures the oil doesn't go to the cooler until it's up to temp.

I'm not sure I subcribe to the theory promoted about the oil running too cool. The oil supplies fully 60% of the engine cooling carrying away heat from the bearings, big ends and such. Any cooling is a good thing. The oil will always run higher than 200 degrees - more than enough to flash off any moisture, fuel or other contaminants.

But, with all the little things I need to do to this car, and the mounting costs associated with it, I just don't need to look for places to throw money at the car. So the idea is suspended... at least for now. Thanks!

Cheers!

[Kidasters]

The oil will always run higher than 200 degrees - more than enough to flash off any moisture, fuel or other contaminants.

Is this a comment about your car, or M10 engines in general?

Just wondering. I installed an oil temp gauge a year or two ago, and I'm not seeing 200 degree oil temps. Actually - just the opposite. With the 75 C thermostat - oil temp wasn't getting above 120. Now - with the 80 C thermostat, oil temp barely gets above 120. I'm running the Ingraham improved radiator, and that keeps the car very cool though.

Temp sensor is the VDO temp sensor, which takes temperature off of the back of the head.

Maybe this summer I'll see higher temps. But - I've never seen 200 F, except prior to the Ingraham radiator....

Ken

[PatAllen]

my turbo motor rarely kicks the e30 oil cooler thermostat...i have to realy abuse the car MAD so the oil realy needs to be cooled. i do not race so...i wold say unless you race the car you dont need that at all,especialy if you run a carb and a moderate tuned engine, ie around 130hp max ?

[Anschauer]

the turbo models have a different oil filter bracket which has an extra fitting and a thermostatic valve that will circulate to the cooler as necessary. They are not that expensive compared to modifying a standard one and easier therefore to plumb into a cooler.

This is because the spindle bearing in a turbo is in the oil pressure circuit for lubrication and cooling due to super high temps which would fry the bearings otherwise (all types and makes of turbos have this)

I have this bracket and will install it in the '76 when it's turn comes up after the tii, and it will be mated to a used Behr cooler off a 6-series in anticipation of eventual turbocharging when I figure that out.

For everyday use on a non-turbo a cooler is likely overkill but what is does is also add another quart or so to the quantity of oil circulating (so long as it is mounted at or below the sump line ala turbo where it lays sideways down on the chin spoiler) so that is also good.

[Anschauer]

the turbo models have a different oil filter bracket which has an extra fitting and a thermostatic valve that will circulate to the cooler as necessary. They are not that expensive compared to modifying a standard one and easier therefore to plumb into a cooler.

This is because the spindle bearing in a turbo is in the oil pressure circuit for lubrication and cooling due to super high temps which would fry the bearings otherwise (all types and makes of turbos have this)

I have this bracket and will install it in the '76 when it's turn comes up after the tii, and it will be mated to a used Behr cooler off a 6-series in anticipation of eventual turbocharging when I figure that out.

For everyday use on a non-turbo a cooler is likely overkill but what is does is also add another quart or so to the quantity of oil circulating (so long as it is mounted at or below the sump line ala turbo where it lays sideways down on the chin spoiler) so that is also good.

[PatAllen]

i dont agree at all, probably only real turbo 02 with no water cooled turbo can suffer from cooked oil, all recent turbo has water passage in them to cool the oil down, but even this it is quite marginal compared to the heat generated by the motor under hard usage.

note that MY turbo 02 has a water cooled turbo, and so does my oil cooler from a E30 model also has a thermostat in it. the price of such oil cooler has been debated to death in other threads. no comparision possible.