Oil Coolers and Oil changes
 

I just recently installed a Z1 oil cooler, and filled the oil cooler up prior to starting the motor. My oil cooler takes 1 qt of oil to fill. With that being said, when doing an oil change the oil cooler should technically be drained along with the oil pan. Is anybody doing this?

Most people don't drain it with the pan due to the labor involved with. The leftover oil will eventually dilute into your newer oil and through several oil changes, be filtered out again. With modern full synthetics anyways, they last longer than the typical 3k mile change cycle. Shouldn't give you any extra wear/tear.

My only question is if you happened to get your oil changed at Shop A. with oil 1, and then later on happened to go to Shop B. and because they don't carry oil 1, you get oil 2. Will the mixing of 2 different brands cause a problem...?

i always keep oil for at least one extra oil change and a filter and all the odds and ends, incase i run into that. But i have been using ester oil the whole time, and well its at the dealership with no problem.

I would say stock up on the one you use and if you change your oil company then dump your cooler and refill with the new companies oil due to different additives.

Like if i go to a different gas station i try and run it bone dry, for ex shell to a chevron or w.e... and then fill, unless im in a absolute pinch and know there wont be something for x amount of miles and i wont make it without filling up at joe shmoe's gas station.

I'm actually curious now if those oil extracting devices work properly when you have an Oil Cooler installed...

http://www.skymall.com/images/produc...102716746x.jpg

I feel like 1qt is quite a bit of oil to dilute over the course of a few oil changes. And technically every oil change youd still be left with 1 qt of dirty oil plus maybe more if the older oil didnt work its way out.

no, they probably wont unless your thermostatic plate has reach opening temperature.

they will get the oil pan, and if you let the car come up to 220* then it might work but the order would be like

1 warm car up (just let it sit and idle)
2 crack open a beer or juice if your not legal
3 shut car down after your plate opens and starts circulating 180*-190* i would wait untill at least 220* so you have warmth when you want to fill everything new.
4 let it sit for a couple min
5 pull oil
*have to lift it to change filter anyways?*
6 fill new oil
7 start it up
8 let the oil fill the cooler
9 shut down and top off.

Then dump your oil cooler every time....more labor intensive though.

Z34 Bumper removal is one of the easiest things ive ever done on a Z. I plan on dumping the oil cooler for each change but i was just curious if others were doing it.

I wasn't trying to shoot you down, sorry about that. Im sure a few do and most don't...

If the fittings on the oil cooler are at the bottom, the oil is probably draining back into the oil pan.

No offense taken, just saying :p

Would be more of a pain than just taking off the front facia.

You would then have to unbolt the oil cooler and take those aluminum fittings off. I am sure that they were never designed to go on and off lots of times...

not really necessary. Like others stated, most of the oil (85% or so) gets changed everytime w/o dumping the oil cooler. Maybe if you are worried about it, you could empty the oil cooler like every 3rd oil chnage or something but I'm not planning on worrying aobut it.

Just as a reference, the GTR comes stock with an oil cooler, nowhere in it's scheduled maintenance is it ever mentioned to have to drain the oil cooler and that car has one of the strictest maintenance schedules of any motor vehicle on the road.

Im looking at getting either the Z1 or the Stillen kit. You ended up with the Z1, what made you go with them and how was the install? Fitment? Quality?

Thanks and enjoy your "cool(er)" car :tup:

Edit: I just looked at the install manual on Z1's site for their kit and it appears that you do not have to move the oem PS cooler... is this correct? If so I think that would seal the deal in favor of Z1.

No, you don't have to relocate.