Oil cooler Q's??

vette427sbc

vette427sbc

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Looking to get an oil cooler for my car and was wondering what type is best?
Is a tube and fin heat exchanger the best for this application? I would prefer to use a sandwich style thermostatic housing for simplicity. Anything wrong with using those compared to the remote mounted ones?
And lastly, can I use a hardline to run to the cooler (flex line from the motor to the frame) What size would it have to be?
Daily driving my oil temps stay around water temp (195) but if I hop on the highway they start to climb. 230*+ in the summer.
 
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tube & fin = junk.

For a given area, a tube & fin design is usually more efficient since it has more sufrace area. However, the stacked plate design is much more durable and if you simply use a larger cooler it can get the same heat dissipating capacity.


The tube & fin usually has a higher pressure drop because of all the bends the tube makes, it's 1 continuous path throughout the cooler, the stacked plate can use the entire core at once, sort of like series vs parallel.

If the fins on a tube & fin setup are damaged the efficiency drops off as well.

Plumb it all with -10AN MINIMUM!!!!!!!!!!! I would recommend the use of -12. Hard lines can be done but you'd need more fittings and a 37deg. flare tool. Might as well do them full hose.
 
for a street car I always liked the 85-91 L98 factory cooler/heat exchanger, for a race car I always liked this style
IMG_3257.jpg

or if you have A LOT OF MONEY one of these...
IMG_3370.jpg
IMG_3369.jpg
 
why is that ancient harrison thing worth a lot of money? some kind of rare race car specific thing??
 
before you spend a lot of money on an oil cooler you might want to buy an oil temp gauge. Unless you're really driving hard or towing, you might not see much difference.
My $0.02
 
Belgian1979vette said:
I had one just like that, although from GM. The headers won't fit because the filter sits to low.
Click to expand...

I have sidepipes, so clearance isnt an issue there

Garys 68 said:
before you spend a lot of money on an oil cooler you might want to buy an oil temp gauge. Unless you're really driving hard or towing, you might not see much difference.
My $0.02
Click to expand...

I have an oil temp gauge... I can peg it (245*) If I drive it hard enough in the summer. Last track day I was at it was around 40* outside and I couldnt keep the oil under 230* (I know ideal temp is around 210*, but it was way past that most of the day)


Any comments on the Canton Oil coolers? They are (alot) cheaper than Fluidyne...
Also, Summit says this is a tube and fin, but looks like a stacked plate design
ctr-23-500_w.jpg
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CTR-23-500/

Do I have it backwards? I thought the tube and fin was like the ones that redvetracr posted

Thanks again for the info :drink:
 
My old 88 454 chevy had a factory cooler. Oil filter adapter had hard lines to the front, with crimped on hoses. Never leaked a drop.
 
Ok, you might be pushing the oil temps. I try to keep mine around 220.
Just a note on the adapters. The ones with the built in thermostat look a little small. You might consider a separate thermostat. The ones used on BBC marine applications are made to flow A LOT of oil.
 
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