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Oil Cooler Idea....


dat240zg

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Curious; has anyone tried to use one of the radiators from an automatic Z with the tranny cooler integrated into the radiator and switch the lines out to work as an oil cooler? Is there any reason why that wouldn't work? Possibly too restrictive?

 

I have one sitting in my barn and was wondering if it would work as an oil cooler in my turbo swap into my 240...

 

Bryan

Dat240zg

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I think you are spot on about the restriction. Oil cooler lines are typically at least double the diameter of the auto trans lines cooler lines. I think you can get a rad with a heat exchanger built in it that will have sufficient flow to function as an oil cooler, but if memory serves they cost as much as a good used Datsun...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a sandwich plate on my orange Z with the L series, got it from perma cool. Am using a B&M oil cooler. I have one of the Rx7 coolers laying around and was hoping to use it on my silver car, but it may be too larger to fit in with my FMIC. They are super nice!

 

I T'd off of the oil return line from the cooler with a SS braided line half the size of the main engine oil feed for the turbo.

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Guest Zachb55

when you guys ad the coolers do you feel the need to use a higher viscosity oil? it seems like those would be so effective that maybe a real low viscosity oil might not flow well and build up in the cooler, which coul obviously lead to badness...

 

-ZAch

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I put on the turbo on at the same time as putting on the cooler, and I changed my oil pump so hard to say exactly with all of the changes.

 

Anyways, I'd say my oil presure acts about the same as it did when the engine was a NA with SU's and old pump.

 

Oil cooler gets pretty warm when I drive hard, but not so bad if I'm just cruising, over all I'd say it does it's job well. I've got some pretty big lines going into the thing, and it has some good sized fittings on it. Maybe since I have an aftermarket one it flows more than some OEM ones, but no proof.

 

There's probably only one perfect sized oil cooler for a particular engine, but how to figure that one out and if it really makes too difference is another question that may not matter all that much in the end. These engines last pretty dang long as is, even without oil coolers.

 

Running a center piece in your turbo that allows you to run water may help more than a larger cooler, who knows.

 

The RX7 cooler is by far the cheapest and largest you can get your hands on, that's the only answere I'm really sure about :-)

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Originally posted by Zachb55:

when you guys ad the coolers do you feel the need to use a higher viscosity oil? it seems like those would be so effective that maybe a real low viscosity oil might not flow well and build up in the cooler, which coul obviously lead to badness...

 

-ZAch

Huh? Your thinking backwards, you would be able to stick with low viscosity oil for better flow with a cooler. Oil temps in my car have gone up to about 270º IIRC, with a cooler and 6 quarts, stock cooler in a 94 Camaro. Road racing gets the car hot pretty fast, especially in 90º+ heat.
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