Hayden / Napa / Summit oil cooler kit. Anyone?
 

EDIT Note: Since installing this kit, everything seems GREAT. Please make sure if you want to try this yourself to please read through this entire thread. Theres stuff added to this every so often. The latest addition is important enough to post up first. If you are going to buy/try this kit, sincerely think about picking up 4 of the following T-Bolt style hose clamps:

Mikalor 19-21mm T-Bolt Clamp

http://www.amazon.com/Mikalor-301902...9176500&sr=8-1

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg


Hey all,

The other day I was going through my local Napa store, and asked the counter for advice on Oil Coolers for my car. The guy showed me several in his computer system, and he had one in stock. Here it is:

Store Locator | NAPA Online

http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/882425.jpg

The oil cooler kit is "Made in the USA"

From Napa:
From Summit:

My first thought was this oil cooler was designed for SAE and non-metric vehicles, so I asked to take a look at the kit they had in stock. For one, the sandwich plate IS of thermostatic design, and the kit DOES include the 20mm sandwitch adapter to thread onto a 370z. The included ~12 feet of rubber hose didnt look like it was rated for oil, so I wrote down the number and did my reasearch - The host itself IS rated for oil, at 300PSI peak pressure. That being said, it might be better to eventually get at least -8 AN hose/fittings as I dont trust the host-barb fittings and rubber for years and years.

Summit.com sells the same kit as Napa, and it is even LESS expensive. Napa wants $139, Summit wants $96.

Hayden Automotive 459 - Hayden Fluid Coolers - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Anybody try using one of these? I know its of 'fin' type but so is our power steering cooler.

I'm very tempted to give it a try...

I think this would probably work out fine with some better lines and at $95. If the fin type
cooler starts to get ruined by rocks or debris you could replace with a better one.

The hose itself isn't going to fail but I wouldn't trust the simple burr fittings with the high pressures that our oil pumps put out. There is also no mounting bracket for the cooler so all you can do is tie wrap it to something. I could use it as a supersized power steering cooler though!

What is the factory oil psi ?

Actually, the zip-ties included with the kit are designed for you to fasten cooler directly to the radiator/condensor by snaking the tie through them. There are included 1/4 inch rubber spacers that allow the components to stay seperated when finally squeezed together. The slight downside I believe would be how to get the zip-tie through the stock pieces but it should be OK. The cooler weighed practcally nothing. With oil I'd imaging it wouldnt weight more than about 2 lb.

Not totally sure (wish upRev had it in the logs) but likely ~40 at idle and ~110 at anything higher 2000 rpm. It probably doesnt go any higher than about 110psi. Someone else chime in please if you know this.

Edit. Found out from serching google that a 350z can hit about 115psi oil pressure at full RPM.

Thanks, good to know..

I was just doing some more reasearch on this, and; since I dont really like the Brass/Barb/Burr hose fittings myself as they do tend to be a failure for a lot of things... I've been subjectivly looking at a different style of fitting. I located this at Advance Auto Parts (and likely other places).

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcs...6_pri_larg.jpg

I'm in the process of looking for a better hose clamp than the worm style. I'd like to use/find the T-Bolt style commonly found with fuel injection systems; only they are hard to come by at ~1 inch diameters.

Also, Amazon.com sells this oil cooler kit for $85 located here:

Amazon.com: Hayden, Inc. 459 Oil Cooler: Automotive

Check these out..

AN Fittings

If it was me doing it, I would go with the stainless steel line and the AN fittings.

Keep us posted if you do this. I am highly interested in doing this. I don't track my car much, but know an oil cooler is a must even in hot summer days.

But what about the cooler end fittings? The fittings on the cooler itself appear to be part of the flow tube, I can't see a way to change those out?

IMHO, I think this is better.. Good price too.


Amazon.com: Aluminum Universal 16 Row Oil Cooler Kit High Performance: Automotive

I know everybody wants to save a buck. But somethings as this I wouldn't. Are you just looking for a basic oil cooler kit? Best just to use GTM, Z1, or Stillen. Plus there made for are cars. So far as hose length and all.

I think Im gonna try this kit out. I found out that Napa will price match Summit since I'm within about 50 miles from the main Summit store. The only things I'm going to change are the hose clamps, and I'm going to try replacing the brass barb 3/8 NPT fitting to something steel.

Just FYI, the hose barb fittings if paired with the correct ID hose are very secure. We incorporate those into a lot of assemblies at work and trying to get
the hose off after it's installed correctly is a real pain. We usually end up just
cutting a slit in the hose to be able to pull it off..