mikeshoup Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I had a thought. I don't know if this has already been covered yet. The radiator I'm putting in my car will work with an AT, so it has the oil cooler for the transmission. Could this be used to cool the motor oil? Granted, it probably won't be as good as a seperate cooler, but it'd help right? So, what would I need to do so? Never installed an oil cooler, so I have no clue how I would go about it. Or should I just not waste my time and get a real oil cooler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 your best bet would be to get an actual oil cooler since engine oil is thicker then ATF, the passages in the radiator do not allow for very good flowing for engine oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rllywgn Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 any suggestions on how to actually hook up a oil cooler.. best place to run the lines and from where? I have one from a 2nd gen RX-7.. would be pretty not bad to throw that in the mix.. rllywgn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4WDFrenzy Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 any suggestions on how to actually hook up a oil cooler.. best place to run the lines and from where? I have one from a 2nd gen RX-7.. would be pretty not bad to throw that in the mix.. rllywgn Well, when you run the lines, there is a hole near the bottom of the air dam on the passenger side. It is large enough to run the hoses through, though you may want to line the sharp edges with something to keep the lines from being sliced. I have a power steering cooler hooked up on my GL-10, since my oil cooler adapter had the wrong threads and wouldn't fit. As soon as I find the correct one, I'll be installing an engine oil cooler too. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joostvdw Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 but where do you connect the lines for the cooler? I thought maybe a oilfilter adaptor or something? but I don't know which brand/type... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4WDFrenzy Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 but where do you connect the lines for the cooler? I thought maybe a oilfilter adaptor or something? but I don't know which brand/type... You would have to get an oil filter sandwich adapter(fits between the oil filter and the filter mount). Some have barbed fittings that will allow you to use your own oil cooler lines, or the higher end adapters have threaded fittings so that you can use braided stainless steel lines. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Does your oil *need* cooling? Unless it's getting too warm, there's no good reason to add an oil cooler - what temperature is it running at? RX-7s need an oil cooler because the oil cools the rotors, and there's a lot of surface area collecting heat. -=Russ=- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rllywgn Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 on turbo cars i would think it's a must.. I have a fc rx-7 oil cooler that I'm hoping to hook up... keep the turbo a little cooler and from what i've heard the heads have very little wall thickness.. anything to keep from cracking a head.. my thoughts is the sandwich adaptor of the oil filter or lines intersecting the turbo oil inlet.. from the turbo inlet im worried that it may interupt flow to much so the adaptor at the filter may be best.. plus increased capacity couldnt be bad rllywgn 109 degrees with a/c blasting in vegas, and the subie is still runnin at 190... lovin it.. RLLYWGN DESERT PREP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4WDFrenzy Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 on turbo cars i would think it's a must.. I have a fc rx-7 oil cooler that I'm hoping to hook up... keep the turbo a little cooler and from what i've heard the heads have very little wall thickness.. anything to keep from cracking a head.. my thoughts is the sandwich adaptor of the oil filter or lines intersecting the turbo oil inlet.. from the turbo inlet im worried that it may interupt flow to much so the adaptor at the filter may be best.. plus increased capacity couldnt be bad rllywgn 109 degrees with a/c blasting in vegas, and the subie is still runnin at 190... lovin it.. RLLYWGN DESERT PREP! I have to second that. Cooler oil, means that the oil can maintain it's original viscosity longer. It also means that vital engine parts are getting a better cushion of oil that will also help reduce wear and increase engine longevity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 You actually can use the tranny cooler in the radiator, though as you guessed, it won't be as efficient. The common misconception is that the passages are too small. Every rad we've tore down has one to three tubes (approx 5/16" dia) going straight through the tank. Because of the high pressure and huge volume a tranny has the lines will easily support oil flow. We've had guys do it. PMOC (poor man's oil cooler) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobscript Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 You actually can use the tranny cooler in the radiator, though as you guessed, it won't be as efficient. The common misconception is that the passages are too small. Every rad we've tore down has one to three tubes (approx 5/16" dia) going straight through the tank. Because of the high pressure and huge volume a tranny has the lines will easily support oil flow. We've had guys do it. PMOC (poor man's oil cooler) I was thinking of doing the same thing with my new radiator. I couldn't find a consensus, but I decided against it because AT fluid gets run thru the cooler at low pressure, engine oil would always be at high pressure, coolant goes thru the radiator at like 20psi max, don't know what the radiator is capable of taking without blowing. You could always get the sandwich adapter (Flex-a-lite makes one), run it thru the ratiator AT lines, and pay very close attention for leaks / blowouts. Oh, and carry suitable tools and a full capacity of extra oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 I was thinking of doing the same thing with my new radiator. I couldn't find a consensus, but I decided against it because AT fluid gets run thru the cooler at low pressure, engine oil would always be at high pressure, coolant goes thru the radiator at like 20psi max, don't know what the radiator is capable of taking without blowing. You could always get the sandwich adapter (Flex-a-lite makes one), run it thru the ratiator AT lines, and pay very close attention for leaks / blowouts. Oh, and carry suitable tools and a full capacity of extra oil. Actually, ATF runs at a very high pressure compared to engine oil. Its just that ATF is also much thinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobscript Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Actually, ATF runs at a very high pressure compared to engine oil. Its just that ATF is also much thinner. I don't actually know, but I was told that tranny coolers are on the low pressure return side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Nope, straight flow thru. That's why when you forget a tranny line and start it, immediately realize your mistake and then shut it off, you've already lost 2 qts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Subaru 3ATs cooler lines empty into the fluid pan... they are basically a return line for the torque converter. They have high flow but low pressure. Radiator tranny coolers are brazed up units that are just added to one header tank of the radiator, and their flow and pressure tolerance have nothing to do with what the radiator itself can handle. That being said, I do not know if they can handle full engine oil pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I'm not sure what you consider 'low pressure', but most trannies run 40 - 60 psi ( some higher than that) on the cooler lines. Since most liquid systems are rated at 60% of their actual capability (I know this only because my EX was an engineer) this means the system could take 100psi without failing. Since your oil pressure would only see 80psi max on cold starts (reg'd by PR valve) and only for five minutes of warm-up, you are in no danger of blowing the cooler. Want to test the theory? (we've done this) Take a junk rad and cap off one cooler line. Put an air fitting on the other. Turn down your air prssr to 30psi and plug it onto the coupler. Slowly take it up to max (120psi in most case) It will hold. We used 200psi purposely trying to blow it (and did!!! Holy noise Batman!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfire Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 do they make the sandwich adapter for the ea 82. i have searched but no luck as of yet.:-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 do they make the sandwich adapter for the ea 82. i have searched but no luck as of yet.:-\ Flex-A-Lite sells one. Its the last item on: http://performance.thepartsbin.com/basket.php?makeid=31&modelid=501&year=1988&partid=536&brandid=1541 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfire Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Flex-A-Lite sells one. Its the last item on: http://performance.thepartsbin.com/basket.php?makeid=31&modelid=501&year=1988&partid=536&brandid=1541 dude you on it today thanks for the info. from both of my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 This should fit the ER27 as well, Yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 This should fit the ER27 as well, Yes? It should fit anything that has the same diameter and threads as an EA82 oil filter, so I'd assume ER27. It would also fit the Nissans/Inifinitis that share the same filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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