Stock Oil Cooler
- Thread starter JayC
- Start date
aschulz261@cox.
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2004
I've got a BeCool with a cooler.
I already voted, but want to add a couple of things. I don't have documented evidence at my disposal, so if you doubt what I say, then move on to the next post. Here goes:
1. I once read that an oil cooler isn't supposed to cool the oil too much. The oil is suposed to stay hot. If it gets too cool, then it will not flow the way it is supposed to, and will not lubricate well enough. The cooler is supposed to prevent it from being too hot, not to make it cool. (Probably Hot Rod or Car-Craft magazine)
2. I always hear that someone trashed an engine and they won't use it because the chunks have gotten into the oil cooler, and they don't want those pieces going through their new motor. I can understand not wanting to circulate metal through their oiling system, but, I find it a little hard to believe that chunks of metal from a blown motor can get past the bearings and past the filter and into the cooler. Doesn't the oil come straight from the filter and go to the cooler? If so, then I don't see the bearing material getting past the filter. Has anyone ever cut open a radiator after a motor has gone South for the Winter, and actually found metal in there?
Just my two cents.
1. I once read that an oil cooler isn't supposed to cool the oil too much. The oil is suposed to stay hot. If it gets too cool, then it will not flow the way it is supposed to, and will not lubricate well enough. The cooler is supposed to prevent it from being too hot, not to make it cool. (Probably Hot Rod or Car-Craft magazine)
2. I always hear that someone trashed an engine and they won't use it because the chunks have gotten into the oil cooler, and they don't want those pieces going through their new motor. I can understand not wanting to circulate metal through their oiling system, but, I find it a little hard to believe that chunks of metal from a blown motor can get past the bearings and past the filter and into the cooler. Doesn't the oil come straight from the filter and go to the cooler? If so, then I don't see the bearing material getting past the filter. Has anyone ever cut open a radiator after a motor has gone South for the Winter, and actually found metal in there?
Just my two cents.
T- Type Tim
Vice Chairman
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2001
Quoted from vortex buicks................ seems reasonable enough, and bought an aftermarket one after reading this:
Engine Cooling
An old adage states that one-third of the combustion heat goes into making power, one-third goes out the tail pipe, and one-third goes into the cooling system. Turbo cars try to make use of the heat going out the exhaust to spin the turbo when required.
The one-third that goes into the cooling system heats the oil and the coolant in the block. We need some heat in both to make the oil work properly and to minimize wear as well as enhance engine efficiency.
Most engineers seem to think that oil should be at least 180 degs in order to burn off condensation and allow the additives to properly clean. On the other hand, oil temperatures that rise much above 200 degs begin to contribute to thermal breakdown which shortens the life of the oil and its effectiveness as a lubricant. How high is safe? I would guess that the curve steepens greatly at 215-220 degs when it comes to oil life. Okay, we can change the oil more frequently, right? Yes, but.....
The but is that hot oil splashing on the bottoms of the pistons, etc. contributes to detonation. We do not want 250 deg oil heating up the piston surface and pushing our engine closer to the detonation limit that what it was when we tuned for maximum safe performance on a colder engine.
The factory oil cooler is often discarded after an engine rebuild and not replaced with an alternate cooler. Many seem to think that the only purpose of the cooler is to prevent coking in the turbo bearings after the engine is turned off by reducing oil temps. While this has some merit, the factory was also concerned about detonation and realized the need to make the engines as consistent as possible.
If you are not running an oil cooler, go buy the largest one you can find. I like the B&M style for durability. The new ones with the fan are expensive but can be more easily mounted without so much regard for external air flow. Keeping the oil in the 180-200 deg range will not only help preserve the engine life, but, will make the car easier to tune and improve consistency of performance.
:smile:
Engine Cooling
An old adage states that one-third of the combustion heat goes into making power, one-third goes out the tail pipe, and one-third goes into the cooling system. Turbo cars try to make use of the heat going out the exhaust to spin the turbo when required.
The one-third that goes into the cooling system heats the oil and the coolant in the block. We need some heat in both to make the oil work properly and to minimize wear as well as enhance engine efficiency.
Most engineers seem to think that oil should be at least 180 degs in order to burn off condensation and allow the additives to properly clean. On the other hand, oil temperatures that rise much above 200 degs begin to contribute to thermal breakdown which shortens the life of the oil and its effectiveness as a lubricant. How high is safe? I would guess that the curve steepens greatly at 215-220 degs when it comes to oil life. Okay, we can change the oil more frequently, right? Yes, but.....
The but is that hot oil splashing on the bottoms of the pistons, etc. contributes to detonation. We do not want 250 deg oil heating up the piston surface and pushing our engine closer to the detonation limit that what it was when we tuned for maximum safe performance on a colder engine.
The factory oil cooler is often discarded after an engine rebuild and not replaced with an alternate cooler. Many seem to think that the only purpose of the cooler is to prevent coking in the turbo bearings after the engine is turned off by reducing oil temps. While this has some merit, the factory was also concerned about detonation and realized the need to make the engines as consistent as possible.
If you are not running an oil cooler, go buy the largest one you can find. I like the B&M style for durability. The new ones with the fan are expensive but can be more easily mounted without so much regard for external air flow. Keeping the oil in the 180-200 deg range will not only help preserve the engine life, but, will make the car easier to tune and improve consistency of performance.
:smile:
- Joined
- May 27, 2001
If you answered yes, check out this poll 
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/engine-tech/235639-those-you-still-running-stock-oil-cooler.html
If you didnt, check it out anyway.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/engine-tech/235639-those-you-still-running-stock-oil-cooler.html
If you didnt, check it out anyway.
BetMinesFaster
Turbo LSX Trader
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2007
My car has an oil temp gauge, stock cooler and radiator-warm engine oil was within a few degrees of engine temp except upon extended idle (in a drivethrough for a few minutes) then ten or so over coolant temp, oil warmed to engine temp fairly quickly (I belive the function of the stock "cooler" is not just to cool but keep it consistent)
no cooler was always at least 20 over coolant temp and have seen it as high as 40 over coolant temp after idleing for a bit (this prompted replacing the cooler very soon)
griffin radiator and front mount oil cooler, 110-115 degrees, long idles are about 140 but cool instantly above 30 mph or so
This is just what I have seen from my experiance with my car..
