Let's Talk Oil Coolers

[xelderx]

Now that I have turboed my car I have found it really, really needs an oil cooler. The MSPs come with the small heat exchanger and I'm sure it does some good, but I'm thinking I want something a little more substantial. What led me to this is that I have a relocated oil filter. The filter is actually located just behind the driver side headlight (see attachment). This thing gets much hotter now than it ever did before. The hot oil coming out of the turbo goes directly into the oil pan and then get's picked up and sent straight to the oil filter. Not much cooling goes on in the extended hoses and oil filter before the oil is sent back into the block to be circulated.

The problem I'm having is that I don't have much room to mount an oil cooler. My FMIC is taking up the bottom grill and I would rather not put something else in front of the radiator behind the upper grill. The coolant is already stressed trying to cool the turbo as well. The only other reasonable place I can think of would be the driver's side fender well. I don't have a CAI stuffed in there so it is effectively unused space right now. I'll have to cut the bumper up to mount a NACA duct so cool air is forced in. Once I have the duct in place I'll have a better idea of what size and shape cooler I can run. I'm hoping I have enough room to mount a fan on it as well.

I think a lot of us need oil coolers and don't really know it. Especially some of the larger turboed Proteges. With the oil filter located on the back of the block I don't think people get a good sense of how hot it really gets. I know our water temp gauge isn't exactly spot on either.

 

[njaremka]

run some lines into the drivers front side bumper well, and put a scoop on the splash shield

 

[ho bag]

I have 2 MSP oil coolers at home. One will be finding its way into my P5 Next week i hope.

Its probally not enuf BUT its better then nothing thats for sure.

 

[xelderx]

run some lines into the drivers front side bumper well, and put a scoop on the splash shield

That's pretty much what I'm doing, but I'll probably end up with a duct in the bumper as well, just under the corner light. I should have the duct in a few days. Then I get to cut some more on my bumper.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

I can say that when I added the MSP oil cooler, it helped ALOT. My oil used to be well over 250*F but with the MSP cooler it's a solid 180*.

I know, I didn't think that puny thing worked either, but I'll be jiggered it did...

 

[DH Motorsports]

Pics of setup, or details of parts used would be terrific. We're looking for ideas for our track car.

 

[xelderx]

I can say that when I added the MSP oil cooler, it helped ALOT. My oil used to be well over 250*F but with the MSP cooler it's a solid 180*.

I know, I didn't think that puny thing worked either, but I'll be jiggered it did...

That is good news. I have enough stuff in the way where the oil filter used to go that I don't feel like trying to cram that extra cooler back there.

Pics of setup, or details of parts used would be terrific. We're looking for ideas for our track car.

I'll be playing with the install more next week. I'm booked up for the rest of this week with other projects. I'll hopefully have an update soon.

 

[xelderx]

I've changed my mind on the location of the oil cooler. It's just too complicated to get it in the fender well and get enough air to it. I'm going to put it in front of the radiator on the passenger side. It will decrease airflow to the radiator, but if I can get the oil cooler it will help the coolant do it's job.

To help in traffic I'm going to get a B&M cooler with a fan and thermostat already on it.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Be careful man, our pumps can't flow that much. You'll lose too much pressure with that unless you run an electric boost pump. Even your TOGA one (but you said you might have got scammed) won't be able to keep up with that. I would mount the oil cooler back against the firewall on the pass. side at a 45* angle to the ground on the very bottom of the firewall. It cuts down on hoses and would still get excellent airflow and not block your rad.

 

[xelderx]

I already have two -10AN hoses coming to the front of the car for the relocated oil filter. With my Accusump plumbing on the back of the block and going through the firewall there is no room back there for a cooler. It's also very vulnerable being that low with the autoX cones I run over sometimes. Even with 6.5 quarts of oil, a 2 quart Accusump accumulator, and a Chevy 350 oil filter I still have 75-80lbs of oil pressure at WOT. This should only add about an extra quart capacity to the entire system. I'll keep a close eye on my oil pressure, but the Accusump will let me know if I have any issues. I'll be wiring up a warning light to let me know when the Accusump switch opens. It's set to activate at less than 35lbs. If it stays on too much I'll know the pump can't keep up.

 

[aftershock63]

I've changed my mind on the location of the oil cooler. It's just too complicated to get it in the fender well and get enough air to it. I'm going to put it in front of the radiator on the passenger side. It will decrease airflow to the radiator, but if I can get the oil cooler it will help the coolant do it's job.

To help in traffic I'm going to get a B&M cooler with a fan and thermostat already on it.

Thats the cool I have but with out the fan. I should have got the fan. It is still great a keeping the oil temps down. On really hot days I don't see much over 200' but I had bought a cheap job before I bought the B&M and had an exxon valdez experience.

 

[xelderx]

Thats the cool I have but with out the fan. I should have got the fan. It is still great a keeping the oil temps down. On really hot days I don't see much over 200' but I had bought a cheap job before I bought the B&M and had an exxon valdez experience.

Good deal. Yea. I've tried to keep the oiling system all high level components. With as much plumbing as I have for my Accusump and oil filter relocation I've never had any leaks from all the fittings and lines.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

80Psi oil pressure? Is that with turbo installed or still N/A?

 

[xelderx]

80Psi oil pressure? Is that with turbo installed or still N/A?

With the turbo installed. The only thing that effects the overall oil pressure in my car is the temperature of the oil. It doesn't quite make the same pressure when it's at full temp, but that's just the physics of oil. I'm routing the cooler after the oil filter so that I'm still filtering hot oil for better flow through the filter and then cooling it before it returns to the block.

 

[CulRidr]

GB now going on at PG for 200$...

 

[LeManJello]

I've changed my mind on the location of the oil cooler. It's just too complicated to get it in the fender well and get enough air to it. I'm going to put it in front of the radiator on the passenger side. It will decrease airflow to the radiator, but if I can get the oil cooler it will help the coolant do it's job.

To help in traffic I'm going to get a B&M cooler with a fan and thermostat already on it.

That looks like it will work.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

So, how are you getting 80psi on the stock pump? Or do you have na Accusump boost pump?

 

[xelderx]

So, how are you getting 80psi on the stock pump? Or do you have na Accusump boost pump?

Just stock pump. 80lbs when the oil is cold. Once it gets up to operating temperature the pressure drops as the oil can flow better, but I can't see the pressure gauge on the Accusump while I'm driving so I'm not sure where the hot maximum pressure is at WOT. It's somewhere between 60-70lbs I believe as that is where I can pump the Accusump up to when the car is sitting so that I can get an accurate level reading on the dipstick. I just turn the Accusump off so that it fills completely and then I can turn the car off and check the actual oil level in the pan. I've finally got a pressure gauge mounted in the car where I can see it. I'll have it wired up in a few days. I can give you a more precise answer then.

 

[Sleepy]

subbing

 

[magnumP5]

Wow, sub. This looks really cool. I've been looking into getting an oil cooler for all the reasons you guys are saying but I really hadn't found one I liked until now. The only thing I don't get is how the thermostat would be setup. Just like, where would it go, etc.