Oil Cooler

MannyUK · April 9, 2020, 12:23

I am heavily considering fitting an oil cooler to the car as a support mod before turbo. I want to go water cooled due to recently having a new larger rad fitted and it will (in theory) take up less space in the back.

I wanted to know if anyone has done this and how did you take a water feed?

thetyrant · April 9, 2020, 13:00

Ive pondered a laminova type setup myself although it quite costly compared to conventional setup for a good one im sure something like below could be squeezed in fairly easy...

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/laminova-oil-cooler-heat-exchanger-160mm-overall-m-c43-090

MannyUK · April 9, 2020, 13:19

Yes one of the ones I have looked at. That is the one Lotus uses I believe.

thetyrant · April 9, 2020, 13:21

Ive been thinking more about where to connect it into coolant flow more now you have rekindled my interest in one of these, more i think about it more i wonder if its going to be tricky to make it work well, normally they go in the return feed (post cooling effect) from the coolant radiator so in top hose on a conventional front engine setup, however ive found when trouble shooting my coolant issue on MR2 that under normal use in lower UK temps the coolant radiator circuit doesnt become active until your either in traffic or if really pushing car hard etc and this presents some issue for using a Laminova.

It could just be my car of course but if they are all like mine then fitting a Laminova cooler into the return pipe from the rad might not be as effective as i would like, it would work ok when really thrashing the car and coolant is fully circulating through coolant rad etc to keep temp stable, however as soon as you back off the coolant temp drops (faster than oil temp) and and thermostat closes which would then stop coolant flowing through the Laminova and as oil takes longer to cool/warm its not ideal in my thinking.

You could fit it in the heater return pipework which is flowing all the time and ive found does a fair bit of cooling for the engine under normal driving, however then when you really push the car hard and need the oil cooling it wouldnt do as good job as it limited by what the heater core can cool and on track heater is normally on cold blow anyhows so not cooling coolant, tricky one to know which to do for best!

MannyUK · April 9, 2020, 14:07

Great thinking.

What effect would using a lower temp thermostat be.

thetyrant · April 9, 2020, 15:18

Quote from: MannyUK on April 9, 2020, 14:07Great thinking.

What effect would using a lower temp thermostat be.

Lower temp coolant thermostat might be an option then at least the full circuit is open longer to help cool oil, i notice on the Lotus forums they fit Laminova cooler into the return coolant pipework just before stat housing/water pump down at front of engine which is where i was thinking, ive also seen a guy on Spyderchat who has one in the engine coolant outlet on side of head with cooler unit mounted on rear diagnols which is not ideal imo but if it helps its all good, pics on this thread - https://www.spyderchat.com/threads/mocal-laminova-oil-water-cooler.110986/#post-1605778

I will probably use a conventional small air2oil cooler in drivers side vent but first i need to get a temp/pressure sensor setup wired to the Link Ecu so i can see what its doing.

Petrus · April 9, 2020, 16:26

I would like to comment that a lower temp thermostat is if anything counterproductive. It only buys a little more time if the system is not upto the job. Now, for racing as well as road it should be noted that engines are more efficient at hígher temperatures. So, if the inlet temperature is the same a slightly hgher collant temp should give slightly more power thus a slightly left field approach would be a few degrees hígher rated thermostat and waterless coolant in the system.
I need to add a caveat btw. I am nót a fan of waterless coolant because when there ís overheating, the wáter is an inherently fool proof early warning ´system´.

mr9 · April 9, 2020, 19:32

Quote from: thetyrant on April 9, 2020, 13:00Ive pondered a laminova type setup myself although it quite costly compared to conventional setup for a good one im sure something like below could be squeezed in fairly easy...

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/laminova-oil-cooler-heat-exchanger-160mm-overall-m-c43-090

£240?!?

Apart from a few grams, how is it worth it vs a second hand transmission oil cooler off of eBay? It's there isn't much to it except transferring a lttle bit of heat

Many on there but the land rover one has all 4 spigots ready and easiest to fix.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-3-TDV6-2-7-OIL-COOLER-PIB500052-/333177677745

thetyrant · April 9, 2020, 19:51

Quote from: mr9 on April 9, 2020, 19:32£240?!?

Apart from a few grams, how is it worth it vs a second hand transmission oil cooler off of eBay? It's there isn't much to it except transferring a lttle bit of heat

Many on there but the land rover one has all 4 spigots ready and easiest to fix.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-3-TDV6-2-7-OIL-COOLER-PIB500052-/333177677745

The Mocal is expensive yes and does put me off a bit but its proper bit of kit which is a compact and efficient unit, it will be very different in way it performs compared to that landrover cooler you linked, that is more like the factory water/oil cooler fitted as standard to the MR2, if your going to do something do it right otherwise you usually end up having to do it a 2nd or 3rd time

shnazzle · April 11, 2020, 09:06

MOD - Thread tidied. Keep it on topic.
@MannyUK floor is yours again

MannyUK · April 12, 2020, 07:01

Cheers shnazzle

I will look to see how the lotus boys do it, I am happy to give a cheap and a mocal a go but its just how to plumb the bugger in that is stumping me. I am handy with a tool but notorious for fecking things up.

Actually in another post I can see where tyrant took his feed for his turbo. I will use something similar.