Oil Cooler Install Thread

[miguez]

Originally Posted by Modshack

1 MOC-SP1FT Mocal Sandwich Plate- 20mm Thread $86.95

Hey Modshack,

Great idea, thanks for sharing. I see this sandwich plate has a 180º thermostat. Just to make sure I understand it, this means that if the oil is below 180º, it will bypass the cooler automatically, correct?

Also, I assume there is no way to adjust this temperature threshold? Just trying to learn more about these sandwich plates.

Thanks!

[spearfish25]

I'm prepping for my Stillen kit install. How did you guys purge the oil cooler once it was installed? I've seen various ways listed for other cars but would prefer to know exactly what works for the 370Z. One method I heard of was fully depressing the accelerator while cranking the motor (not sure how to continuously crank the engine with a push button starter). The other way was to pull the fuse on the ECU (again, not sure how to do that yet) and crank the engine again.

Finally, how does the oil cooler stay filled when the car is shut down? Having not seen it on the car yet, it's hard to visualize. But if the cooler sits higher than the oil pan, won't the oil flow back to the pan and empty the cooler each time you shut the car off? (There is a good chance I'm just not understanding the mechanics of the system...the mechanic installing it better have more knowledge).

Advice welcome!

[Modshack]

Originally Posted by miguez

Hey Modshack,

Great idea, thanks for sharing. I see this sandwich plate has a 180º thermostat. Just to make sure I understand it, this means that if the oil is below 180º, it will bypass the cooler automatically, correct?

Also, I assume there is no way to adjust this temperature threshold? Just trying to learn more about these sandwich plates.

Thanks!

That's exactly how they work...You do not run the risk of the oil running too cool, or not getting up to the minimum recommended 180 degrees..Though since I believe the oil system is plumbed through the Water system, the temps should stabilize at at least the normal water coolant temp of 180-190. It just may take the oil a little longer to get to that point if the cooler is running all the time (no thermostatic plate). I'm in NC so it's probably not critical, but if I lived in any of the Northern states I'd do the thermostat. Outboard ones with AN fittings can be added..

[Modshack]

Originally Posted by alan93rsa

That makes me feel better about the second cooler I put in my 993. I thought it was a pain in the rear. Yours was worse.

I agree on the SS lines. I used fabric shrouded lines on my last install.

Alan...I vivdly remember the first plug change on my old 993!! Not easy there either! The 370 Oil cooler install really looks like a piece of cake. The filter base is easily accessible, hose routing appears to be no problem, and there is plenty of space to mount the Exchanger. The only thing I would prefer is the ability to mount it somewhere other than in front of the radiator as I did in my Audi....The heat expelled from the oil cooler flows directly into the radiator putting a little more load on the cooling system. I understand the stock set-up also has an exchanger to the water system but I'm not sure where it is at this point. On my Audi this was removed and bypassed therefore upping the cooling threshold on the water system... I'll look into this..

[scorpion90]

I've been watching this thread closely. Good info, I'm learning a bunch for my install.

[ResIpsa]

Has anyone considered placing the oil cooler in a different position than two inches in front of the radiator?

I noticed that on the pre-production 370Z’s the oil cooler was positioned in the front driver side wheel wells. The driver side fang cover was removed and large slots were cut into the wheel well to exhaust the hot air.

Another thought was to create a bracket extending the oil cooler farther away from the radiator and removing the fang cover. Then you could cut the portion of the engine bay air divider directly below the bumper allowing a path for air into the wheel well. All that would be left is to cut slots in the driver side wheel well and create a wind baffle between the oil cooler and radiator directing air to the wheel well. The oil cooler would still get air from the main grill and the fang opening should provide some direct air and maybe a venturi effect drawing hot air into the wheel well.

I used my best paint skills to create a crude sketch.

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by Modshack

I understand the stock set-up also has an exchanger to the water system but I'm not sure where it is at this point. On my Audi this was removed and bypassed therefore upping the cooling threshold on the water system... I'll look into this..

As I understand it there is no external water/oil heat exchanger, they rely on the block design and the routing of the oil and water channels to passively exchange heat to each other via the block. This was on one of their press blurbs anyway. It would appear as though their design is somewhat flawed however as there is no where near enough heat exchange between the fluids. I'm sure there was a method to their madness.

The water cooling system seems to be more than adequate, I've yet to see the coolant temperature move one ... um ... dot? It would be nice to know what temperature these markings represent, my normal temp is the dot left of center.

[Diversion]

Originally Posted by wstar

Yeah... I'm going to be using Magden for digital gauges on a lot of the stuff our dash is missing, but oil pressure is something where I'd really like to have a hard real gauge hooked up. As I understand it, our cars have an oil pressure sensor already that feeds the ECU for a dummy light, but I don't see how you'd re-use that hole/sensor really. Has anyone looked into how to go about adding an independent oil pressure gauge (perhaps inline with one of the cooler fittings? where would be most appropriate? Post-cooler?) I think (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that with the standard sandwich plates, the basic flow is pan -> pump -> cooler -> filter -> top of engine -> drain back to pan, right?

Although it would be really nice to just tap into the stock oil pressure wire that goes to the ECU but I don't think it's the the right type that can output to a gauge (as with most factory oil pressure sensors). I'll see what I can find about it.. and i'll look into a decent sandwich adapter setup.

Jay

[Modshack]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

As I understand it there is no external water/oil heat exchanger, they rely on the block design and the routing of the oil and water channels to passively exchange heat to each other via the block. This was on one of their press blurbs anyway. It would appear as though their design is somewhat flawed however as there is no where near enough heat exchange between the fluids. I'm sure there was a method to their madness.

The water cooling system seems to be more than adequate, I've yet to see the coolant temperature move one ... um ... dot? It would be nice to know what temperature these markings represent, my normal temp is the dot left of center.

That's what I was thinking.....scratch that idea...
On water temps, I have a scangauge hooked up and the water temp usually runs 182-186 degrees for what it's worth (not up to temp in this pic). I haven't corellated that to the "dots" as I find that (poor excuse for a) gauge rather useless...:-)

[Modshack]

Originally Posted by Diversion

Although it would be really nice to just tap into the stock oil pressure wire that goes to the ECU but I don't think it's the the right type that can output to a gauge (as with most factory oil pressure sensors). I'll see what I can find about it.. and i'll look into a decent sandwich adapter setup.

Jay

You will definitely need to "T" that sender and add one that is compatible with your gauge..... There are fittings available for this..

[alan93rsa]

Steve,

The top plug on number 6 was a royal pain. I'll bet more than one person that paid to have their plugs changed didn't get that one done.

ResIpai,

I know what you are referring to on the fender mount. There does seem to be room in the fender. Apparently you can get a cooler in there and it must have worked. Setrab does make coolers with fans. In fact I have one in the garage. It is a smaller cooler with twin fans.

I'm going with the cooler in the front based on past experience with boosted 944 turbos. In the last one I built the intercooler and oil cooler were both mounted in front of the radiator. I had no problems with with water temperature.

[Modshack]

Al....

On the fan setup, I did that on my side mounted Audi install... I found it didn't really make any dfference, but I had a large grill feeding air through it..
Might make a difference if flow is marginal, but I agree...Center mount seems best here..We only need to reduce temps about 20 degrees, and the Coolant system does seem pretty stout..

..

[imag]

Water temp gauges have been disconnected from true water temps for years now on most cars - it doesn't surprise me that this is the same. They want people to feel comforted about the car and not get stressed when coolant temps fluctuate, so they basically fix it in a middle position once it comes up to temp. It only goes higher if it get out of range.

Anyway, I know most other car manufacturers do this - not sure if Nissan did it in the 370, but it sounds like it.

[Modshack]

Originally Posted by imag

Water temp gauges have been disconnected from true water temps for years now on most cars - it doesn't surprise me that this is the same. They want people to feel comforted about the car and not get stressed when coolant temps fluctuate, so they basically fix it in a middle position once it comes up to temp. It only goes higher if it get out of range.

Anyway, I know most other car manufacturers do this - not sure if Nissan did it in the 370, but it sounds like it.

This appears to be the case. #7 LED lights up at 155 degrees. There is no change from there up to 185 degree operating temps..

[wstar]

Originally Posted by Modshack

This appears to be the case. #7 LED lights up at 155 degrees. There is no change from there up to 185 degree operating temps..

Yeah mine never moves off of that dot either (looks like the second one below the center mark to me), regardless of oil temps. Apparently the radiator is sized well (perhaps even overdone all things considered) for the amount of heat going into the coolant, there just isn't enough heat transfer from the oil to the coolant inside the engine block to get much oil cooling done, or we'd see the water temps go up when the oil gets extreme.