Is my oil cooler overkill for the street?

SouthArk370Z

Oops. Thanks for the corrections.

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SouthArk370Z

Quit worrying about it. As long as you are keeping your temps around 180 during normal driving, temps don't rise too much when driving hard, and it's warming up properly, it doesn't really matter where the t'stat is set.

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luigi90210

Yes its more viscous. Viscosity is how well it flows, higher viscosity means it won't flow as well as warm oil with a lower viscosity.

Think of it like water and maple syrup, maple syrup takes longer to flow anywhere because it has a higher viscosity than water does

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1cleanZ

I have a 34row and it takes quite a while for my temps to get up to 180. Even this week, its been in the upper 90's every single day, and after my 10 mile drive home, my oil temps STILL weren't at 180.

someone said don't go over 3k until your temps are at 180degrees? That can't be completely true....

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Chuck33079

I said I don't. I'm at 180 degrees in 4-5 miles on my morning commute. Just long enough to get out of the neighborhood and onto the freeway. Light throttle, no boost until the oil is at running temp. It's just a habit. Phunk doesn't do this, and his motor is obviously doing just fine.

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phunk

Its hanging in there!

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RegPei

I've always thought the reason you don't rev the engine when the oil temperature is cold is due to the high oil pressure this would result. The higher the viscosity, the higher the oil pressure will be for a given RPM. Higher oil pressure can pop oil seals/gaskets and those lines to/from your cooler.

At the bottom of the oil pressure gauge DIY, the OP mentioned his observation after installing the gauge:

DIY: Oil Pressure Gauge

So the key at the low temperature end is less oil temperature than oil pressure. If you really need to stomp on it going an average of 15-18 MPH (5-6 mi in 20 mins), you could in theory switch to a lower viscosity oil just to be safe or get an oil pressure gauge.

phunk

There is a regulator in the oil pump that will prevent oil pressure from getting to high

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1slow370

there is a tiny regulator in the pump that attempts to keep the oil pressure from getting to high, can't remember which team it was but one of the HR race cars was noting over 110psi at 8000rpm.it's to bad the pump is located on the crank snout or it would be a great pump for a wet sump system, unfortunately high rpm's still effect it similar to the issues the old rb26's had when the crank nose vibrates it puts a huge strain on the tight clearances in the pump, imo this is what most likely killed megan370's motor not the vvel. the pickup has a screen in it so it is unlikely that a pin from the vvel got sucked into the pump and more likely that the pump blew cuz his rev limiter was raised, which lead to his vvel roasting and blowing.

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PaulZ370

I have a 19-row oil cooler, and when I first installed it, I suffered extremely long oil warm-up times. I like to see at least 180°F on my oil temp's before I shut her off again because I want to make sure that any water residue from the internal combustion reaction that made it into the oil is evaporated out and not remain in the sump contaminating it. My solution was to place a thin aluminum plate as an air-barrier on the front of the cooler blocking off all but 4-5 rows on top. I secured it with industrial strength double stick tape to hold it in place.

Even now, during winter time in 40-ish degree weather, my commute to work (9 mile trip) I am barely at 180°F even though I'm driving in traffic conditions with a few lights. During the summer, with 80/90°F temps, it still takes about 5-8 minutes before temps reach 180, and then stabilize around 200°F under normal driving conditions. Under spirited driving, oil temps climb to 210 - 220°F depending on ambient temp and how hard I'm pushing, but cool off relatively quickly afterwards when I return to normal driving (steady speed, no hard acceleration).

Hope this helps in better understanding what you might want to do.

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roplusbee

Well.........I start my car well before I need to leave to go to PT. I am talking like 10-15 mins ahead of time. I live in an apartment complex where a lot of other folks in my profession live, so no one gets pissed off when she is growling at 0515-0530 in the morning, lol. When I lived in a housing development, it was a different story.

In the winter, I have a much harder time getting up to temp. I let it run for at least 15 mins before I get in to take off. A lot of times, the temp never goes above 160 when it is cold out. I have seen 150-170 while on the highway on my way home to Baltimore. I just set the cruise and stay outta boost. I have a 34-row; non-thermostatic, no block-off.......for reference.

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Zoren 370

try driving the Z at lower gears longer that would warm up the oil faster...I drive mostly freeway early mornings at 5th gear only for 5 to 7mins around rpm's lower than 4K at a speed of 75 -79miles. 190F is reached faster... then gun it like a mad man....

City driving would play mostly 2nd and 3rd gear rpms running at 3K+ longer that should do it faster.

ltullos

I'm in Dallas and just bought the Z1 34 Row kit to be able to take it to the track. The 34 will be overkill for daily driving as I've only hit about 230 even on the hottest days. Nonetheless, I figure its always better to have too much cooling as I can always block it off.

I've seen the OPs using velcro to attach block-off plate, but I wanted something different. I went to Home Depot today and bought J-channel used for mount mirrors for $10. Then I cut some black foam board from Office Depot I had sitting around from another project that sits in the channel nicely and won't rattle around. Also very easy to cut in case I just want to partially block. Here's photos with and without

122554

I gotta get mine installed. Temps in the low 90's. Driving across a long bridge in 5th at 5K RPM's, my oil hit 235!

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roplusbee

If I let it rev over 3k even at low throttle, it starts making boost. I feel you though, lol.

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