A 19 or 25 Row Oil Cooler - Which makes more sense?
 

Hey Men..I know there is a lot of information about this subject all over the forum. I have been looking and searching for anyone who is in the same situation.
I am looking to have an oil cooler installed and going through the decision process of a 19 or 25 row unit. Personally, I will never track the car, but am noticing my oil temp immediately elevates to 220° with some limited aggressive driving. I will also install the Thermostat Sandwich plate to regulate the oil temp when the car is cold. But why spend the extra money for the larger unit if it is really not needed! I am thinking along the lines of the Setrab 6-Series 19 row unit.

Any opinions?

Pay the extra cash and get a 25. It will help resale if you have something big enough to make an appreciable difference outside normal driving.

Generally, I would agree with that position. I do remember reading that someone on the forum did install a 19 with similar driving habits and it served the intended purpose.

Interesting note, in speaking with the dealership that is "Mod Friendly" they mentioned that in a region such as NJ, you probably would not need the cooler, even if the gauge appears to head upward of 220. According to Nissan..the analog gauge in the 370Z is no accurate...WTF?

Can you explain the benefits of an oil cooler and how it works?

I too am seeing right around 220 degree oil temps. It's been about 90 degrees or so in my area, but If I drive for a bout 10 or 15 minutes, I'll notice a temp spike.

An oil cooler is a critical upgrade if you plan on doing any spirited driving for a period of time. Without it, the oil becomes heat soaked and unable to properly lubricate the engine. Then the car goes into limp mode at about 280F cutting the fun and reducing the rpm limit to around 3500. Putting an oil cooler on will give the oil the cooling capacity it needs to prevent limp mode and keep your engine protected. The larger the oil cooler, the higher cooling and oil capacity the engine has. There is such a thing as oil being too cool, so be sure to purchase a thermostatic plate to maintain good operating temps while driving. The target temps for our engine is between 180F and 220F. If you exceed those target numbers, fret not, it's not the end of the world, just be aware of your weather conditions and driving habits when it is.

Thanks......I have an 012 6-mt with factory installed oil cooler and it will get to 220 but not higher, at least not this time of year in PA, although we hit 88 a couple of weeks ago.