Another Oil Cooler Question

[Dmitriy]

As some of you may remember, I am planning to get a combination oil/trans fluid cooler.

Summit sells an attractive kit (http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=SUM%2DG4978), however it does not include an oil thermostat. It's my understanding that the thermostat opens the oil flow to the cooler once a certain temperature is reached. If I forgo installing a thermostat, will cooler oil hurt my engine? I'm talking about oil temperature of 150-180 degrees F.


Thanks,

Dmitriy

[Mr. Spock]

No the (cooler) oil will not hurt your engine. Don't worry about your oil getting too cold your engine will keep it nice and warm to say the least. I run two coolers: power steering and an engine oil cooler. Neither of them use a thermostat. If you want my opinion adding a stat is just a waste of money.

[96v6bird]

i thought the cooler the oil the better up to a certain point...

[Dmitriy]

Another question for Mr. Spock: how did the addition of an oil cooler affect your car's oil capacity? I assume more oil should be added, but just how much more?

Thank you,

Dmitriy

[Mr. Spock]

It's really not much more maybe a 1/6 to 1/4 quart more of oil is all. Let the dipstick be your guide. I like it seems to work well. Now if I can get this fan to turn on I will have fewer cooling issues right in time for summer. (I did the fan switch mod, but for some reason my switch works only when the engine is not running).

[Dmitriy]

I appreciate your reply [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] Thanks

Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to install the thing.

[Dominic]

Unless your oil temps are going past 230F on average all the time, you really don't need an oil cooler of anykind. 180-210F oil temps are where it needs to be, and oil CAN be too cold!

You need a thermostat.

[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]</p>

[Mr. Spock]

How would you know the temp of your oil? That gauge in the car is the coolant temp. Nobody said oil can't be too cold, but like I said with your engine running (with our cars) your not going to have this problem. In the cooling system yes you should have a stat, but in an OIL cooling system it is not really needed (unless you are in an extremely cold place, in Jersey I doubt you'll need it).

[MrCoffee]

cold oil is thicker and harder for it to flow. An oil cooler isnt really necessary for daily driving. Or even Drag racing. Maybe extended races or autocrosses (even though autoXs only last max 2 mins).