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Originally Posted by Coyote676
Dustin,
First off, thank you for being so active on this thread and answering everyones questions as they come up. Its definitely helping my ultimate decision on which oil cooler to spring for.
I had a few questions for you and was hoping you could help me out. I've got an 09 Nismo and live in Socal. I haven't tracked my car too frequently yet as the last few times the oil temps have gotten pretty high. I'd like to go maybe 8-10 times a year. Given that temps in Socal where the tracks are located (desert type areas) can get rather hot, especially in the summer months (85-100F), I was wondering what size core you would recommend? I was leaning towards the 34-Row to be safe, but do you think this might be overkill? I do not plan on running FI of any type on my car. Also, I've read that the Nismo's have to have the lateral brace flipped 180 degrees. Will the 34-Row still fit with this modification?
Lastly, based on what everyone has said, it seems that getting the Thermostatic sandwich plate is probably a good idea since night time temperatures in Socal can drop pretty low. What are your your thoughts on this?
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No problem! I enjoy working with everyone and answering their questions.
In your case, 8 ~ 10 track events is quite a lot for the average person. Since you live in SoCal, I would definitly look strongly towards the 34 row core. If you are hesitant (and need to watch your budget) I would NOT go smaller than a 25 row. As far as core sizing goes, there is a fine line when it can be too large, however I think you will be perfectly fine with the larger 34 row core. In the event that you feel that your oil temps are a little lower than what you like, you can add a cover plate in front of the core to regulate the oil temp.
As I have mentioned in the past, this practice it widely accepted and used almost every weekend on track cars. With variations in air temp, track temp, track configurations, etc, the oil temp on a single vehicle can fluctuate. Adjusting how much the core is covered will help regulate the oil temp to a more desired level. Keep in mind, this can only be achieved when you have a core that is on the slightly larger size.
Remember, you can always block off a oil cooler core to make it theoretically "smaller", but you can never make a small oil cooler core bigger.
Even without a FI setup, a 34 row core will be well suited for a car in your climate region and intended driving conditions. An FI car may need something more than a 34 row core and/or other means to regulate temps on an extremely hot day.
You are correct on the lateral brace flip. A small spacer is needed to bring the bar forward just slightly. Once this is accomplished, any size 6 series core will fit in the area between the NISMO Bar and the A/C Condensor.
I definitly recommend the thermo plate. I personally a version of it installed on my DD '92 300zx. (I even went so far as to add one when I built a custom oil cooler for my ATV). Again, if you are watching your budget, this may be an area that you can save some money on. The only thing you will need to pay attenion to is your oil temps immediatly following start up. Like any other cold morning start up, you will need to be easy on the motor and allow the oil temp to raise gradually. Using the block off technique will also help here to regulate the oil temps. I am aware that many northern Z's will completely block off their core during the winter months.
You have a few options to weigh. Ultimately keep your budget in mind. If you decide to go with a 25 versus a 34 row core or a Non-thermostatic sandwich plate versus a Thermostatic, it is not the end of the world. Later on, if you feel that you have made a mistake with the purchase and would like to swap for the alternative part you may do so easily. The parts are 100% interchangable and can be done easily.
I have had customers who have purchased the base kit with the 19 row core and a non-thermo sandwich plate install our kit and drive their car for a few months. After they figured out their driving style, they eventually upgraded their kit, moving to a larger 25 row core and the thermo-plate.
I hope that this helps you out! If you have any further questions, please feel free to give me a shout here at the shop.