oil coolers

Discussion in 'Modifications & DIY how-to' started by crashtke, Aug 28, 2006.

  1. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Anyone tried any of these kits listed below? They seem like much less expensive alternatives to the $400+ oil coolers!

    http://www.thepartsbin.com/sitemap/subaru~engine_oil_cooler~parts.html

    http://www.racingworks.com/bm_oil_cooler.htm

    Also is there any way to fit the 5 speed with a tranny cooler? Seems like it would just be a good idea. I have definitely noticed that after a bit of spirited driving (aka 45 minutes of mountain swtchbacks) that it does not shift like it does when I first start.
     
  2. jt money

    jt money 350hp mmm mmm Good! Supporting Member

    i would ditch the rubber hosing for some steal braided hosing with fittings. a friend had a kit like this that was leaking after a week. he changed out the lines and now all is fine. he had the b&m one.
     
  3. Trey

    Trey Active Member

    Last edited: Aug 30, 2006
  4. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    nice looking hoses, look like they have quick connects on them as well. That is kinda handy. Did you notice much of a reduction in oil temperature with it?
     
  5. bluetwo

    bluetwo Active Member

    I just wanted to mention that an oil cooler can actually be detrimental if it's not needed. Our cars are carefully engineered to operate at a certain temperature and if someone were to haphazzardly slap fluid coolers on the different components of a car it could cause a lower than desired operating temperature which can be just as bad as a higher than desired operating temp.

    That said, for all of you who know what you're doing this doesn't apply at all. I just wanted to put it out there.
     
  6. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    the better oil cooler kits include a temp bypass for just that issue
     
  7. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I have never experienced detrimental effect of an oil cooler. I hae had them on several high performance vehicles and never noticed anything other than cooler oil temperatures and cooler running engines. You do want this to be regulated, as is mentioned in the above post, but at the same time, if you drive the car like it is designed to be driven (not how the dealerships want you to drive) it can really help things!

    I guess you could make the same arguement for CAI's, upgraded better IC's and higher efficiency radiators too, but I think it would be a thin arguement from a performance standpoint. Heat is not a desireable thing. Slap on a TBE and a programer and you are going outside factory parameters and thus increasing total heat. This just takes things back down.

    More HP=More heat
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2006
  8. bluetwo

    bluetwo Active Member

    Good point. I guess I could have said it's not the best idea to put an oil cooler on a mostly stock ride. :D
     
  9. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    regulated cooling is the important part. If you run tracks, even with a stock car, any additional cooling will still help when it's hot.
     
  10. WrxConedodger

    WrxConedodger New Member

    You mainly want the oil to stay above 180 (in the engine) this fights the acid build up that is inherent with the internal combustion engine.
     
  11. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    Trey, by chance, do you remember how many cfm that cooler is?
     
  12. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Funny, that is exactly where the B&M kit keeps the oil temp...below 180 it diverts 90% back to the engine, above 180 it directs it to the cooler.
     
  13. WrxConedodger

    WrxConedodger New Member

    The exact temp that the oil should stay at is in the low 170s but 180 is generally considered a good temp leaving yourself plenty of room for variances in the thermostat. But I agree that cooler oil is a good thing. I have thought about putting one in for the trans. It would require a transfer pump to move the fluid and may require some holes to be drilled and tapped in the trans case. I thought it might be possible to do something using the drain plug and maybe the fill tube or something like that but I haven't spent a whole lot of time looking at it.
     
  14. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I was wondering. It would seem to be benifitial to a manual just as much as a automatic. I know the STi has em. Where would one go about finding a transfer pump? I imagine you could just tap 2 holes in the tranny pan? I have not even looked at the manual. I am assuming it has some form of pan like the autos? or is it just the casing itself? is there some kind of filter for auto trans fluid?
     
  15. Trey

    Trey Active Member



    That's why you install an oilstat. ;)

    [​IMG]

    My car runs great at any temp.



    Alex, I do not know the cfm, I got it used from Damon, Mustangkilla.

    I do not, I picked it up, used, from Damon before he moved away.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 8, 2006
  16. bluetwo

    bluetwo Active Member

    I knew it!

    Just kidding. I didn't even know there were devices like that. I guess what I read about oil coolers was a little out of date.
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2006

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