Remove oem oil cooler?
 

Hey guys,
Just curious. Has anyone removed their oem oil cooler. I have it on my '12 Nismo, and it's fairly worthless.

Temps still soar and without a thermostatic plate, it takes forever for oil temps to reach operating levels on cold starts.

I just finished installing the z1 34 row cooler and what a pain in the a$$ with that oem plate on there. Everything is tighter and I can't fit anything larger than the oem filter on due to clearance issues.


Soooo...the question is: Has anyone removed their oem oil cooler? If so, any recommendations. The piping seems rather convoluted as well (see pic). Recommendations on how to remove it and any unneeded piping? Worst case, I suppose I could just plug off those hoses right at the cooler.

Actually, maybe that's a good idea anyway in case I have issues and need to take it to the dealer. I'm guessing taking it in with the oem cooler removed would likely cause warranty issues!

Anyway, thoughts/commentary are much appreciated.



As always, thanks in advance!

so you installed another and left your OEM one in aswell?

there's no need to remove the 2012 cooler. I run a 34 row + 2012 stock cooler, can is fine running at 180-200 deg temps..
Unless you are tracking you don't need the 34 row, so its best to just keep the stock cooler + 34 row cooler and just block half the 34 row aluminum or a blanket type..

that makes no sense...

Correct.
I want to remove the oem cooler and keep the 34 row. The oem was fairly useless before I installed the 34 row, and now it just makes everything more of a pain.

What do you mean that makes no sense....... he says there is overcooling, so just block half the 34 row cooler with a removable blanket and call it a day......
I got a '12 + 34 row cooler and engine runs better than ever....(no blanket) but the cooler is for the race track mostly....even at the track you still hit 265-270 per the gauge on the car, on the streets DDing the car, on the freeway it stays at 175-180 cruising at 75mph without a blanket/cover...

If you really want to remove it, then find the cover plates off 09-11 Z's that block off the cooling pipes, you will need to make our own plug for the radiator...... I think its too much headache than what you'd gain out of it......

I still haven't checked out the routing on a '12 in person, but my initial thought would be to just pull off the sandwich adapter, and plug the holes at the cooler.


Depending how you drive, it may actually make more sense to keep the '12 cooler on though. It should actually warm the oil up a good bit quicker with it on, since the water warms up so quickly. You'd be better off fixing the over-cooling with a block-off plate IMO.

Martin,
The overcooling was with the oem cooler on cold startups. Prior to installing the 34 row cooler (using the oem cooler) it would take literally 15-20 minutes to come up to temp. Then it would steadily climb to 220+ during normal driving. Thrashing it would get to 260+ easily.

I have a thermostatic plate with the Z1 cooler so, theoretically, it should come up to temp quicker.

I'm gonna give it a few days and see. I might try pulling the oem sandwich and plugging the lines then giving it a go. We'll see.

Thanks for the input though folks!

usually once it gets to 265, it will stay steadily there, even with my stock cooler and 34 row at the race track after 3-4 laps I'm already at 265 deg constant doesn't really matter if its 105 deg out of 80 deg...
I even tracked my '12 for about 3 months without the 34 row cooler to write down temps at the track. For DD just cover your cooler half way, that is WAY easier than trying to remove the 12 cooler...... that's what I would do if it was me..

Just try it, cut a piece of cardboard or something and cover half the flow of the cooler, later you can make a nice bolt on one out of aluminum sheet or something.

holy crap man.. 260+? I haven't even seen 260+
what are your temps now with the 34?

180-185 dd. 200-210 when I thrash it. Loving the new cooler. Still on the fence about the oem delete. Such a pain to change filter with the oem plate AND the z1 plate.

with the 34 row, I rarely see above 200, sometimes when i am really on it, i will see 220... but I am boosted hard

Its also been hot as hell here lately, so that doesn't help :)
But yeah I love seeing it stuck on 185 now.

when I was coming through TN, it was 109 out, and I was heat soaked like a mofo, but the oil temps stayed rocking.. that 34 row is awesome!:happydance:

Seems insanely easy to delete!! Take hose 5 and attach it to pipe 13 on the little 2" nipple and pipe 12. Remove everything else.

OP you ever do it?

Yep, shortly after this original post. No regrets. Did this and the TB coolant delete at the same time.

Ever track? I'm curious since Martin said 260* with it and if you get higher or lower tracking.

That's basically all my car does. I've never hit 260 even in the summer, but the tracks we run and the weather will definitely influence the numbers somewhat.

I don't think it made any difference in oil temps. Just cleaned things up, removed some weight, and made oil changes a hell of a lot easier.

So he's probably worse being out in CA. Ok thanks.

Danka Synolimit for finding this.

So the hose 5 to pipe 13 and 12 is easy enough.

DJtodd was anything needed with the Mocal Plate other than what is included after taking out the oem sandwich plate? I'm just waiting on some SS tubing to arrive before I install I have all the other components except the 2 angled fittings coming out of the mocal plate wanted to see how the hoses route to see what angles I need to get. I have seen 90's 45's and I think a 60 deg in different installs.

Thanks

I'll have to climb under and take a look at the fittings. I think one was actually more than a 90.

The only thing you'll need that comes to mind is an pre-2012 oem oil filter stud to replace the one that holds the 12+ oem cooler plate on. I think it was like...$8?

If I were doing it again today I might consider removing #12, but I don't know if you could even get to it without removing the driver's side header.

My morcol plate came with a stud. You talking about a longer one or something else?

Thanks for the info.

I haven't been under to see exactly how I want to route the oil lines yet but, I was thinking about routing them around the drivers side then along the front of the engine. Removing hose #9 leaves 2 holes for securing brackets for the new hoses if it routes with no kinking or tight bends and should secure it above the sway bar.

Mine came with an adapter stud as well. Just looked up the STUD OIL FILTER on Nissans web page and 2011-2013 all list the same part 15213-31U00.... it also says part fits Year range 9/2010 to 5/2012.

The oem cooler was a pain... Just wait till you add boost, then you need cooling. I have a cooler the size of a small rad for mine. 13x12x1.5..... Takes forever to come up to temperature even with a plate (added oil capacity) But it just keeps the temps in check when tracking it.

Do you perhaps have any images? I'm busy installing my cooler as we speak, but the OEM oil cooler makes the space a PITA to work in.

Deos anyone have images? I cannot route the z1 oil cooler lines so that they fittings will fit on the thermostatic plate (I am following z1 instructions) , just not enough space with the Oem oil cooler. Whoever here did it please share, I'm stuck at this point. I have 14 Nismo.


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There is enough space, BARELY. I just finished doing this install on my 2012 Nismo so I know how tight it is in there. You have to clock the thermostat so that the fittings are facing towards the rear subframe. Then take the longer of your oil lines and make a note of which one it is as that one will hook up to the fitting closest to the rear subframe. Take the thermostat off the oil cooler, hook up the oil lines, tighten them, and then re-install. It's tight, and it's a PITA, but it's doable. Do yourself a favor and get a 1 inch crescent wrench to tighten the oil lines again once they are on the thermostat, and a 1 inch shallow socket to tighten the thermostat to the oil cooler.

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So I'm also in NorCal and regularly visit Sonoma, Thunderhill and Laguna Seca, I'll actually be back at Laguna in 2 days :D.
I've noticed that as I've gotten faster, the hobby has gotten more expensive and the car runs hotter. Who would have thought LOL.

My main question for this thread is if it would be best to keep the oil cooling independent from the coolant? While tracking in 107F, My oil temps would get to 260 in 3 hot laps. I start to cool down, peak at my coolant gauge, and it's 1 dot in the red LOL or from it... I don't remember.

Would this be due to the coolant providing additional cooling to the extremely hot oil? Or is the oil being cooled efficiently, and heated up going through the oem cooler, defeating the purpose of the 34 row?

I can't honestly remember the routing. Is it from the pickup>filter>z1 cooler>oem cooler> engine? Or something else?

Just questions for debate. While I agree that it's a pain working with the filter, I don't mind the extra work for additional cooling.

If you go by Fast Intentions description for their oil cooler:

I'm planning to remove my re-circ system when I install their kit.

instructions:
https://www.fastintentions.com/wp-co...tion-Guide.pdf

really easy:
https://capture.dropbox.com/lx8G1qMDF4ofx11b?raw=1

Get rid of the oem oil cooler It's just keeping the oil hot. What ever the coolant temp is. The oil cooler will not cool below that with the oem cooler.

Let me just "hijack" this thread and ask a sufficiently on-topic question so that I'm not hated :D

I'm looking into buying an oil cooler kit, and I was thinking about the 25 or so row kit from Z1. I have a stock 370z without the oil cooler. Does the kit include *everything* needed, such as holder for the filter that's long enough (or the sandwich plate fits the stock one?), as well as other stuff? I know this might be in some of the other threads, but I felt now is the right time to jump in here and ask :)

I believe it does, yes.

Delete it, the Oem cooler's capabilities are superseded tremendously by an external cooler. It also has a con which is the heating of the oil by design since the coolant sees a faster rise in temp than oil. Once oil passes 215F it starts to play an effect on the coolant as they're both trying to influence one another they both end up rising with time X load.

Divorcing both fluid systems is the way to go. Understand that its not the way to go for a production vehicle, one that needs to perform the same in North Russia as well as in the Mojave which is why the cooler and heater come in. By design this becomes an issue once performance is applied.


Not to sound like an ******* however Z1 as well as CZP do a fantastic pictoral job with their products.

If you check out the Z1 kit you'll see it brings all of the brackets to hold the cooler, the way it gets the oil out/in the engine is by a plate, you'd have to specify if you want thermostatic plate or not in which you should do thermostatic.

For you it would just take removing the oil filter stud and installing the Z1 plate with the new stud. The end look will be a similar to OEM with Oil cooler/warmer plate, instead of water it would be seeing oil in/out.
The kit is made as a "bolt on" piece and instructions will yield proper installation. Best part about a system like that is once the plate an lines are ran any additional temp control can be adjusted with a switch to a bigger/smaller cooler.

A big enough cooler will just see more cycling of the thermostatic plate vs a medium size. The plate controls all of the temperature which is why is so important.

Thanks for the info, I was just wanting to reconfirm the info about the stud for the filter/sandwich plate. I'm still on the fence as to take 25 or 34 row cooler. Thermostat is a nobrainer.

Since you're running a thermostatic plate you might as well go for a 34 row. 25 row is sufficient for a N/A car but it's not like you're going to overcool the oil with a therm plate on there.

I want to remove the factory oil cooler also. On my car I can’t change the filter with disconnecting the oil cooler lines. Makes a mess.

Since installing my oil cooler and thermostatic plate the engine oil and water temp match exactly after warmed up. The oil never cools more than engine temp. This all makes sense now why the oil won’t drop any lower than water temp.

Will the oil filter stud shipped with the Z1 Mocal plate work after removal of the factory cooler? This is on a ‘14.

Thanks

Update: Spoke to Z1 earlier. I ordered the 09-12 370Z oil filter stud. This will allow factory cooler to be removed and mocal sandwich plate installed.