Z1 Oil Cooler Makes Oil Cooler

bmcd308

I got a Z1 oil cooler installed today. Mine has a 25 row core, and I got the Mocal thermostatic plate. I got the oil cooler because I intend to track the car. I am not a racer or anything, but I plan to do some HPDEs in the car.

I want to add one more data point to the discussion so that future searchers can make more informed decisions.

Driving from my home to Z1 on the highway prior to getting the cooler installed, (a 3 hour drone with traffic, but no actual stop and go driving, just disappointing highway speeds), my oil temp hung out at around 215 degrees. The ambient temp was mid to high 70s.

The oil temp on the drive to Z1 was consistent with the oil temps I normally see when driving the car on the highway and around town. It will get to 220 or even 225 if I really push it, but on public roads it is difficult to ever push it for very long at a stretch.

Driving the car back home from Z1 - this time a 2.5 hour run with no traffic to speak of and the cruise control on 75 - resulted in the oil temp never actually breaking the 180 mark on the gauge. It warmed up to the 175 line and got just over that, and then it never made it convincingly past 180. Sometimes it would flirt with 180, but it never got over. Temps on the drive in the low to mid 80s.

My conclusion from this is that a 25 row oil cooler is overkill for a DD, as I would actually prefer to see the oil temp a little higher.

As others have suggested, a 200 degree plate would be an improvement.

On another note, I will post a thread about my positive experience at Z1 getting the Z1 track prep package installed in the next day or so. Short version is that I had a positive experience, and I would recommend them to anyone wanting an oil cooler or other mods installed.



Brent

jcosta79

220 to 225 is not that high for oil temps. It's not what I would prefer, but you're not hurting the car. If that's the highest you see after "pushing" the car, I wouldn't worry about it.

What is your water temp when the oil gets that hot?

SPOHN

But he intends to track and it will be very well needed.

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jcosta79

True. I thought he was mainly concerned with daily driving, but yeah it wouldn't be a bad idea if he's going to track the car.

Compdoc777

If you read about the oil guy oil temps should remain around 200-210 and this will make the motor and oil last longer.

I have the exact setup and can terrorize the freeway running high rpm and can't get over 220.

jcosta79

That's exactly my point. The OP said he was seeing 220-225 after running hard on the highway before putting on the oil cooler. If he wasn't going to track the car I wouldn't worry about seeing those temps. It's not high enough to cause any damage.

I'd be more concerned with running too cool than running 220-225.

If water temp was normal then I wouldn't worry about 225 oil temps.

bmcd308

Were I not going to track the car, I would not have worried about it, either.

I posted up mostly so other people would know what a big difference it makes. I would prefer not to have the oil cooler for DD, but like many of us, I want a track capable car that can also get me to work in the mornings. I bought the oil cooler because I thought that 220-225 on cruise control at 75 in 6th gear would translate to way too high at similar speeds in third around Barber.

SPOHN

Welcome to the forum. You plan to make the ZNationals?

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bmcd308

@Spohn

Thank you.

I am not sure about ZNationals. I am doing the Chin track day right before it, so I may not be able to get a kitchen pass.

@ jcosta:

You're right. 175 is lower than I would like, and I wish the Mocal plate would let the oil get a little warmer before opening up the cooler. However, even though I said "pushing it" above, that is a matter of degree. Even at a HPDE, I will have the opportunity to run hard for 20-30 minutes at a stretch, and that is a much longer time at a much higher level of intensity compared to my typical mountain road run, which is only a 5 minute run at a level of intensity that acknowledges that my friends, family, and neighbors might be driving the opposite direction on that same road.

Like others on the forum, I will fab up a plate to block airflow to the cooler when I'm not at the track.

SPOHN

I've been back and fourth about the Chin event right before also. But I'm defiantly doing the Chin in Nov.

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wstar

I've been doing HPDEs in TX on a 19-row w/ Mocal plate and it works out pretty well. If it's too much cooling in the winter, you could rig up a partial blockoff plate for the 25 to fine-tune.

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ukmastermind

Lately with LA weather in the 90's, I run about 240-250 on the oil temp and a set 200 for the coolant temp

This is 75mph and A/C on .... normal for this car I hear

Been considering the smaller Z1 cooler and thermo plate since this is my DD

wstar

Just beware the tradeoffs. Adding the oil lines for the cooler is adding a significant risk. If a line blows off under pressure you're losing all your oil (and your engine) pronto. It's been documented to happen more than once on these boards, things happen! The stock system doesn't really have that risk. I'd highly recommend adding an oil pressure gauge at the same time (preferably one w/ a low-pressure alarm), might alert you in time to save things, unlike the stock low pressure dummy light.

240-250 is a bit nuts with the AC on at 75mph though, in any weather in the US. Definitely not normal, sure you don't have some other problem? I would've guessed you'd hit more like 220-230 max stock in those conditions, assuming you mean just cruising in top gear.

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Journal thread / Car setup details

SPOHN

Funny how my buddies BMW 335I inline six TT runs 250 normally and the when beating on it it will go up to 300 and still wont hit limp mode

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Stino

When I installed the 25 row Z1 oil cooler with thermostatic plate, my temps usually hovered around 180 most of the time.

I then installed a black power coated diamond grill to protect the coolers from larger road debris. After installing the grill, I found my temp was sitting around either 185,190 or 200. The grill I installed has a 75% air flow rate. The loss in air flow made my temps increase by 5-15 degrees. I like the piece of mind with having a little protection for the coolers and the little higher oil temp.

Maybe you might want to consider doing the same.

Click here to see pics of the grilled installed.

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