Oil cooler question

[CarlC]

Originally Posted by Steve1968LS2

That's a good idea if you are using an air based cooler. But, if you're running one through the radiator they it's unnessary since the water will warm the oil in addition to cooling it.

Not so.

On cool days the oil temperature in mine during normal cruise the oil temps get to maybe 150*. On the freeway, 140*. If I hammer it for a while, 180*. On warm days it will get up to over 200* occasionally.

I would really like the oil temp to be 210-220* during normal operation, so a thermostat is in the planning stages. I may go with a Mocal, but the CV part is really nice.

No matter how much heat turbos may add to the oil, if the oil is overheating a cooler is needed. Worst case the cooler will delay the onset of overheating, but the amount of oil a turbo uses is much smaller than that used in the rest of the engine, which creates a lot of waste heat during high-horsepower output.

[Steve1968LS2]

Originally Posted by CarlC

Not so.

On cool days the oil temperature in mine during normal cruise the oil temps get to maybe 150*. On the freeway, 140*. If I hammer it for a while, 180*. On warm days it will get up to over 200* occasionally.

I would really like the oil temp to be 210-220* during normal operation, so a thermostat is in the planning stages. I may go with a Mocal, but the CV part is really nice.

Hmm.. the techies at C&R is where I got my info. Interesting.

My water temp is never below 190, so shouldn't the oil always end up near this since it's warmed by the water much like it's cooled by the water?

[David Pozzi]

Originally Posted by CarlC

Not so.

On cool days the oil temperature in mine during normal cruise the oil temps get to maybe 150*. On the freeway, 140*. If I hammer it for a while, 180*. On warm days it will get up to over 200* occasionally.

I would really like the oil temp to be 210-220* during normal operation, so a thermostat is in the planning stages. I may go with a Mocal, but the CV part is really nice.

No matter how much heat turbos may add to the oil, if the oil is overheating a cooler is needed. Worst case the cooler will delay the onset of overheating, but the amount of oil a turbo uses is much smaller than that used in the rest of the engine, which creates a lot of waste heat during high-horsepower output.

Carl,
Was this with your old engine with cooler and radiator inlet on the same side? The LS enters the pass side right?

The way it should work is the oil heat exchanger should be on the radiator inlet side tank receiving the warmest coolant. I'm getting a Be Cool rad and it's double pass, they have to put the exchanger in the pass side tank.

Thermostat valves take up a bit of room especially with all the extra plumbing. The cleanest way would be to have it on the engine block. I don't think you need to actually shut off the rad cooler and open the bypass. I think just opening a bypass would be enough, the cooler should have enough extra resistance to flow that would not allow much flow thru it when the bypass is open.

[Steve1968LS2]

Originally Posted by David Pozzi

Carl,
Was this with your old engine with cooler and radiator inlet on the same side? The LS enters the pass side right?

The way it should work is the oil heat exchanger should be on the radiator inlet side tank receiving the warmest coolant. I'm getting a Be Cool rad and it's double pass, they have to put the exchanger in the pass side tank.

Thermostat valves take up a bit of room especially with all the extra plumbing. The cleanest way would be to have it on the engine block. I don't think you need to actually shut off the rad cooler and open the bypass. I think just opening a bypass would be enough, the cooler should have enough extra resistance to flow that would not allow much flow thru it when the bypass is open.

A factory LS radiator (from GM) has the inlet on the drivers side and the exit (lower) on the pass side.

Most aftermarket LS radiators have the inlet and outlet both on the pass side to make plumbing cleaner. That's how my current AFCO is and how the C&R unit is.

My new AFCO will have both on the pass side and the cooler will be on the upper driver's side like the C&R unit.

[CarlC]

With the C&R dual-pass radiator the oil cooler is placed in the mid-tank. Hence, the engine coolant has already gone through 1/2 of the cooling cycle. By the time the coolant, which exits the engine at thermostat temperature, gets to the mid-tank it has cooled significantly. This keeps oil temperatures low on cool days.

It's the same for both the previous 406 and the current LS. On warm days while street driving it takes quite a bit to get the oil into the 220* range. On track days it performs very well. Having the cooler in the return tank would help keep oil temperatures up.

David,

The inlet/outlet are on the RH side and the oil cooler is on the LH (pics on website). I think the Mocal type could be used with only one extra hose in my application. I've thought of a simple bypass as well. Any hints on a good design/parts?

Though I like the design of the ATS pan it would have been really nice to have a sandwich-type thermostat adapter, even if it meant having to 90* the filter to make it work. Having the thermostat built in to the radiator heat exchanger would also be kind trick but a nightmare if servicing was needed.

[chicane]

Originally Posted by Steve1968LS2

Oh and there will be an "oil cooler 101" type story.

Nice... definately, looking forword to that and getting the 'tech' out to the masses.

[JNS]

Originally Posted by Y-TRY

Would it be futile to try and cool the oil in a turbo set-up?

nate- you still got your turbo setup in the 68?

[Steve1968LS2]

Originally Posted by chicane

Nice... definately, looking forword to that and getting the 'tech' out to the masses.

Right now I'm doing a shock tech story.. like a "shock 101" deal.

My problem is that I have more story ideas than I have time.

[Vegas69]

Not sure how the LS motors are bypassed but I have recently learned you need to increase the blow off pressure of the bypass when running a cooler or remote oil filter. (At least on a genv/vi big block) 11 to 30 lbs in my case.

[Y-TRY]

Originally Posted by JNS

nate- you still got your turbo setup in the 68?

Yep, I still have it all but the car is on a rack right now for paint/body. I commited to the project before the economy went South. It's still moving forward albeit a bit slower.