Oil cooler cleaning?

[wetdog]

Catastropic failure in engine whole block looks like swiss cheese , new engine on stand but I wonder if I can successfully clean out oil cooler ?
Oil was filtered before entering cooler but should i take the chance ? how good are filters these days? any advice would be welcomed ..WD

[Dwight]

I'm not an expert but my Ford mechanic told me to replace everything the oil touched. Small bits of metal get imbeded in the hoses and other places only to turn loose later.

Dwight

[Mac VABCH]

Is the cost of a new cooler worth the risk of the bearings in the new motor? With the damage that you had I would replace it.

[Jerry Clayton]

and the plumbing

[Double Venom]

Wetdog,

Knowing you as little as I do, I don't believe you of all people would ask this question?

I can't find a single fault with the listed posts.

Cooler: Wash and flush with acetone/lacquer thinner, boil cooler, then flush immediately with cold water under the highest pressure you can get.

Use an automotive paint filter-put the filter in a funnel, pour the water out of the cooler using the funnel.

Blow the cooler dry.

Now go back to the filter, take a magnet to the sides and the bottom-
Use a large magnifying glass and visibly inspect the filter again.

ANY metal, babbitt material, sell it on e-Bay! Better yet throw it away!

What let loose?

[wetdog]

Dv sometimes you just like to ask the question hoping some new technology has arrived to make it all better!
My brother was visiting and we went out for a ride , (how many stories start like that?) I had messed with the rev limiter and must have set it too high , we took off and hit a wet part in the road at 3rd gear and it revved so fast ...ka boom # 8 right into the pan .
New engine is almost ready to go in and the improvements will be for the better
I know one tiny speck of funk and the bearings are toast , anyone want a oil cooler and about 16' of braided line ..slightly used ..WD

[RICK LAKE]

wetdog What size lines are you running to cooler?? Now would be a good time to increase the size to #12's if you are not there. Also does your motor have oil modifications to it for the mains and rods? HVHP oilpump?
As far as others have said, you will never remove all the crap in the cooler without pulling it apart. Oil filter will catch anything bigger that 20 mircos unless it's ripped inside. Oil lines are not worth the chance either. I have gone through the same problem with rebuild trannies. People don't want new lines or radiators after a trans breaks , burnt clutches out or just blows up. This has caused repeat repairs.
Other side note while you have the system apart, add an accusump in a 2 or 3 quart size as a preluber. This way you can preoil the motor before starting it. Also works great if you track the car and pull high "G" turns, it's a cheap drysump. Cost couple of hundred and can save thousands. Just a thought Rick L. Ps IMO your motor was hurt before you hit 3rd gear. A 7,000 rpm shouldn't have blow the motor apart unless rod bearings, bolts or poor oiling where happening. If you went with bent valves and pushrods and then blown out the bottom end, that would work. Problem is #7 and #8 rods are the last to get oil pressure when starting a motor. Have you thought about adding an oil suppliment like lucas. It sticks to the metal parts and stops dry startups. Another thought.

[wetdog]

Yes # 8 is the last on the oiling path , but I had another issue I had undersize valvesprings and the piston hit the valves ...it just goes to show how important having all the right parts in balance is .
Where would I get some info on the oil passage modifications as its the right time now?..WD

[tcrist]

DV,

So how are Don's engines? Wetdog has/had one (You know what happened to that one) and guess what, I have one also. Not as powerful, but do I have to worry about mine also? My guess is that you know how his engine shop was better than anyone else.

[madmaxx]

I am 99% confident anyone using an fl-1a or equivalent SIZE filter and you never bypassed a drop, if you did when it was 0F outside it is a clean side bypass. That being said your oil cooler never saw anything over 25 micron which theoretically should not hurt anyting. In the end throw out the theories and buy new hoses and oil cooler the peace of mind will be well worth it!!!

The absolute best of the best oil filters on the market today is the Royal Purple. 99% efficient at 25 micron and designed to minimize if not eliminate pressured drop. Going from and FL-1Hp I gained 3 psig of oil pressure at 5500 rpms and the FL-1HP is 27 micron.

[Double Venom]

Tery,
If Wetdogs motor was Don's, then this is the first failure I have heard of! I have dozens of his motors in use. Never had a problem before? I do know that he had warned me that a full stroker at/in this range was a little questionable when it came into the high rpm zone!!

[tcrist]

Ok, sounds good. My little motor should be ok and I do not rev mine that high anyway.

Thanks DV

[madmaxx]

what size engine did you have, miles and cause of failure? You were running 7k rpm?

[wetdog]

7k ? oh way past that the engine never missed a beat , the engine was built with valve springs too light for the cam .
Just came from machine shop today and the new block is prepped and the pistons are pressed on and everything is balanced , should be able to assemble at home during christmas break . Maybe this time i will install with wing nuts or velcro to make it easier if it happens again. wd

[madmaxx]

go with the smallest cam with about 120 seat and 250 open, under 480 lift, about 220 duration and you might not have the fastest engine but it will be near impossible for you to break the engine. Stick with a roller engine.

I would place a bet, that your oil cooler and lines have zero, nada, trash in them. the filter caught it all over 27 micron. Once again piece of mind is worth something but for grins after you remove flush and see if anything comes out and let us know.

[wetdog]

I am in the process right now of tearing it apart , I also have access to lab services that can test the oil in the cooler for suspended metals . will keep you informed...WD

[Wbulk]

I thought there was a rule whenever there is thread on a major engine failure there must be pictures. The two reasons are sympathy and every body wants to see them.

[tcrist]

wetdog asked me to post this for him. You said that you wanted to see pictures.

wetdog's motor as installed before it blew up

wetdogs motor used up

[madmaxx]

Ouch, you need to mount your coil vertically on your new engine to ensure the entire coil is submerged in oil, in addition it aids in preventing the oil from leaking out.

[Dwight]

your correct Madmaxx
we have seen several oil fill coils fail because they are mounted on their side.

Our first lesson was on the shoulder of I-65 near Elizabethtown, Ky. Coach's coil failed as we were returning from LCS a few years back.

Coach called Accel and they knew about the problem. But in the instructions they suggest you mount it vertical but do say what will happen if your don't.

A year after that one of our Cobra buddies finished his Cobra and we drop in to check it out. Coach saw the coil mounted on it's side and told Colin about the coil / oil thing. He did not change it and two weeks later it failed and stranded him on the hiway.

There have been a few others also.

Dwight

happy motoring