Oil coolers, a custom solution

Twin_Turbo

Twin_Turbo

Der Maulwurf
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Mar 5, 2008
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Mounting an additional oil cooler can be problematic sometimes. Especially if you want the coolers to be mounted in front of the radiator and not on it (with those awful straps)

Here's a couple of solutions I came up with for various project cars.

The first is mounted on a custom modified (well actually repaired) radiator frame in a 69. This is an engine oil cooler but then install is similar for a tranny cooler.

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This is a similar install on the 77 project car with both a tranny and engine oil cooler. The 2 coolers are mated with mounting strips in the center and have a mounting bracket on both ends. The lines go through the custom radiator frame. This system simply uses 2 -6 AN and 2 -12AN bulkhead connectors for that.

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Both these cars have no A/C condensors and modified radiator frames. The next one is a 1982 Corvette with the AC and everything in place. There's not much room up there so this was the solution I came up with.

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Well, mocal coolers are junk, I can tell you that. Upon startup the engine oil cooler immediately leaked. Returned it, still waiting on an exchange one (have a feeling they're gonna be a pita about it so that's 250$ down the drain most likely and having to buy another one)

After another short while of running (in the shop, just adjusting stuff on the engine and all) there was yet another leak. WTF? This time it's the small power steering cooler. It's leaking between the pressed plates. I've had it with this expensive junk. These coolers cost over 150$ a piece for the small one. Bought a setrab it for the power steering immediately, hoping the mocal one will get exchanged along with the larger one but at least I'll have the setrab as a backup.

British junk parts, never again! Didn't like their oil filter adapters and oil thermostat (rough castings, rough machining) but this comfirms it. This is overpriced junk, even China would make better parts.
They claim it's all pressure tested to 11 bar, well... the power steering application is low pressure, the cooler is on the return line. It isn't the install, it's clean and tight, no rubbing and distorting forces on the coolers.

Rant over :)


This is how the PS cooler was installed
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I like the idea of using an old A/C condensor for the cooler like Howard suggested once. Cheap and easy. Designed for much larger pressures than oil will ever reach.
 
Not a show and shiner but I like professional and clean installs. If I wanted to ghetto rig it I would copy GrandSportC3s car :D
 
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cut off the tubes, tig on a couple of aluminum AN ends and a bracket and you have an effective oil cooler....and exactly what part of this looks like "ass"? I know I said condenser but I should have said evaporator, which should be both readily available (in the US anyway) and cheap which is why I recommended it to the kid.....besides they always worked like a charm...I think I have a Modine in the car and an identical Fluidyne in the trailer....the problem with using expensive oil coolers with a dry sump is a blown motor sends shrapnel into the cooler making the cooler a throw away.....
redvetracr
 
Yes, evaporator..looks a whole lot better than a condensor :) world of difference ;)

I have a couple of those left. hmmm....

Not all coolers are junk after a blowup. The laminar flow oil coolers like laminova are cleanable. They are rather bulky and they are a water to oil cooler so they are a bigger problem to install.
 
The guy that did my last motor has a friend with access to a sonic cleaner so I had my old Modine cooler sonic cleaned, he told us about all the crap he flushed out and while it looked brand new I tipped it over to take a look and a little chunk of metal fell out the other side.....I`ll just buy from now on. Heat exchangers are the way to go but at the time I didn`t want to re-engineer anything....
 
My opinion is, put it in a place with proper airflow, using additional fans just puts more strain on your electrical system and it's more stuff to go kaput. Also, most engines don't need an oil cooler.
 
I have had some bad experiences with flushing a/c systems out and then putting on new compressor, and all the Orings, buying expensive flush out kits, and crap...special solvents....forgetaboutit....

damn evaporators got way too many parallel running tubes, like a radiator, i'ts over rover....

and yes I have used a/c condensors from old window units for ATF coolers in the past....work like a charm so greatly over sized the ATF on a winter day comes out like vaseline....allmost....

:devil::devil::bonkers:
 
How about pulling the cooler out of a chevy pickup?

There are bound to be tons of them in the salvage yards and they are made just for this. The problem with an A/C evaporator or a condenser is the oil going through is a little more viscous then the original refrigerant.

I picked one up the other day and it only cost me $35 and it looks really good.

VT1
 
I think I'm going to try and make an oil cooler from a chevy truck evaporator core

Looks pretty HD
 
VetteThunder1 said:
How about pulling the cooler out of a chevy pickup?

There are bound to be tons of them in the salvage yards and they are made just for this. The problem with an A/C evaporator or a condenser is the oil going through is a little more viscous then the original refrigerant.

I picked one up the other day and it only cost me $35 and it looks really good.

VT1
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Yep. My 1 ton 4wd dually had the filter adapt, crimped lines, and a nice oil cooler from the factory. Should bolt right in. Large lines too.(ID)
 
I may try that truck unit now

The adapter to, maybe I'll find one at the junk yard
 
Yellow73SB said:
I may try that truck unit now

The adapter to, maybe I'll find one at the junk yard
Click to expand...

Look for any 1 ton 454, from 82-88, including P-30 motorhomes. Winnies had them too,adapters and lines), but used the cooler in the rad tank(some, not all). Pick-ups had the seperate cooler.C-30, V-30
 
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