Oil Coolers and you

[ricehunter]

Hey,

I remember seeing this link in one of the road race threads for oil coolers:
http://www.bakerprecision.com/trucool.htm

I know when I do my front mount I'll probably get the smaller one, but I was wondering if I should get one of the engine oil coolers and wondering what setups you guys had with these. Anyone use them inline with the turbo? Pre or post turbo if you do?

[Cloud]

I am using the smaller one of those. I don't like bakerprecision though since they shipped me the wrong parts and then charged me twice... It worked out in the end but it left me with like no extra money since I was paycheck to paycheck. As far as the cooler goes, it's mounted in the drivers side fender well and I really couldn't fit much of a larger cooler in there without ditching the reservoir even though I really would have liked something bigger. I am using the 90 oil filter housing... it's a good setup imo, thermostatically controlled and stock reliability but I can't say if the cooler is large enough without having an oil temp gauge yet.

[Kibo]

I think the post you're remembering was from me, where I was talking about using one of the power steering coolers at the bottom of the page. I'm a little confused about what you're asking, though. The engine oil coolers on that page aren't meant to be used inline with a turbo. For that, you may want to consider something like this:

FP -4AN Inline Filter (http://store.forcedperformance.net/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=FP&Product_Code=FP4ANFilter&Category_Code=)

Read the description carefully--there are pros and cons of adding a filter on your turbo oil feed line. If you decide to add one, make sure you check and clean it regularly!

Brian, which cooler size did you choose? I was intrigued by the low price of those oil coolers, but I decided to go with a Setrab cooler instead since I'm more familiar with them and they're definitely proven. I was barely able to squeeze a Setrab 625 in my fender well with -12AN fittings. It might be possible to fit a 634 with low-profile fittings, but it would be awfully tight!

[iamtall77]

A little off subject, but when using the inline filter, where should you place it? I have a BB turbo (not installed yet) with a oil feed line with inline filter that draws oil from the stock turbo feed area. Should I keep it this way, or run something off of the oil filter housing? I'd really hate to put too much oil pressure through the turbo and ruin it. However, I'd really like to be able to use the nice clean and cool oil coming out of the oil filter.

[Wazzelby]

A little off subject, but when using the inline filter, where should you place it? I have a BB turbo (not installed yet) with a oil feed line with inline filter that draws oil from the stock turbo feed area. Should I keep it this way, or run something off of the oil filter housing? I'd really hate to put too much oil pressure through the turbo and ruin it. However, I'd really like to be able to use the nice clean and cool oil coming out of the oil filter.

I would get the oil from the oil filter housing and put on your inline filter as well.

[Cloud]

I went with the 6x11 cooler kibo. I like the long/tru-cool design for a street car because it can't clog or bend fins and is basically indestructable. It definitely loses some efficiency over a nice finned type like a setrab but I am hoping sealed ducting makes up for that. I tried like hell to find a way to get the 8x11 in there but without losing the washer reservoir I couldn't do it, there was no way to wedge it in unless I cut the mounting tabs off and tried to tig to it or something which I was in no place to do. I don't have an oil temp gauge but it remains cool enough that I can touch it without burning myself after beating on it for a bit (though not for more than a second or so). The worst was when I trailered a 4000lb 8 foot tall brick of a trailer; the oil cooler was very insufficient for constant boost at low air speeds.

[Kibo]

A little off subject, but when using the inline filter, where should you place it? I have a BB turbo (not installed yet) with a oil feed line with inline filter that draws oil from the stock turbo feed area. Should I keep it this way, or run something off of the oil filter housing? I'd really hate to put too much oil pressure through the turbo and ruin it. However, I'd really like to be able to use the nice clean and cool oil coming out of the oil filter.

What kind of inline filter do you have? The FP one that I linked (which is available elsewhere for less if you do some searching) has a restricted inlet orifice to limit oil pressure for use with BB CHRAs; in fact, they suggest opening up the orifice for use with sleeved CHRAs.

Thanks for the reply on the TruCool, Brian. I didn't realize that it's not finned like a Setrab. The Setrabs are most definitely fragile, although I ran a 119 on the Galant on the street for a long time and it's still in very good shape. One of the reasons I went with the Setrab was so I could use their low profile M22 hose ends to make fitment easier. Of course, that was before I realized that the cooler I bought was NOS (New Old Stock) with permanent -12AN fittings instead of the M22 adapter ports that their current models have. :rolleyes:

I keep meaning to post pics, but every time I think of it I'm at work and I can't do that from here (hooray for Websense!). Bert can attest that it's a really tight fit using tubular type hose ends (as opposed to low profile). I have mine mounted with the ports on the side and the lower mounts cut off. I intentionally want the cooler mounted just by the upper tabs so it can "swing" in case I have an off-track adventure--the bottom of the cooler only sits an inch or two above the bottom of the bumper cover. The cooler is angled slightly in the same direction of the curve of the bumper as well.