Section : Oil and Filters

Oil Cooler Fitting

Posted By : Stephen Pratt, 19-Apr-2007, 09:53am

• Oil Cooler Fitting

  Posted By : Charles Bushell, 19-Apr-2007, 07:03pm

  I'm not saying this is the best place but it's how I fitted mine & I don't have any cooling/oil pressure problems. I blocked the area in front to stop the air going underneath.

  
  
  Oil Cooler Fitting

  • Oil Cooler Fitting

    Posted By : John Davies, 19-Apr-2007, 08:52pm

    Charles,
    Nice neat installation, right in the best airflow, but:
    
    Lines go in and out underneath - a tad vulnerable? A loose stone could take out all your oil in no time.
    Cooler bolted to a steel?/alloy? plate, with no bracing at the top. Vibration may fatigue and split either the plate, or the cooler.
    
    Mount it a little further forward, and fabricate a deflector to direct the 'used' air down and away from your water rad.
    Why allow the heat from one to go through the other?
    Even better, make a through duct from where the air enters the car to the cooler, and thence to below the water rad and out.
    That will improve flow through the cooler, and provide the bracing I mention above.
    
    John

    • Oil Cooler Fitting

      Posted By : Charles Bushell, 19-Apr-2007, 10:24pm

      Thanks John interesting points, although the cooler is rubber mounted so I don't think fatigue will be a problem, they'll give Stephen some ideas for mounting his.
      
      If I was racing or had issues with cooling I would follow some of your suggestions, but I will think about protecting the hoses from damage. The Triumph optional oil cooler also had the hoses coming out the bottom but perhaps not as low as mine.
      
      Charlie

      • Oil Cooler Fitting

        Posted By : John Davies, 19-Apr-2007, 11:55pm

        Charlie,
        Aah! Those are rubber blocks - the pale rectangles under the feet of the cooler.
        Then the gap under the cooler needs blocking off, or all the air collected by the through duct will squirt underneath.
        JOhn

        • Oil Cooler Fitting

          Posted By : Leon Guyot, 20-Apr-2007, 06:49pm

          I believe that the hoses are supposed to come down from above, so as to stop oil draining out of the cooler radiator.
          
          Regards
          
          Léon

      • Oil Cooler Fitting

        Posted By : Andy Vowell, 20-Apr-2007, 12:21pm

        I was under the impression that oil coolers should be mounted with the inlets/outlets on the top to ensure any air in the cooler is purged. There is a risk that by having the connections on the bottom that an air bubble will collect at the top of the cooler and/or the oil will only flow across the bottom few rows between the in/outlet. Same goes for mounting vertically (as mine is) where the oil should flow in the bottom and out the top.
        
        I'm unconvinced that it will be a problem either way but efficiency may be compromised.
        
        Cheers
        Andy

        • Oil Cooler Fitting

          Posted By : Stephen Pratt, 24-Apr-2007, 02:41pm

          Thanks for your comments chaps, I picked mine up yesterday complete with Spitfire fitting kit, it appears to me that to get the short braided hose to fit properly without straining any of the joints that the inlets have to be on the bottom, so that is what I've done, will post a picture when the cameras charged! - The only problem now is a slight leak on one of the joints, - oh happy days!

          • Oil Cooler Fitting

            Posted By : Andy Begg, 24-Apr-2007, 08:46pm

            Hi,
            Mine is mounted same as you describe - with connections down. Not had any problems and I checked today and the top of the cooler gets well hot so I doubt any air is in there.
            Keeps the engine to a steady, constant temperature and I dont (as yet) suffer from any overheating. Got a thermostat in the pipe so that hepls a quick oil warm up too. Hope your leak is sorted.
            I recall that the Mocol site suggests that the coolers should be mounted tight to a radiator and to let the air pass thru both to nop detriment to engine cooling. Too technical for me and as mine works as is, about 2 inches from rad - thats where its staying!
            Andy

            • Oil Cooler Fitting

              Posted By : Stephen Pratt, 24-Apr-2007, 08:55pm

              Thats comforting to know, mine is about 1cm in front of the bottom of the radiator - see picture - havn't sorted the leaks yet, had to cut the grass this afternoon! You obviously got the same fitting instructions as me from Mocal - I didn't feel comfortable with them - in any event the short hose was not long enough to allow this type of fitting - I even cut a hole in the l/h radiator support to try to fit the unions on the top. If this location isn't satisfacory then I guess I'll have to get a longer hose!
              
              Isn't my radiator dirty - just noticed that in the photo!

              
              
              Oil Cooler Fitting

              • Oil Cooler Fitting

                Posted By : Paul Carter, 24-Apr-2007, 09:00pm

                stephen,
                
                [quote]"isn't my radiator dirty",
                
                yeah just don't do what i did 20years ago and clean it with a wire brush......doh
                
                still makes a fancy watering can even now.....

                • Oil Cooler Fitting

                  Posted By : Charles Bushell, 24-Apr-2007, 09:05pm

                  Stephen, I think 1cm sounds a bit close, the radiator may be blocking the top half of the cooler. The air needs room to escape from the back.

                  • Oil Cooler Fitting - Is it just me?

                    Posted By : Stephen Pratt, 25-Apr-2007, 04:41pm

                    Thanks for the advice Charles, have now moved it forward so that it is about 3cms ahead if the radiator, however, is it my imagination that the cockpit now seems warmer than before the oil cooler was fitted? I gave the car a good run this afternoon and pleased to report all slight oil weeps from the pipework now sorted, but it did feel as if the heater was on! (yes I did check it was definately blowing out cool air)
                    
                    Any body else noticed this after fitting an oil cooler?