Oil cooler question - Lateral-g Forums

chicane · #1 12-29-2008, 10:07 PM

Where to put it ???

In the radiator... where it belongs. I would have the drivers side tank modified for a heat exchanger... there really is no other choice for what you are trying to accomplish. Not to mention that when looking at it from a cost / performance point of view... it's a no brainer.

Suck it up... and just do it... halfassing it isnt an option.

Blown353 · #2 12-29-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicane

In the radiator... where it belongs. I would have the drivers side tank modified for a heat exchanger... there really is no other choice for what you are trying to accomplish. Not to mention that when looking at it from a cost / performance point of view... it's a no brainer.

I agree with Tom. After messing with air/oil & water/oil coolers, a properly sized in-radiator heat exchanger is the way to go. Another benefit is that it gets the oil up to temp faster. Also, unlike an air/oil setup there is no need for a thermostat in the oil cooler lines which is strongly recommended on a street car so the oil doesn't stay too cool under "normal" driving conditions-- no such problem of "too cool" oil with a heat exchanger in the radiator if you size it properly for the job.

Plus, it can be a real PITA on some vehicles to fit a properly sized air/oil cooler within the confines of the nose and still expose it to enough airflow to be effective. It's a lot easier to stick a heat exchanger in the hot side tank of the radiator.

**Steve1968LS2** · #3 12-30-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicane

Where to put it ???

In the radiator... where it belongs. I would have the drivers side tank modified for a heat exchanger... there really is no other choice for what you are trying to accomplish. Not to mention that when looking at it from a cost / performance point of view... it's a no brainer.

Suck it up... and just do it... halfassing it isnt an option.

That's not really cost effective if you already own a radiator... lol

Option #2?

Vegas69 · #4 12-30-2008, 09:17 AM

Could it be welded onto your current setup? I don't have room but you may.

chicane · #5 12-30-2008, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve1968LS2

That's not really cost effective if you already own a radiator... lol

Option #2?

Well... yeah, it can be. Doing the math, after the cost of the cooler, the lines, the fittings and the time... the cost of modifying the tank and adding the cooler... is close. And then... the function aspects of what was done by that, clearly out perform the other options by a long shot. I'd give Chet a call at C&R (and the others as well) just to see what it would take.

I mean... if you look at what CarlC has into his set up and what it does performance wise... the $695 he spent on the radiator... would tell me to sell the current radiator and step up to what it is that you really need vice that of slapping a bandaid on your current cooling system.

Option #2...

Hang a stack cooler on the front of the core support and deal with it. It's the only other choice that will actually provide enough of a cooling benifit for the cost involved.

Anything that you place under the car, under the trunk etc etc... will need dedicated, directed air and an external fan for it to even worth it's consideration. But, that increases it's complexity ten fold....

**Steve1968LS2** · #6 12-30-2008, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicane

Well... yeah, it can be. Doing the math, after the cost of the cooler, the lines, the fittings and the time... the cost of modifying the tank and adding the cooler... is close. And then... the function aspects of what was done by that, clearly out perform the other options by a long shot. I'd give Chet a call at C&R (and the others as well) just to see what it would take.

I mean... if you look at what CarlC has into his set up and what it does performance wise... the $695 he spent on the radiator... would tell me to sell the current radiator and step up to what it is that you really need vice that of slapping a bandaid on your current cooling system.

Option #2...

Hang a stack cooler on the front of the core support and deal with it. It's the only other choice that will actually provide enough of a cooling benifit for the cost involved.

Anything that you place under the car, under the trunk etc etc... will need dedicated, directed air and an external fan for it to even worth it's consideration. But, that increases it's complexity ten fold....

Does he have a website? Does the $695 include the elec fans? Been happy with my AFCO unit but I need cooler oil on the track.. that's a proven fact.

**Steve1968LS2** · #7 12-30-2008, 04:14 PM

Is this it?

http://www.crracing.com/radiators/late_model_heat.shtml

chicane · #8 12-31-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve1968LS2

Does he have a website? Does the $695 include the elec fans? Been happy with my AFCO unit but I need cooler oil on the track.. that's a proven fact.

Electric fan(s)... no. But you dont need more than one fan to begin with... if you use the right fan from the get go.

The only time I might recommend... read: might... run more than one fan is if I was wanting to run duals for the secondary to kick on when the AC is active. But... you dont have that problem... and niether do I. So why not run a single fan that pulls more than the two you have now ??

Secondly... you dont really need a shroud. If you purchased a Mark VIII fan with the same size core as the OEM offering... the fan shroud of the Mark VIII fan would be nearly perfect. Not having a shroud with this fan is not really an issue... it's will damn near pull the car forward in neutral.

The dual pass mechanics... is really where the performance gain is.

**Steve1968LS2** · #9 12-31-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicane

Electric fan(s)... no. But you dont need more than one fan to begin with... if you use the right fan from the get go.

The only time I might recommend... read: might... run more than one fan is if I was wanting to run duals for the secondary to kick on when the AC is active. But... you dont have that problem... and niether do I. So why not run a single fan that pulls more than the two you have now ??

Secondly... you dont really need a shroud. If you purchased a Mark VIII fan with the same size core as the OEM offering... the fan shroud of the Mark VIII fan would be nearly perfect. Not having a shroud with this fan is not really an issue... it's will damn near pull the car forward in neutral.

The dual pass mechanics... is really where the performance gain is.

Sorry.. I should have said FAN since that's what I run now.. one large fan. I plan on contacting C&R next week. I still like the idea of a shroud, even if it's for asthetic reasons. And my current AFCO radiator is a double pass unit.

What do you think about an oil cooler story? discuss plate, tube and heat sink options along with location. Could be a good theory piece. I hate doing the same old stories over and over. Thoughts?

James OLC · #10 12-31-2008, 06:02 PM

I think that it is a great idea for a story Steve. It's definately something that everyone would benefit from and I would think that it is something that the majority of people have at least given some consideration to over the course of ownership. And for a bit of variety, it's not LSx specific...

Two things that I have used on my last two builds that I thought were cool was (1) a "sandwich" style thermostat/bypass on my 502 (it was off of a Mercury Racing marine big block) and (2) the Canton remote thermostat that I have on the '67 now. Hindsight being 20/20 I might have gone with a cooler in the rad but that ship has sailed.

On my last '67 I bought a used Fluidyne nascar setup from Rousch racing. While it was not an integral part of the rad it was designed to be mounted directly beneath it.