ATTENTION: read if your oil cooler fittings face DOWN!

Red__Zed

interesting.

Nikon FM

It would seem to me that facing up or on top of the cooler allows for a better cooling?

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SPOHN

How is that? It doesn't matter how it's mounted it still cools. You could mount it sideway if you wanted. And the flow it not going to be effected either.

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NYBladeZ

I've routinely monitored my oil levels even after the oil cooler install due to the VQ's burning tendencies. I was told that in most cases the oil cooler doesn't hold all that much oil, I discussed it while getting my oil changed at performance motorsport. I'm due for another one soon, I'll have to keep my eye on on how much oil comes out of the cooler.

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Mike

good catch Alex

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spearfish25

I just got off the phone with Mocal/BAT to confirm my findings. They agree that in a fittings down cooler setup 1) the sandwich plate will backflow oil to the sump with the car off and 2) the dipstick will no longer be accurate if your cooler is fittings DOWN since the cooler sits above the oil pan level. All this means is that you need to recalibrate your dipstick to get an accurate engine off reading (because your new FULL level will be well above the dipstick H mark). Your other option is to drain the system and then refill based on volumes and not dipstick levels. Mocal/BAT agreed that a 25row cooler with ~48 inch line runs should take one additional quart of oil. It's nice to know that pulling the oil pan drain plug actually drains the whole system, including the cooler. No real need to crack an oil line fitting.

The takeaway message is this: If you have an oil cooler with the fittings down, an engine off dipstick reading at the H hole really means you're running with the minimum amount of oil in the sump (L-->H holes is 1 quart). Make sure you add 6 quarts!

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BalanBro

Sorta off topic, but I was thinking about down facing fittings the other day and something else popped in my head. If the oil backflows into the pan, that would suggest that the oil coller itself is partially empty. The next time you start your car, I'd imagine that oil would have to refill the cooler before it has enough pressure to start flowing through the rest of the system. This would mean that initial oil pressure would be low at start-up. Wouldn't having top mouted fitting alleviate this?

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spearfish25

Yes the oil cooler in a fittings down setup has to refill. The oil pump does this nearly instantly so it's insignificant.

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Ron

Sooo, who is gonna come up with a custom Ti dipstick and sell it for $1200? lol

How about mounting it with the fittings up top and drilling a whole where you can screw an oil drain plug?

MattP725

Only thing I can think of is a fluid transfer pump with some sort of 10an fitting to drain cooler at oil change time (assuming top mounted fittings).

chops

sorry to bump an old thread, but im confused here. so mounting the cooler with the fittings down is bad? it makes more sense to mount it down to me so during oil changes the oil flows out of the cooler no? mounting it up means you'll have a quart of dirty oil inside the cooler when you're changing it?

MattP725

Did you read the rationale on the first page???

All you need to know to make an informed decision is right there.

chops

yes...but wouldn't you need one extra quart of oil whether or not the fittings are facing up or down? and as i said earlier, when they're up, wouldnt there be about a quart of dirty oil left in the cooler? sorry, im a total newbie when it comes to this

ZMan8

From reading the forums It seems there is not a significant difference if there is some dirty oil left. It will get mixed with the clean oil. The fittings are not designed to be removed every oil change so you can drain the last bit.

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BigT

Mounting your cooler with the fittings facing down can also create an air pocket in the cooler itself which will lower its efficiency.

There is absolutely ZERO benefit to draining the cooler with oil changes.