Tim
20 posts
Joined: 31/10/2004 13:08:06
Location: Chesham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Oil Cooler
iv just bought an oil cooler for my new engine as i shall be using a sump guard. I was wondering if a theromostat is needed and if so hwere anre they placed and how do they work(obviously cant just cut the oil off)
Posted: Dec 17, 2004 04:43 PM
Gidi
5 posts
Joined: 08/07/2005 07:26:15
Location: Kochav-Yair Israel
engine oil cooler
Hi, I got an oil radiator to cool off the engine since here the climate is verry hot and my car gets to 100C. I did everything in regards to the water cooling including removing the head and cleaning all the water passages (even though they were allready clean). 1. replaced the thermostat, and after that replaced with the blanking sleeve. 2. replaced the radiator with a 2 core radiator. 3. added a heavy duty electric fan 4. replaced all water hoses The last resort is the oil cooler which should do the trick (did so with my friends cars). the only problem I have is where to place it. its a small 5 rails cooler and shoul fit easily but there is allway something there in the way (starter, distributor, alternator etc.) so if anyone here with experience in this could help me it would be a great relief. if you have pictures to make it even clearer then thats even better. Thanks
Posted: Oct 16, 2005 07:43 PM
minijosh
27 posts
Joined: 16/10/2005 16:50:24
Location: RAF Lakenheath United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
The most popular place that Ive seen it mounted is right behind the grill. That way it will receive some air. If you get a body kit, Ive seen it also placed below the grill too. Either way, it should go up front so that it will be directly in the path of the air but then it might catch some rocks. Just install it behind the grill and try to install a small fan or 2 behind it or in front of it. That way you will always have air blowing on the oil cooler to allow it to do its job. Id put money on that that it will really help your car at idle temps.
Posted: Oct 16, 2005 08:41 PM
S. Chatterley
4 posts
Joined: 08/04/2007 22:56:43
Location: Redditch United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Oil cooler
I have a 13 row oil cooler to fit to our 1275 GT Clubman, but I'm not sure where's the best place to mount it, any suggestions?
Cheers
Steve
Posted: Jun 26, 2007 09:55 AM
1849 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Should be a doddle with a Clubman to fit it just behind the front grille.
Posted: Jun 26, 2007 01:45 PM
Tom
69 posts
Joined: 15/07/2007 14:52:33
Location: Southampton United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
OIL COOLER OR NOT? (+ fuel pump question)
Hi, a'm building a fast road 998 as follows:
block bored +60
+60 Mega Flat Top Pistons
Fast Road Cam
Stage 3 Head
1 3/4 SU Carb
Top of Block Faced flush with Pistons at TDC, (for increased compresion)
Re-Ground Crank
Lightened Duplex Timing Set
4 Core Radiator - if mine needs replacing, cant remeber at the min
New Clutch Kit
Central Oil Pick-Up Pipe
New Oil + Water Pumps
And more...
It it adviseable to fit an Oil Cooler, and if so, is it a hard job to fit to a car that didnt have one as standard- a 1984 Mini 25. How do i fit the coller pipes, Where do they enter and exit the engine?
Also, as i'm replacing everrything else, should i replace the mechanical Fuel Pump?
Would be gratfull for any advise or comments, Cheers, Tom.
Posted: Aug 27, 2007 10:38 PM
LH
18 posts
Joined: 19/07/2007 18:59:21
Location: Chard United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Buy a cooler and kit (pipes and bracket) and a thermostat. the pipes connect instead of the pipe coming out the side of your filter, and the thermostat lets your car warm up quicker.
13 row should be ample.
Oh and what cam did you choose?
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 12:33 AM
pickme
672 posts
Joined: 08/09/2004 23:10:14
Location: Chippenham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Never buy an oil cooler second hand. Always buy them brand new. You have no idea how much gunk from someone elses gear box is stuck in a used cooler.
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 12:39 PM
I chose the Kent 266 Performance road Cam in the end- because it will be used in traffic quite a lot. So, the oil cooler pipe goes from the filter metal pipe? and where does it enter back into the engine?
Posted: Aug 28, 2007 06:41 PM
The oil cooler effectively replaces the metal pipe - you get two flexible pipes, one attached to each end of the oilo cooler, and you screw one into the oil filter head and the other into the block. Pretty simple. Mounting the cooler is more tricky.
The big problem with oil coolers is that you can't drain them when you change the oil (unless you mount them upside down). Has anyone got thoughts on that?
Posted: Aug 29, 2007 10:23 AM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Just do like I do and after dropping the old oil, then fill up with some cheap 20W/50 oil and start the engine up and get it up to a normal running temperature whilst stationary.
Then drop that, replace the oil filter and finally fill up with good quality 20W/50 oil like Duckhams Q Classic, Millers or Penrite etc.
At least then you'll know that the oil cooler shouldn't be full of manky old oil.
Posted: Aug 30, 2007 03:36 PM
John
1948 posts
Joined: 28/05/2006 16:49:46
Location: cambridge United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
i wouldnt bother fitting an oil cooler it wont need one it will just add weight and make car harder to service. 20w50 is a multigrade oil and it has to get every hot before it get dangeriously thin (viscosity gets too low) oil coolers were common on minis years ago as they were using sae 30 grade oil, as this gets hotter it soon gets too thin, so to stop engine failure due to overly thin oil oil coolers were used. by 70's muligrade oils were avalible making oil coolers not nessary on all but very highly tuned engines espeshally those with turbos. if u fit one with thermostate it wont do any harm but if u fit one without thermostate it will stop oil geting to its optimal working temperature and cause increased engine wear. the standard mecanical pumps can generally supply enouth fuel for around the 90bhp mark so it should be fine. lastly the most important thing with engine oils is regular changes 6000 miles as maxium if u want engine to last.
Posted: Sep 14, 2007 03:20 PM
Dragmini
10 posts
Joined: 11/10/2007 15:28:57
Location: Birmingham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Oil cooler easy to fit, but be carefull the pipes can be very expencive ! get a solid state facet fuel pump, you carnt beat em for a mini!
Posted: Oct 19, 2007 04:32 PM
frank seyedi
1 posts
Joined: 05/07/2011 21:39:08
Location: Bristol United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
oil cooler
mini mk3 1975 with 1100 engine, can I fit an oil cooler to this and if so what cooler kit I need,
thank you in advance
Posted: Dec 25, 2020 06:55 PM
Keith
173 posts
Joined: 13/09/2004 07:56:05
Location: United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
.....
What makes you think you need an oil cooler? Barely any road-going Minis get their oil hot enough to need a cooler -even on a highly tuned engine. It seems that fitting an oil cooler is a reflex when any mods are done on a Mini. Hell - I dont even use an oil cooler on my 135bhp race car. Go to ARTICLES, then CALVERS CORNER and see what Ive done on there about oil. KC.
Posted: Dec 21, 2004 09:42 PM
Oil temp
no dont fit oil cooler 20w50 oil runs well hot its when its protecting at its best. oil coolers are rarly nessary these days as modern oils run well hot and cold. oilspre 1970's were single grade eg sae30 and these dont work well at all hot. you will just increase engine wear by fitting oil cooler to your mini espeshally in uk climate. engine wear is mostly from cold oil when starting up your engine not hot oil. if you were racing and using thin synthetic oil then oil cooler might be useful as it would stop the thin oil getting any thinner.
Posted: Apr 29, 2008 12:02 PM
Timing......
oil cooler is not nessary use 20w50 oil. minis dont have a problem with too high oil temps and fitting a oil cooler over cools the oil increasing engine wear. they are only nessary with thin oils or if you are using 1960's quality oils ie sae 30. metro 1300 is good source for electronic dystribitors as long as your engine is an A+ ie post around 1982
Posted: Nov 15, 2007 11:06 PM
Which Oil
if uv got no oil cooler 15w40 for low mileage and 20w50 for higher mileage with oil cooler id prob stick with 15w40. 20w50 is thick and doesnt get so thin at high temps. 15w40 is slightly thinner so better lubrication of low tolerance surfaces but will get thiner at a lower temperature. so if ur doing short runs 10w40 or 15w40 longer runs 20w50. just pick what u think will be best for ur engine depoending on mielage and how u drive it
Posted: Jul 05, 2006 11:20 PM
Matthew
Joined: 24/03/2005 15:30:47
Location: Hassocks United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
cooling
I reckon i need to fit a oil cooler to my car, it is 1.3 italian job, but i dont know how to loop one in, which one would be best, and which hoses and bits and bobs i will need. i recently put on a set of twin SUs, and thats all the upgrades the engine has. As i was coming up the M6 on a hot sunny day, the car was cooking its spuds off! Although the car wasnt over heating badly it was still running hotter than it normally would on the motorway, and i was having to open the air vents to help cool it down, which was like sitting in hell! There is plenty of water in it and the pump is working well. The secondary fan is also working well. Will a oil cooler be the answer to my cooking problems. Cheers.
Posted: Jul 10, 2005 01:18 PM
MG Metro engine into Mini
yeah u shud be alright without oil cooler with 20w50 oil as it stays thicker at higher temperatures, if an oil cooler if u like but its more to hinder sevicing, if u do fit one use a thermostate as oil works best warm not cold or hot. a 998 radiator will not cope with a 1275 it will be very prone to overheating. u dont need an auxilary electric fan these are expensive to buy and iv never known mine come on once. if u buy a minispares uprated 2 core rad or one of there 4 core ones it will cope fine. iv got a friend who fitted a 1275 and left his 998 rad in and would overheat after 40min, then he fitted minispares 2 core and never had any problems since.
Posted: Mar 13, 2007 03:42 PM