Oil cooler

[JoelMcComas]

Has anyone installed an oil cooler on their 427? Mines just an Iconic 427 but have any of the Roush or Iconic guys had use for one? I've heard there's potential for lubrication issues in these 427s.

[Grubby]

There is a risk your oil will never get to operating temperature on the street. If you use a oil cooler on a street driven car then you would be wise to use an oil thermostat.

John

[twobjshelbys]

Re: thermostat. I found that with the oil cooler and the oversized radiator that the engine tended to run cooler than I thought it should. For sure the oil cooler thermostat would help. I saw some cars with the cooler but it was totally bypassed.

[Steve Gallegos]

In the winter I place a covering around the oil cooler, it's still on so my oil temp still does come up

[FredG]

Here is a previous thread on the subject.
oil temp

[TLHanna]

I installed the oil cooler on my Iconic 427 in BDR 1891 before I knew it would keep the oil cooler than optimal. I went back and added the thermostat. All is good now.

[eschaider]

Joel,

What the guys are saying about over cooling the oil is for real. The trick is getting a good but also high flow T-Stat for the oil. While there have been a number of alternatives, the combination of good and high flow have always been tough to achieve.

A while back I discovered this unit and it is pretty impressive. It checks both the good and high flow boxes and puts another checkmark in the fair priced check box. This is what it looks like;

Top View



Through the Ports



I don't remember anymore but I want to say when I bought mine they were closer to $200. The current price is $169 which is a steal.

The fit, finish, and workmanship is stunningly good and there are various opening temps up to 215˚F. I like the 215˚ T-Stat because it keeps the oil above the vapor point for water, which is always nice.

Click here => Improved Racing Oil Cooler T-Stat to go to the website.


Ed


p.s. It's made in the USA too

[twobjshelbys]

I found one on Jegs that I thought was the solution but I sold the car before the next season.

[bobcowan]

This subject comes up pretty often. There's lots of threads and posts about this. I'll summarize:

Oil has a maximum and a minimum operating temp. Minimum seems to be about 180*. But getting it closer to 200* seems to be better.

Oil is heated by rpm's. Extended high rpm's. Like 4000+ lap after lap. a 90 second autocross run or a 12 second drag strip won't heat the oil to any remarkable amount. Unless you're road racing, you don't need an oil cooler.

Thermostats sort of work. When full closed, the route about 10% of the oil through the cooler. That allows all of the oil to warm up at the same time. When fully open, it bypasses about 10% of the oil back to the engine. That helps prevent pressure loss.

On a cool morning on the highway, your oil won't get close to 200*.

[Rawkkrawler]

With my car being used for autox 50% of the time, I liked the idea of having a functional oil cooler. What I noticed is that with the 9qt oil pan the oil wasn't ever getting hot. What I did find however was that my power steering fluid was getting too hot and effected the Corvette rack in my EM, so I cooled it instead. Works perfect now!

[Chicagowil]

When Porsche added an external oil cooler to their cars back in the 70's, they were aware that the oil must reach a minimum temp to perform properly. They installed a temp thermostat to keep the oil temp within the proper operating range. Just be aware that when you change your oil, it is much more difficult to change "all" of the oil. And the bleeding out of the air in those lines adds some level of added difficulty.

[DucatiThunder]

I have an oil cooler and I have seen it work. Usually in traffic stop and go or on very hot days driving hard. In the fall it takes alittle longer to warm up the oil but with the right oil weight it shouldn't be an issue. I am still running 10w30 oil with great oil pressure. I have never blown or drained the oil out of the cooler when doing an oil change. I doubt its more then a quart or two in the lines and cooler. We change out oils way more often then most so it will get flushed eventually. IF your concerned about cool weather then just cut a block out plate to install.

I have a 99 Viper ACR. That car came with an oil cooler installed factory. The difference between the GTS and the ACR among other things was that that the filter on the ACR had a bypass valve installed that allowed oil to always go to the cooler regardless. The idea was to warm the car up until the oil pressure and coolant was up to temp before driving hard.

[DucatiThunder]

Originally Posted by Chicagowil

When Porsche added an external oil cooler to their cars back in the 70's, they were aware that the oil must reach a minimum temp to perform properly.

Those early trombone coolers were a joke. When they switched to the later carrera cooler in mid to late 80s they worked extremely well and needed a thermostat. Eventually the displacement reached the need for 2 carrera style coolers in the fenders in the 964/993. I have seen alot of oil bypass mods and thermostat mods allowing full flow but usually extra precautions were taken on oil selection.

[Chicagowil]

Originally Posted by DucatiThunder

Those early trombone coolers were a joke. When they switched to the later carrera cooler in mid to late 80s they worked extremely well and needed a thermostat. Eventually the displacement reached the need for 2 carrera style coolers in the fenders in the 964/993. I have seen alot of oil bypass mods and thermostat mods allowing full flow but usually extra precautions were taken on oil selection.

You are right. Most of the cooling was the heat exchange of the oil was in the lines from back to front and return again. As the motors got larger and the turbos appeared, heat exchangers for the oil cooling had to be added. The best of the lot was the Ruff front chin oil rad. But it still had a thermostat on it.

Thom

[novasscnc]

You want a Mocal period correct