Oil cooler

[M.C..]

I am thinking of getting a oil cooler, where is the best place/cheapest to get one from?
I want one with a thermostatic sandwich plate, as for braided hoses are they needed?

 

[MarkX]

I put a wanted ad on here, got a mocal 10 row with thermostatic plate and braided hoses.....which I'd prefer as there's less risk of them being cut open by rubbing/stones etc, worth spending a bit extra. It made ~ 20 degree difference to my car on track so happy with that. Not sure I'd want a bigger cooler as it hangs pretty low once the fittings are on there.....

 

[M.C..]

Is there anyway of fitting the cooler the other way round so the fittings are on the top?
Have you got 2 sandwich plates on? I assume one is for a take off for temp / pressure gauge.
Just been looking on JJC and they do a cooler for £39 + sandwich plate etc

 

[MarkX]

Is there anyway of fitting the cooler the other way round so the fittings are on the top?
Have you got 2 sandwich plates on? I assume one is for a take off for temp / pressure gauge.
Just been looking on JJC and they do a cooler for £39 + sandwich plate etc

yes there is definitely room on top, although some sort of bracket needs made as the cooler is longer than the flat portion of the crash bar, no big deal though. I put it under as I had pre made hoses and they were long and didn't want to just coil them in the engine bay. Yes, 2 plates, one for an oil temp gauge, the Mocal plate didn't really have a place I could drill and tap for it, so just have both. One track day down fitted and no issues, but glad I did it.

 

[M.C..]

Thanks Mark
I have a place near me that make braided hoses so I can get the pipes made up to the length I need with no excess.

 

[GrahamS]

I'd try and get the hoses made up if possible. When I did the oil cooler on my old 182 the push fit hose was an absolute bugger to get on. Had to leave it soaking in boiling water for ages before it was soft enough to put over the fittings. Again I had a ten row with a themoplate. Unfortunately this is the best photo I have at the moment. Careful that the braided hoses don't rub as they will eat anything in their path!
If you're on JJC ask someone for the latest discount code as they're still doing 5% off. I can't remember the new one as they changed it this year.

 

[Cub.]

This is where mine lives, for obvious reasons given mounting it lower wasn't an option.

 

[M.C..]

I'd try and get the hoses made up if possible. When I did the oil cooler on my old 182 the push fit hose was an absolute bugger to get on. Had to leave it soaking in boiling water for ages before it was soft enough to put over the fittings. Again I had a ten row with a themoplate. Unfortunately this is the best photo I have at the moment. Careful that the braided hoses don't rub as they will eat anything in their path!
If you're on JJC ask someone for the latest discount code as they're still doing 5% off. I can't remember the new one as they changed it this year.

I would be getting them done at a local place they make the hydraulic hoses up for work all parker hydraulic stuff so good quality.
Thats good to know about the 5% used the last one loads (if you do remember PM it over please)

What size pipe are you using 1/2 or 3/8 as the plates come with 1/2 BSP fittings.

 

[NorthloopCup]

You want -10 oil cooler pipes mate so whatever the equivalent is in imperial.

Laminova coolers are where it's at. You can't get a stone through one of them. :wink:

 

[M.C..]

You want -10 oil cooler pipes mate so whatever the equivalent is in imperial.

Laminova coolers are where it's at. You can't get a stone through one of them. :wink:

A laminova would be nice but over £200 for just a cooler too expensive for me.
-10 is a massive pipe equivalent in BSP is 5/8, the OD would be about 30mm.

I had the bumper off yesterday having a look at where to fit one and feeding the pipes through to the sandwich plate looks like a nightmare.
I still have a/c so was thinking of just removing the condenser and all the pipework from the compressor to give me more access to the engine bay, would this be OK or does something need doing to the compressor?

 

[NorthloopCup]

A laminova would be nice but over £200 for just a cooler too expensive for me.
-10 is a massive pipe equivalent in BSP is 5/8, the OD would be about 30mm.

I had the bumper off yesterday having a look at where to fit one and feeding the pipes through to the sandwich plate looks like a nightmare.
I still have a/c so was thinking of just removing the condenser and all the pipework from the compressor to give me more access to the engine bay, would this be OK or does something need doing to the compressor?

Yeah they're a tad extravagant tbh. Piece of piss to install though. My oil lines are less than 1mtr in length for the pair of them as well. I have always been told -10 for oil lines mate so that's what I've opted for.
Have a look at the speedflow push on hose and hose ends. Not expensive at all to buy and very reliable. They've got the internal dimensions on the site.

Is there no space anywhere to pass the pipes through? If it's going to be easier you'll have no choice but to remove the a/c stuff.

 

[M.C..]

I could not see any easy way of routing the pipes but I will have to have another look.

 

[EZ Tutty]

I'm using Mocal AQP Aeroquip 1/2" Hose for my oil cooler on the 172 Turbo, takes some getting on, but if you use the matching fittings there no need for hose clips, and you can just cut to the length required.

And if your looking for a cheap cooler, i'm using an MGB GT 13row Oil Cooler from ebay, make sure you go with a Thermostatic Sandwich Plate, the quicker the oil gets up to temp the less wear there is on the engine, and the quicker you can give it the beans.

Got all my bits from mattlewisracing.co.uk

 

[M.C..]

I'm using Mocal AQP Aeroquip 1/2" Hose for my oil cooler on the 172 Turbo, takes some getting on, but if you use the matching fittings there no need for hose clips, and you can just cut to the length required.

And if your looking for a cheap cooler, i'm using an MGB GT 13row Oil Cooler from ebay, make sure you go with a Thermostatic Sandwich Plate, the quicker the oil gets up to temp the less wear there is on the engine, and the quicker you can give it the beans.

Got all my bits from mattlewisracing.co.uk

Just had a look at that pipe, it does seem like a good idea and not that expensive either but how secure is it .
Have you got any pictures of how you have routed your pipe and where your cooler is fitted.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Just had a look at that pipe, it does seem like a good idea and not that expensive either but how secure is it .
Have you got any pictures of how you have routed your pipe and where your cooler is fitted.

It's very secure mate! It's the same stuff I'm running on my engine.

 

[GrahamS]

Just had a look at that pipe, it does seem like a good idea and not that expensive either but how secure is it .
Have you got any pictures of how you have routed your pipe and where your cooler is fitted.

I had exactly the same fear about push on hose but can say its absolutely crazy how tight it is. It's not coming off without being cut off the barbs. Found some more pics of mine. Like @EZ Tutty I had 1/2 bsp or 13mm. Mine was mocal push fit. Bought 3m which was plenty. Couldn't push these on more than the below. Did thousands of miles and a few track sessions like it and they never moved.

 

[EZ Tutty]

Just had a look at that pipe, it does seem like a good idea and not that expensive either but how secure is it .
Have you got any pictures of how you have routed your pipe and where your cooler is fitted.

Mines a Cup so routing the pipe is easier as I Have no air con.

I had exactly the same fear about push on hose but can say its absolutely crazy how tight it is. It's not coming off without being cut off the barbs. Found some more pics of mine. Like @EZ Tutty I had 1/2 bsp or 13mm. Mine was mocal push fit. Bought 3m which was plenty. Couldn't push these on more than the below. Did thousands of miles and a few track sessions like it and they never moved.

I found soaking the end in boiling water and using a squirt of WD40 helped to shove them on all the way.... Was still a b**ch tho!

 

[NorthloopCup]

I found soaking the end in boiling water and using a squirt of WD40 helped to shove them on all the way.... Was still a b**ch tho!

You wanna try pushing earls -6 super stock hose and fittings on then mate! It's even f**king worse!

 

[StuOwen86]

Good thread I have just bought an oil cooler with thermostatic sandwhich plate off someone on here for my track car, bloody impulse buys lol swear since i got paypal working on my phone I've spent a fortune.

 

[TarkMalbot]

I have been looking at the Matt Lewis Racing kits they sell and think I will be going for one of these eventually. I am happy with the push on connectors providing they are decent quality as then I can get the hoses to the perfect length and we use those very same push fits offshore and don't have an issue with them and they are at much higher pressures.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-C...-RS-MOCAL-OIL-COOLER-KIT-ZO-M20-/400870732192

My question is how many rows do people normally go for? I have been looking at paying the extra £6 for a few more rows but not sure if its worth it?

 

[MarkX]

I have been looking at the Matt Lewis Racing kits they sell and think I will be going for one of these eventually. I am happy with the push on connectors providing they are decent quality as then I can get the hoses to the perfect length and we use those very same push fits offshore and don't have an issue with them and they are at much higher pressures.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-C...-RS-MOCAL-OIL-COOLER-KIT-ZO-M20-/400870732192

My question is how many rows do people normally go for? I have been looking at paying the extra £6 for a few more rows but not sure if its worth it?

Really depends on where you're siting it, I have a 10 row, spaced down about 1/2" to clear the lip of the crash bar and with the fittings it's low enough, a trip over a large curb or onto the grass would worry me. It dropped my temps ~20'C so I don't think a bigger one's needed anyway.

 

[TarkMalbot]

Really depends on where you're siting it, I have a 10 row, spaced down about 1/2" to clear the lip of the crash bar and with the fittings it's low enough, a trip over a large curb or onto the grass would worry me. It dropped my temps ~20'C so I don't think a bigger one's needed anyway.

Thanks,
That's exactly the sort of information to help me out.

 

[ilovewilly]

If you can get hoses made up cheap, there's not much point in you buying one of the kits as they often end up making you fit the cooler in an area where you don't really want it - but works for the hose routing - which isn't ideal. Remember, you want air to be able to escape from behind it.

If suggest 1/2" bsp fittings. I run a 16 row Mocal in my 205 with a ~200hp 2.0 engine and on track it's ideal for oil temps. Doesn't overcool, it's just about right.

Fit the cooler in the best place and then measure and have hoses made up rather than guessing. I managed to get hoses made up on eBay for much less than local hydraulic places wanted - but I didn't have any contacts to get a decent deal. In fact my hoses are probably overkill in thickness, but as they are spot on in length to the mm for what I needed, they are fine. I'd look at the flexibility of the hoses you go for as it will put less stress on the fittings if they are more flexible.

 

[M.C..]

Have a look on JJC Mark everything is there all the fittings ally and steel and all different pipe and the coolers you can spec it as you want with what fittings BSP/JIC.
When I have finally made my mind up what to do with the pipes I will probably get it off them, but as EZ Tutty said have a look at the MGB GT coolers they look like the APS ones on JJC but a lot cheaper.