Oil Cooler (scratch built install, lottsa pics).....> by Modshack

Shipping Rate: $8.85

Subtotal: $270.78

Alternative Stainless and socketed hose assembly, use these parts in lieu of the socketless hose and fittings above. It is recommended you go with this set-up if you plan to do any tracking of your car where temps may be elevated, and engine movement on the mounts may be exaggerated... : Cost difference is approx + $30

10' section of Aeroquipt Stainless AN10 hose AER-FBA1000-10 $75

(2) Mocal 90 degree fittings MOC-F90-10 @ 15.15 each $30.30

(2) Mocal straight AN10 connectors MOC-FS-10 @ $7.49 $14.98

More detail on page 13, post 189 on the stainless lines

From Racer Parts Wholesale

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com

Notes on installing NPT fittings into the cooler: http://www.mechanicsupport.com/articleFittingTight.html

A high temp sealant is probably the best sealer here, such as Loctite #567

Get the car in the air and pull off the nose and lower cover. This is an easy process documented elsewhere ( I have a lift which does make it easier!)

Oh yeah....Ignore my accident damage (soon to be fixed) let's just say the impact bar did its job when I got shoved into that Jeep!

Next up, mount the 20mm thread Mocal sandwich plate. Just screw the adapter onto the existing Oil filter threaded nipple:

and decide where you want to route the lines. AN10 lines are pretty big and will need good radius clearances

Cut the Hose holes in the rear:

and the front. These panels are held in place with the plastic push pins or slide in tabs and remove easily.

Mock up a bracket for the cooler:

Powdercoat it (what I did) or paint to make it stealthy. Mount it with stainless M6 bolts and Nylock hardware using existing holes on the lower composit radiator support.:

Measure and lay-out hoses. You'll need to buy 10 feet:

Install ends...The socketless Aeroquipt lines make this a piece of cake. They just push on and are good to 250 psi, kinda like a Chinese finger handcuff :-) You'll need a 49" and a 63" hose (actual hose length, not including fittings):

Click here and scroll to the bottom for hose assembly instructions: http://64.202.180.37/files/phosend.pdf

For information and pictures on the socketed style Stainless hose and fittings, see page 13, post 189

While your at it, upgrade your filter. See this thread http://myg37.com/forums/engine-drive...otsa-pics.html

Hook up fittings and route lines:

Check everything carefully and fix hoses in place to avoid chafing and t maintain your radius bends:

Nice clean install, Have a beer, admire your work. All done:

Cooler with new Fang Vents mounted:

Upon start up there were Zero leaks. Took the temps up to about 185 on the lift with no issues at all.. I have not road tested yet as I need to get the nose back on. I'm looking for about a 20 degree reduction in temps and will report back once road tested.

Road Test Update:

went out in the country today and thrashed the car about for 45 minutes or so. Ambient temps 75 degrees, average coolant temps 184, Average oil temps 190. I had to work hard to get it to 200 degrees and it would not get hotter than that. I'm seeing a 20-25 degree average reduction from what I would expect to see without the cooler under similar drive conditions... 

5/19: Another drive today to run some errands. 56 degrees ambient, Oil stayed between 190-195. Very close to paralleling the water temps..

5/20: Ambient temps 80 degress. Pushed it a bit but only saw temps in the 195-210 range.

6/25: Ambient temps are a little hotter these days (85-90) and the oil temps seem to be holding in the same range. 400 miles since install. Day to day around town 195-200. Hotrodding around out on the country roads 200-215

9/8: Several months and 2000 miles since the install (3500 miles total)l. Daily temps continue to average 190-195. Pushing the car, maybe 210. I have yet to see temps over 225 on Pennsoil dino oil. Full synthetic to be added at the next change at 4K.

Some notes: This is not a difficult install, even when rolling your own with a Bag 'O parts. If you are at all squeamish about building a bracket, or putting hoses together, then by all means buy a pre-fabbed kit from Stillen, GTM or DDM. You can save a few bucks going the route I went, upgrade some components and have the satisfaction of a solid DIY. A thermostatic plate should be considered a necessity for anyone living in the Northern climes or anyone considering a larger cooler. None of the pre-packaged cooler kits for more money (except the GTM) seem to include this. Buyer beware. The only difference with this install is you have to fab up a bracket and assemble your own hoses. Both these tasks are very easy. Total cost was $270 including shipping for the component parts. Time involved was about 4 hours taking my time and a few beer breaks. You'll now need just over 6 quarts for a complete fill which, in itself, will aid in cooling due to the new +1 quart capacity. Any questions, feel free to ask, and go to my photo album here Oil Cooler fabrication and install album | Ttschwing | Fotki.com for more info, parts list, sources and pics.

If you found this helpful, shoot me some REP points too!....Stay cool....

WINTER UPDATE:

Since this install the weather has gotten cooler. Due to the way the Mocal Thermostatic plate works, the cooler is always in the system and receives flow no matter what the temp. It does not magically open at 180 degrees for a variety of reasons. See the Over-Cooling discussion here: Over-Cooling Solutions

From Mocal:

Because of this, you may find, with a normally sized cooler, an inability to get the oil temps up to 180 degrees. There are a few solutions to this, one of which is to make an easily removable cover to reduce air flow through the cooler. I've found this works well and the temps can be brought up to 180 pretty easily even in 30 degree temps. The fab is easy and there are pics in my cooler photo album... http://public.fotki.com/ttschwing/37...oler-fabricat/

Adjust the size of the cover depending on the winter temps in your area..

Thanks.....Yes, it's easy to crack the AN fittings at the cooler or the plate for a complete drain. All the other installs I've done have been with fittings down and no issues. The thermo plate does isolate the cooler and prevent drainback as it's routed through the filter (the Purolator has a more robust anti-drainback system as well). Another advantage to the cooler is the oil capacity is now up to just over 6 quarts which, in and of itself, helps with cooling..Without the ability to drain the cooler, you're left with 1+ quarts of dirty oil after a sump drain.

Hi Travis! I've had the Bend-Pak for about 7 years now. It's an MD6-XP. Best $1500 I've ever spent. It's worked flawlessly, is very versatile, and allowed me to do things on my cars that would be impossible (or at least labor intensive) without it. I can pull a car in and have it in the air in less than a minute. Most of my cars have been low, so the ramps are necessary to get the clearances needed..

They're made with 2x stock. Simple to build. Here's a shot that sorta shows you how it all works:

5-17-2009

Road Test Update:

went out in the country today and thrashed the car about for 45 minutes or so. Ambient temps 75 degrees, average coolant temps 184, Average oil temps 190. I had to work hard to get it to 200 degrees and it would not get hotter than that. I'm seeing a 25-30 degree average reduction from what I would expect to see without the cooler under similar drive conditions...

5-18-2009

I would think that the limitations in pressure and flow would be determined downstream of the filter and cooler, limited by Bearing clearances, oiling orfice sizes, the relief valve, viscosity, heat levels, thermal expansion etc. Once the system (cooler and filter) is pressurized the factors just listed will determine pressure and flow. There will naturally be less flow and higher pressure with cooler oil. This is mentioned in the service manual when testing on a cool engine and anyone who's ever had an oil pressure gauge on a car can confirm by observing pressure drops as an engine comes up to temperature....The VVEL failsafe system seems to be sensitive to pressure but is triggered by temps as it is assumed pressure and viscosity drops with extreme temperature rises (see graph at the top of my DIY)

7-25-2009

Not a problem and very easy. Just undo one or both of the AN fittings at the adapter plate and drain the cooler. Since the tru-cool mounts with the ports down it is easy to drain it. A port up design would result in a cooler full of old oil remaining in the system..

2-3-2010

You need to raise it a bit so the undertray and front bumper will mount without interference. If you choose to put the fittings on the top rather than the bottom you could possibly get away without a bracket. Honestly though, it's a very simple thing to make..

3-1-2010

Maybe my approach created a failsafe. I snugged up Ties in the valley areas, not tight enough to cut the hose on the ridges, but snug enough that the hose could not expand over the ridge areas on the fitting. Dunno. Just seemed like a logical fail safe to me. I'll be pulling the lower cover this week to do my first change since the install (3500 miles) and will report back if there is any hose creep...

More than a few have installed this very set-up with no issues..

Interesting as that was an intuitive guess on my part and not in any instructions..

FWIW, I dropped the pan today and this is what I found: No hose creep at all. A small amount of sweating from the fitting into the Mocal (wiped off here), but not so much as a drop onto the cover below.. Perfectly dry on the cooler end. This at 3500 miles since the install..