Seeking Oil Cooler Advice
 

I'm done putting up with the soaring oil temps in hot weather and am finally pulling the trigger on an oil cooler. As I live in the Midwest and participate in a few autocrosses annually and am looking to cross over into a couple track days per year as well I've got my eye on a 25 row piece.

Was looking at a Z1 unit but with all the posts and comments about leaky fittings I'd prefer not to deal with this headache. Is the Stillen 25 row a better option? Are there others I should be looking at?

I've never heard negative comments about the Z1 ; everything i've read says Z1 and Fast Intentions are the best out there.

I would spring for the 34 row from either company and never worry about it again

I run a GTM 25 row cooler here in SoCal.

Have never had an overheating issue, even on a hot track day but, can't go wrong with a 34 row either.

The GTM has never had any issues. I got the GTM based on Seb @ Specialty Z's rec.

1) Don't bother with the 25 row, get a 34 row and be done. You can always make a removable block off plate for when you don't need the full cooling capacity.

2) I've had a Z1 34 row cooler for ~4 years with roughly 15 autox events a year and not a single leak.

I live in AZ where we first hit 90 degrees this year in February. I have the 34 row Z1 for oil and a 19 row for my auto trans. Never have had any leaks or problems with either.

34 row recommended. Fast Intentions. I'm happy with mine. There might be one up for sale at some point.

Thanks for the input guys. Is there any merit to getting a transmission cooler for a manual or is the gearbox good at dealing with high temps? Sometimes the clunky inputs concern me, but I don't know if it's just paranoia.

What's the better option between Fast Intentions and Z1 34 row kits?

Fast Intentions has the best kit. I have a 2nd one for my replacement Nismo. It will be going on the next oil change in 1000 miles. FI uses crimped on fittings with Teflon inserted braided lines. The lines will last a long long time.

Upgrading your oil pan is an alternative to an oil cooler...

No it's not. Increasing the oil capacity just means that it will take longer for the oil to heat up but once it gets hot good luck getting rid of the heat without an oil cooler.

Automatics use coolers as they have pumps, and can pump fluid through a cooler. Manual transmissions generally don't have pumps, they are "oil slingers". The gears just sling oil where it needs to go, and many of the bearings sit submerged (as do some of the gears), or at least partially submerged. Point being a cooler wouldn't really work.

Not to mention automatic transmissions use a much thinner fluid, which again is easier to pump through things like coolers. Pumping some 80w90 would probably take some pressure.

I'm using the Z1 25 row and it works great on my SC Z. I noticed a huge difference in cooling after some very "spirited" back road blasts.

What ever you decide, just put a cooler on the car, you will thank yourself later.

One thing that really impressed me about the Z1 kit is how well the hoses are made and protected. Nice kit! Oh, and you can stay with the stock size oil filter with the Z1 kit. Some of the others require a different filter.

34 row and be done with it. You can always add a cardboard but never extra rows. Z1 is great that i have on mine :)

Depends on your use. On the track, probably not enough. On the street? My temps stay under control in the florida heat, even when I am boosting all over the place. My oil pan is a big, heavy, cast aluminum heatsink in addition to the extra 2 liters of capacity.

Would an oil cooler be overkill for street and spirited driving? (No track)