Oil cooler install

[mgarrettz88]

I’m new to this forum and cobras, bought an LSC 427 last year and I have been working the kinks out of it. It’s a 351W stroker 393 with Edelbrock fuel injection but doesn’t have an oil cooler which I feel it needs. Any suggestions as I’m sure lots of folks have been through the same issue?

[bobcowan]

Why do you feel it needs this? Oil is heated by RPM's, mostly. Unless you're pounding it lap after lap on the road course, the oil doesn't heat up enough to worry about. On the street, a cooler tends to keep the oil too cold. It never heats up enough to do it's job properly.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

Why do you feel it needs this? Oil is heated by RPM's, mostly. Unless you're pounding it lap after lap on the road course, the oil doesn't heat up enough to worry about. On the street, a cooler tends to keep the oil too cold. It never heats up enough to do it's job properly.

Adding a cooler without adding a bypass thermostat will make the oil take longer to warm up. Each cycle of not reaching minimum oil temp allows more acids to top up and dilute the oil.

First thing to do is add an oil temp gauge, and then determine if you warrant an oil cooler.

Gary

[mgarrettz88]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

Why do you feel it needs this? Oil is heated by RPM's, mostly. Unless you're pounding it lap after lap on the road course, the oil doesn't heat up enough to worry about. On the street, a cooler tends to keep the oil too cold. It never heats up enough to do it's job properly.

Honestly, just about every ride I've seen has a cooler so I thought that was something they left off and I needed. I don't run the car on a track just street use so maybe I don't need a cooler. WOOHOO!! I will add an oil temp though as recommended by Gaz64. I'm also running Mobil 1 synthetic, for whatever that's worth. Thanks for the info fellas!

[Unique427]

As previously stated, unless you are at the
track it's not needed. Canton Racing #22-480
is a oil cooler thermostat. When oil hits 215
degrees it opens up to use the extra capacity
in the cooler. Under 215 degrees it stays in
bypass. If an oil cooler is installed, this will
help maintain proper oil temperature during
street cruising and when it's hammer time.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by mgarrettz88

Honestly, just about every ride I've seen has a cooler so I thought that was something they left off and I needed. I don't run the car on a track just street use so maybe I don't need a cooler. WOOHOO!! I will add an oil temp though as recommended by Gaz64. I'm also running Mobil 1 synthetic, for whatever that's worth. Thanks for the info fellas!

I agree with Gary with regards to the time taken to warm the oil; certainly has a detrimental effect on engine life.

However....if you want the oil cooler look (only), I know that some Cobras have oil coolers fitted for looks, including dummy hoses that disapper "somewhere', but are not actually connected.

I also recall seeing somewhere a remote oil filter mount that was integral with an manually adjustable bypass to the oil cooler. If I can find the details, I'll post them.


Cheers,
Glen

[mgarrettz88]

Thanks for the info, been much help.
I'm gonna install a oil temp gauge and see where I'm at. Go from there. Definitely not wanting one for looks.

[snapier]

I have a Superformance that has an oil cooler and a 392 Windsor and the oil temp. is very close to the antifreeze temp.

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by xb-60

I
However....if you want the oil cooler look (only), I know that some Cobras have oil coolers fitted for looks, including dummy hoses that disapper "somewhere', but are not actually connected.

Glen

Mine is like that. I like the look of the cooler. But I certainly don't need one.

A thermostat will often not allow the oil to warm up properly. When closed, it allows about 10% of the oil to circulate through the cooler. As the oil warms up and the thermostat is open, it allows about 10% of the oil to bypass the cooler and go back to the engine. This allows all of the oil to warm up together. Otherwise, the thermostat would open and you'de get a big slug of cold oil into a hot engine. And that's a bad thing.

The down side of that is that if you're cruising down the highway on a cold morning, the oil will never warm up. That is also a bad thing.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

Mine is like that. I like the look of the cooler. But I certainly don't need one.

A thermostat will often not allow the oil to warm up properly. When closed, it allows about 10% of the oil to circulate through the cooler. As the oil warms up and the thermostat is open, it allows about 10% of the oil to bypass the cooler and go back to the engine. This allows all of the oil to warm up together. Otherwise, the thermostat would open and you'de get a big slug of cold oil into a hot engine. And that's a bad thing.

The down side of that is that if you're cruising down the highway on a cold morning, the oil will never warm up. That is also a bad thing.

That's why the bypass when cold is only a small amount to allow it warm up.

An oil cooler without a thermostat will take a long time to warm up.

An oil cooler with a bypass thermostat will warm up the oil almost as quickly as without a cooler.

Any factory installation has a bypass, and so you should when adding aftermarket parts.

Gary

[cycleguy55]

I don't have an oil cooler and my oil temperature rarely gets to 240°F - usually it peaks around 220°F to 230°F, depending upon ambient temperature. That's hot enough to drive off moisture, but nowhere near the maximum temperature for dino oil, much less synthetic.

[Gaz64]

Unlike a lot of guys who run large oil pans and no cooler, I run a small modified pan, and a large cooler with an inline bypass thermostat.

Oil warms quickly, around the street about 220, and never gets over 240.

Gary

[bobcowan]

That didn't work here in Colorado. It was not uncommon to leave the house when the temps were in mid 30's F (1-2* C). Cruising down the highway at 75mph, the oil temp struggled to get above 120* F (49* C) or so in the pan. Even if I covered the cooler with duct tape or cardboard, it still struggled.

[desgros@vtlink.]

The same is true here in Vermont. Very rare to see the oil temp over 210 in my 289 SB even on a hot (80) day in slow traffic.





John

ERA #3010 289 Slabside BRG

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

That didn't work here in Colorado. It was not uncommon to leave the house when the temps were in mid 30's F (1-2* C). Cruising down the highway at 75mph, the oil temp struggled to get above 120* F (49* C) or so in the pan. Even if I covered the cooler with duct tape or cardboard, it still struggled.

Depends on where you measure the oil temp.

Just like a coolant temp sensor, the oil temp sensor should be mounted after the oil pump somewhere within the oil circuit, where a higher temp closer to peaks will be measured. Pan temperatures can be deceiving.

Just like a cooling system, the temp should be able to warm up regardless.

Gary

[w-lewis]

I have a 351W with a 9qt oil pan and an oil cooler. Oil temp gauge needle rises to just slightly below the 140 mark, never exceeding that, causing me to question whether the gauge works properly. I've tried taping up the cooler opening and the temp rises to slightly above the 140 mark, but no more. Not sure where my temp sensor is located, but will check. Is my gauge wrong or is my oil temp unusually cool?

[bobcowan]

Unless you're racing it, the gauge is most likely pretty accurate, and your oil temps are too low. After driving it, hit the pan with an infrared thermometer. Although not spot on, with will give you a pretty good idea of what your temps are.

[w-lewis]

Good idea. Thanks!

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by w-lewis

I have a 351W with a 9qt oil pan and an oil cooler. Oil temp gauge needle rises to just slightly below the 140 mark, never exceeding that, causing me to question whether the gauge works properly. I've tried taping up the cooler opening and the temp rises to slightly above the 140 mark, but no more. Not sure where my temp sensor is located, but will check. Is my gauge wrong or is my oil temp unusually cool?

If that is the true oil temp, and never exceeds that, you need to do something about that, or start changing your oil more frequently.

The combustion byproduct acids don't start to boil out until 180.

Acid build-up in engine oil eventually destroys bearing metal in rarely driven cars.

Gary

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by w-lewis

I have a 351W with a 9qt oil pan and an oil cooler. Oil temp gauge needle rises to just slightly below the 140 mark, never exceeding that, causing me to question whether the gauge works properly. I've tried taping up the cooler opening and the temp rises to slightly above the 140 mark, but no more. Not sure where my temp sensor is located, but will check. Is my gauge wrong or is my oil temp unusually cool?

Not having an oil thermostat is one possible cause of that.