Progress but with a couple of questions

[stephen low]

G'day All

Started wiring today, acting as the sparkies gopher/*****!?!

But the exercise raised a few questions I hope some can answer.

The GF has a heap of room between the front upper chassis member and the back of the thermofan, and as I can't get a battery box to fit the right spaces in the boot, it was suggested I put the battery under the bonnet.

I had worked from previous advice that batteries tend to be cooked in the engine bay and in one case the battery was in the gap between footwell and front guard, ie opposite the extractors.

What if the battery were to be located immediately behind the thermo fan and radiator? Would a battery survive in this location?

Yes there is heat off the radiator but thermo fan air plus intake air during driving plus the fact the real heat is well behind the radiator and the battery location would be quite low, thinking heat rises, will this work?

Keen to hear from anyone with experience of such a battery position and its suitability.

Also how is engine oil temperature measurement achieved? Where have people located their oil temp sensors in the cars, particularly anyone with an AU motor?

Look forward to some good comments.

Cheers

[Plums]

Steve, I mounted my battery in the boot above the diff, there's a pic in my gallery.

Batteries like warmth but not heat. I remember somewhere in my travels that between 30 and 50 degrees was optimal. Generally, the heat coming through the radiator will be around 70 deg.

[400TT]

There are pros & cons to each location(engine bay or boot).

Most engine bay batteries are located in front of the footwell, where you described. It's just the most out of the way position. Personally I don't think you will see a huge decrease in battery life if it's positioned there...if you are sensible about it.

Make sure the battery is well ventilated, keep an air gap around the sides. Use alumininium heat shields to reflect away any direct heat coming from exhaust etc.

Most people want to keep the engine bay simple and uncluttered, that's why they tuck the battery away.

With battery in the engine bay you also don't need those long lossy cable run from the boot, doesn't take up boot space and the battery is accessible & where most people expect it to be in case of an emergency.

The biggest killer to battery life in my opinion is regular charging. If you only drive your Cobra once every week or so and don't charge your battery in between, you won't get real good life out of it. Definitely recommend a small auto-sensing charger, that you can leave connected.

The late model mustang 302w engines had a plastic fitting in the sump, that could be removed and then weld in a fitting to take the oil temp sender. You can also buy sump plugs that have oil temp sender built-in. It's definitely worth getting that oil temp sender in if you intend to hit the track, the oil temperatures will depress you.

[stephen low]

Guys

Just had a though about oil temp sender location.

As I'm running remotes to both cooler and oil filter, could I insert a suitable connector with attachment for the oil temp sender into one of these lines?

If so would where would it be better to measure from?

I believe the oil leaves the engine to the cooler first, then through the filter next and then back into the engine. So is it better to measure pre or post cooling and then pre or post the filter?

Cheers

[Rob. Smith]

G'Day slowy,
I've read the oil should leave the engine to the filter then the cooler then back to the engine. In the event of some mechanical failure the schrapnel and minute metal particles would be caught by the filter before the cooler ( where **** might collect and be released later in the new engine ) The oil temp sender should be in the sump near the oil pump pick-up. That's the real engine oil temp.
Smithy.

[BJ's Snake]

Hi Steve
Hrer is a couple of pics of battery setup






Have had no trouble with heat issues as yet so will see what happens.
Cheers
Brett

[Gav]

EA falcons are the cars that come to mind that cook batteries, the cars wound up leaving the factory with the battery in a box, ventilated from above the grill.

The problem was that they where stuck in the front corner of the engine bay behind the headlight with NO VENTILATION.

Your battery should servive behind the radiator as long as it has air flowing over it, just try to get it in the best spot you can with the best chance of getting some cool air from below or around the radiator.

Gav

[macloft]

I am also looking at mounting my battery in front of the radiator therefore enabling the use of the standard LS1 battery harness.
Has anyone actually had any problems with the battery in the engine bay forcing them to move it.??
I am going to put a sheild between the battery and the radiator and leave the other sides open.
Other pictures would be helpful (please).!!
Certainly an oddessy battery means a lot less space used up
Bruce

[Rebel1]

Some of the BRB's had the battery in the passenger side foot well.

Some early RMC's did the same as the footwells are so deep you need a foot rest anyways.

Whilst not my cup of tea with a wet cell battery at your feet the newer gel batteries should be reasonably safe there.

Hidden in a foot rest/battery box it would be out of the way.

[stephen low]

Brett

Thanks for the pics. A very practical location for the battery, and my first thought when the sparky mentioned it, but to my eyes it looks a little cluttered.

I'm going to run a std type battery in the boot for ease of replacement and of course less cost at the expense of having to fabricate a box and some loss of boot space.

But as it's going behind the LH wheel arch the useable space here is restricted. But I've made my boot space gains by keeping the tank below the fibreglass floor, so you win some and loose some.

Thanks all for the comments and the pics particularly.

Back to the oil sensor issue, Smithy's comment makes me think I've just automatically hooked up the cooler to the original diverter when the car had a filter hanging off the end. Since fitting into the cobra engine bay a second diverter was added that I just made the filter system. Clearly I need to swap the two and will try and do this.

But for my knowledge does the oil pickup not immediately send oil through the filter first, before feeding the oil passages?

If not then I assume it is oil draining back that is pushed through the filter and in this case then the cooler, so would it not matter if I had a sensor on the final return fitting post cooler and pre sump to measure oil temp just as it is reaching the sump?

Surely the temp post cooler wouldn't be far different over that in the sump, particularly given that the cooler is the major cooling function?

Please make comment, as this would be the easiest way for me to insert a point where the temp sensor can be mounted.

Cheers

[cameron02]

Hi Slowy,
As you know I have the same motor as you. See my gallery for a pic of the oil temp sensor in the sump.

1) drain and remove sump.

2) drill hole in sump.

3) get the local exhaust place to weld a nut on the outside of the sump.

4) Screw in the sensor

Easy!

[cameron02]

Oh yeah!

Before you drill the hole make sure there is some clearance inside. I chose the lower front passenger side of the sump

[cameron02]

Hi Brett,

I dont know wether the oil goes through the filter before going to the rest of the engine or after going to the rest of the engine but.............If the oil goes to the filter last then the oil comming from your remote mounted filter/cooler will hit the sump and mix with the hot oil already in the sump, so your remote oil sensor will have the incorrect temp..........................If the oil goes to the filter/cooler first then it will tell the just cooled oil temp but then the oil will start to heat up as soon as it gets to the engine parts, so you will get a temp reading but probably not indicative of the running oil temp in your motor. For example on a cold day your oil temp will read colder even though the oil in your engine might not be colder than any other day.

Of course, I could be wrong and at the end of the day it only matters if you want an accurate reading. If you just want the gauge to work so it looks cool then remote mounting of sensor is fine.

[stephen low]

Cameron

Thanks for the pic, was trying to avoid dropping the sump, but as you said this is the most logical place to measure temp. Might have to go the dipstick of remote line options route for now but look at sump option later.

Did look at you gallery the other week and the car's looking good now. Probably too late but should have asked, I've got this ford contact about to clear my computer of security and tune to my bare engine needs. I presume you're not wanting to medle with your wiring now? Let me know as he said it's just as easy to do two as one at a time. Costs circa $400.

Cheers and thanks

[*Cobber*]

If you can find a spot to screw straight into the sump this would be the best place if not put the sensor in the oil line going to the filter, this will be straight from the pump.
Oil goes from pick up through the pump to the filter then the cooler if the thermostst is open. The oil then goes to the engine to do it's job and then drain back into the sump.
Going through the cooler first without a thermostat and then into the filter may cause the filter to "blow off" on cold mornings.

Easy no drilling, weldiong required and you will get an accurate oil temperature reading.

[PCC]

Stephen; my 2 cents worth:

Battery:

Mine is tucked away in the passenger footwell. No problem for me, but on a DRB it does restrict the passenger's leg comfort. Fine for short trips, but a longer journey would not be ideal. The boot idea is the best solution.

Oil Sensor:

I mounted my sensor between the filter and block using a bracket from Earl's. Ended up having to replace my Z9 filter with a Z39A (I think) as the standard filter would not fit. My temp runs at between 90 and 115 (depending if I'm standing in traffic). Based upon my readout I would assume (as per Cobber's comments) that the oil was coming straight from the pump

[cameron02]

Hi Cobber,
I've never heard of a thermostat in the oil line? Wouldnt a closed thermostat stop the flow of oil and instantly destroy the engine?

Or does the thermostat divert the oil away from the cooler only? I assume this would require and extra oil line with a thermostat and a 2 into one line with a valve? I have never seen or heard of such a setup and have not heard about the "blow off" either.

Any chance of a pic, or could you please let me know how it works as I dont know that much about the oil system.

[cameron02]

Hi Peter,

If its a spacer and then the filter then you logic seems sound. Seems like a good solution for those with enough space. Actually now I think of it, most DRB owners dont have space, so how come you have the space? Sorry, thinking as I'm typing..........I think that the earlier motors had the filter in a different location......pretty sure its just the late model motors where the filter slams straight into the cross member of the Torana front end.

[stephen low]

Thanks guys

Cobber my second post indicates my oil flow pattern, engine to cooler to filter to engine. So you are saying into the line pre cooler perhaps to get the oil temp as it has just lef the engine?

Despite looking at my fitting I'm not inclinde to change my set up at this time ie swap filter and cooler so that the oil is filtered before reaching the cooler. This was in fact the way the std donor car was set up!

Anyway Cobber your suggestion as to where to locate the in line sensor location would be appreciated.

Cheers

[*Cobber*]

Yes a themostat should be used when running an oil cooler. Cooling the oil too much can create problems. The thermostat will by pass the cooler if not upto temp.


Put the oil temp sensor tee on the fitting that comes straight out of the engine.

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/filtmt.htm

Remote Oil Thermostat



Maintaining proper oil temperature is critical and the installation of an auxiliary oil cooler helps keep the oil below the 190 deg. F maximum temperature. Installation of a remote oil thermostat, in addition to an oil cooler, provides faster warmup to operating temperatures. When oil temperatures exceed 180 deg. F, the thermostatic valve closes allowing full flow through the oil cooler. At temperatures below 180 deg. F, the valve is open with 90% of the oil bypassing the cooler. The remaining 10% of the oil flows through the cooler to maintain constant system pressure and prevent air pockets in the cooler system. Flows up to 20 GPM at 200 psi. Has 1/2" npt ports.


PER-1070 $48.95