Tim
20 posts
Joined: 31/10/2004 13:08:06
Location: Chesham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Oil Cooler
iv just bought an oil cooler for my new engine as i shall be using a sump guard. I was wondering if a theromostat is needed and if so hwere anre they placed and how do they work(obviously cant just cut the oil off)
Posted: Dec 17, 2004 04:43 PM
Fat Kev
58 posts
Joined: 19/04/2005 18:16:21
Location: Newmilns United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Fuel Coolers
After having read one of the articles, on this very website, by Keith Calver, that briefly covered fuel coolers, Ive decided to look into making\fitting one into my project 1380 weekend warrior and occasional track day car. However, as stated, the subject of fuel coolers was briefly covered and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them? Any tips\instructions on building and fitting one? Anyone know any good websites covering this topic in more detail? It sounds simple in theory (doesnt everything?) but I doubt my hill-billy idea of a modded washer fluid bottle full of coolant and coiled copper fuel pipe mounted in the passenger side of the dash or footwell is an ideal\safe solution! Thanks in advance Kevin
Posted: May 16, 2005 05:20 PM
Pablo
142 posts
Joined: 28/10/2004 09:04:37
Location: Glossop United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
fuel cooler
Hmmm, have to think about this one. Surely coolant would be hot with the engine running? Maybe just the coiled copper fuel pipe would be enough - perhaps under the near side front wing, then it would be air cooled?!
Posted: May 17, 2005 09:40 AM
Posted: May 17, 2005 03:03 PM
The car is only meant for weekend thrashing and ocasional track days. Someone said I should just stick to iced water to keep things simpler.
Posted: May 20, 2005 09:42 AM
Well I was just going to have a nice cold air feed from behind the grill to the air filter and a bonnet vent or two... :D With stainless steel ex manifold, heat shields, wrap and that sorta malarky... Even looked at chroming the inlet - supposedly helps!? You cant go too wrong with keeping the fuel cool. Problem I see is keeping it a stable cooling temp over time (say 6+ hours) - as the water with ice cubes in it gets warmer then the mixture leans out, which could cause the engine to go pop :( However the engine\car is not a daily, so Im still in debate as to the cooler idea. However, thanks ago for the advice people.
Posted: May 20, 2005 02:43 PM
pickme
672 posts
Joined: 08/09/2004 23:10:14
Location: Chippenham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Fuel coolers
To make a fuel cooler work properly, it has to be linked to an engine management system. Fuel temp and mass air flow sensors will allow the engine management to compensate for changes in mixture, but you couldn’t realistically run in on a bare carb. Alpha or similar ignition and injection management might be able to support this but you may end up cannibalising something from another car or creating it from new yourself. It sounds perfectly reasonable, but I dont think its going to be easy.
Posted: Jun 07, 2005 07:51 PM
I suppose if you have an injection car, you could cool the return line to the fuel tank, like some cars do. This helps keep the fuel temp down supposedly. I think this means using something similar to an oil cooler. However, Im still thinking about a means of helping cool the feed to the carb, but keep it constant... the mind boggles!
Posted: Jul 04, 2005 12:25 PM
Gidi
5 posts
Joined: 08/07/2005 07:26:15
Location: Kochav-Yair Israel
engine oil cooler
Hi, I got an oil radiator to cool off the engine since here the climate is verry hot and my car gets to 100C. I did everything in regards to the water cooling including removing the head and cleaning all the water passages (even though they were allready clean). 1. replaced the thermostat, and after that replaced with the blanking sleeve. 2. replaced the radiator with a 2 core radiator. 3. added a heavy duty electric fan 4. replaced all water hoses The last resort is the oil cooler which should do the trick (did so with my friends cars). the only problem I have is where to place it. its a small 5 rails cooler and shoul fit easily but there is allway something there in the way (starter, distributor, alternator etc.) so if anyone here with experience in this could help me it would be a great relief. if you have pictures to make it even clearer then thats even better. Thanks
Posted: Oct 16, 2005 07:43 PM
minijosh
27 posts
Joined: 16/10/2005 16:50:24
Location: RAF Lakenheath United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
The most popular place that Ive seen it mounted is right behind the grill. That way it will receive some air. If you get a body kit, Ive seen it also placed below the grill too. Either way, it should go up front so that it will be directly in the path of the air but then it might catch some rocks. Just install it behind the grill and try to install a small fan or 2 behind it or in front of it. That way you will always have air blowing on the oil cooler to allow it to do its job. Id put money on that that it will really help your car at idle temps.
Posted: Oct 16, 2005 08:41 PM
J. Danher
10 posts
Joined: 16/08/2006 14:43:53
Location: United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
For sale cooler
For Sale oil cooler good condition, £20.
Email jd004i2901@blueyonder.co.uk
Posted: Aug 25, 2006 03:06 PM
S. Chatterley
4 posts
Joined: 08/04/2007 22:56:43
Location: Redditch United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Oil cooler
I have a 13 row oil cooler to fit to our 1275 GT Clubman, but I'm not sure where's the best place to mount it, any suggestions?
Cheers
Steve
Posted: Jun 26, 2007 09:55 AM
1849 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Should be a doddle with a Clubman to fit it just behind the front grille.
Posted: Jun 26, 2007 01:45 PM
Tom
69 posts
Joined: 15/07/2007 14:52:33
Location: Southampton United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
OIL COOLER OR NOT? (+ fuel pump question)
Hi, a'm building a fast road 998 as follows:
block bored +60
+60 Mega Flat Top Pistons
Fast Road Cam
Stage 3 Head
1 3/4 SU Carb
Top of Block Faced flush with Pistons at TDC, (for increased compresion)
Re-Ground Crank
Lightened Duplex Timing Set
4 Core Radiator - if mine needs replacing, cant remeber at the min
New Clutch Kit
Central Oil Pick-Up Pipe
New Oil + Water Pumps
And more...
It it adviseable to fit an Oil Cooler, and if so, is it a hard job to fit to a car that didnt have one as standard- a 1984 Mini 25. How do i fit the coller pipes, Where do they enter and exit the engine?
Also, as i'm replacing everrything else, should i replace the mechanical Fuel Pump?
Would be gratfull for any advise or comments, Cheers, Tom.
Posted: Aug 27, 2007 10:38 PM
LH
18 posts
Joined: 19/07/2007 18:59:21
Location: Chard United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Buy a cooler and kit (pipes and bracket) and a thermostat. the pipes connect instead of the pipe coming out the side of your filter, and the thermostat lets your car warm up quicker.
13 row should be ample.
Oh and what cam did you choose?
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 12:33 AM
Never buy an oil cooler second hand. Always buy them brand new. You have no idea how much gunk from someone elses gear box is stuck in a used cooler.
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 12:39 PM
I chose the Kent 266 Performance road Cam in the end- because it will be used in traffic quite a lot. So, the oil cooler pipe goes from the filter metal pipe? and where does it enter back into the engine?
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 06:41 PM
The oil cooler effectively replaces the metal pipe - you get two flexible pipes, one attached to each end of the oilo cooler, and you screw one into the oil filter head and the other into the block. Pretty simple. Mounting the cooler is more tricky.
The big problem with oil coolers is that you can't drain them when you change the oil (unless you mount them upside down). Has anyone got thoughts on that?
Posted: Aug 29, 2007 10:23 AM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Just do like I do and after dropping the old oil, then fill up with some cheap 20W/50 oil and start the engine up and get it up to a normal running temperature whilst stationary.
Then drop that, replace the oil filter and finally fill up with good quality 20W/50 oil like Duckhams Q Classic, Millers or Penrite etc.
At least then you'll know that the oil cooler shouldn't be full of manky old oil.
Posted: Aug 30, 2007 03:36 PM
John
1948 posts
Joined: 28/05/2006 16:49:46
Location: cambridge United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
i wouldnt bother fitting an oil cooler it wont need one it will just add weight and make car harder to service. 20w50 is a multigrade oil and it has to get every hot before it get dangeriously thin (viscosity gets too low) oil coolers were common on minis years ago as they were using sae 30 grade oil, as this gets hotter it soon gets too thin, so to stop engine failure due to overly thin oil oil coolers were used. by 70's muligrade oils were avalible making oil coolers not nessary on all but very highly tuned engines espeshally those with turbos. if u fit one with thermostate it wont do any harm but if u fit one without thermostate it will stop oil geting to its optimal working temperature and cause increased engine wear. the standard mecanical pumps can generally supply enouth fuel for around the 90bhp mark so it should be fine. lastly the most important thing with engine oils is regular changes 6000 miles as maxium if u want engine to last.
Posted: Sep 14, 2007 03:20 PM