Should I get an oil cooler?

DarkJak

Agreed. If I am driving hard, I am feeling too many G's from turns and braking to notice any decrease in power from higher temps. If it weren't for the gauge, I wouldn't know any better till I hit 280/limp mode. Also, for me, the jump in driving style to raise it from 260 to 270 is huge. I'd be driving just under all-out-balls-to-the-wall on a tight road.

However, I think the issue would be immediately present if I track my car. Lengths are longer and turns are wider, which would mean I'd be on the throttle much more and usually all the way down. This would be why it'd be good to install a cooler.

KaienZ34

The only reason they didn't have a oil temp problem in the 350 was because.....no oil temp gauge. The same goes for many many other vehicles, no gauge no problem.

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Trips

I would recommend it Vegas can be brutal

there are different sizes 19row 25row or a 34row

a shop can install this if your not mechanically inclined to do it

But we do have some DiY's from other members who have done the work

cost depends on the cooler size and the shop doing the work

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Trips

Lets not turn this into an oil discussion and just help a fellow member out with his questions

LETS KEEP IT ON TOPIC!

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Davey

Getting a little over 220 is no big deal at all, so no, I don't think you need an oil cooler if you don't drive hard and you're just seeing temps a bit above 220.

Keep in mind if you are regularly in the 250 - 270 range the engine won't go into limp mode but you are breaking your oil down a little faster and should probably at least consider a cooler or shortening your oil change intervals.

It's no big deal, really. 220 is about right.

KaienZ34

Limp mode isn't till 280* so no need to freak out yet.

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ZMan8

I don't remember where I read it on here but several times I have seen people point out the sweet spot for oil temps is 190-200 F. 180 being the minimum you should have before pushing the car due to high oil pressure. IMO, 220 is the max you want to see. Like someone else said, the engine seems to bog down (note not limp mode) It just feels more like a slug. and the person who said the ecu pulls timing, here may be why.

My logic is as follows: high oil temps = engine running hotter --> heat soak in engine bay --> higher Intake air temps --> ecu pulls timing--> which reduces performance.

Therefore, I would recommend the oil cooler. It will keep you engine at more reasonable temps, reducing the heat soak effect and overall it is probably better in the long run to have oil temps at 190-200 than 220-240.

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2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT | Fast Intentions | Swift Springs | SPC | Z1Motorsports | JWM | Redline Oils | 35% Window Tint
2015 Mazda6 | 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

KaienZ34

220-240 won't hurt a thing.

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robones

Making your Z run at 180-190 is like going back in time to the big muscle cars of the past. Do you know the modern engine has been running hotter and hotter as decades go by? Cars from the 70's use to run this cold. Reason why engines run hot now? well higher compressions, higher RPM limits, better fuel mixture, emission requirements, etc. There are definitely more benefits to running an engine hotter than colder. I've mentioned a few already. Like I said, there is no reason to obtain an oil cooler unless you track your car or live in an area that is too hot with many hills. I think some people just get an oil cooler for the sake of "modding" with no real reason for getting it only than to say they had one. of course there are many with legitimate reasons to have it

robones

I suggest do your research and read for yourself. hotter running engines are more efficient at what they do (combustion) with better emissions (good for the environment) Synthetic oil was invented to supplement hotter running engines for their higher tolerance to viscosity breakdown at higher temperatures than conventional motor oil.
Are you using synthetic motor oil in your car? of you are running your engine this cold, there is no reason for the extra lub. save yourself some money and switch to conventional.

robones

You do realize this car has a factory COLD AIR intake right!? there is no heat soak effect. unless you drive backwards.

ZMan8

I like people who write "smart a$$ comments"

To answer you, Yes I do know the stock air intake is a Cold air intake that is why mine is still stock. But if my chemistry knowledge is correct heat transfers goes from hot areas to cold. Therefore, heat will transfer from the hot block to all surrounding parts whether you drove forward, backward or sideways. Our engine bays are packed so there isn't many places for that heat to go but other parts. The plastic intakes do better than metal but they still heat up. Along with the maf sensors.

I don't have the tools or time to make this study. But I would like to see a test done where temperature and humidity Are constants. And the person measures oil temperature vs air intake temperatures.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

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2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT | Fast Intentions | Swift Springs | SPC | Z1Motorsports | JWM | Redline Oils | 35% Window Tint
2015 Mazda6 | 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

Zoren 370

Boys your going further and starting a whole new thread about CAI vs OP original question of having the need of an oil cooler.

IMHO all of you guys over here are exceptionally correct with all your analysis, Laws of Heat transfer and research data what else?..... that is why I love this forum.

Lets not overwhelm OP with technical data which might do two things...
1. We can probably scare him/overwhelm him to think he just bought a highly sophisticated machine that need all this things to make his car perform to a level that he even doesn't want to go through in the first place.

2. We can influence this guy to go with us in the Dark Side of being highly anally technical and damn obsessed of making the Z a super car which most of us would want to do. Burn the money away for the LOVE of performance. Nothing wrong with this its just a matter of choice and preference.

Going back to OP's question if you do not drive your car hard like us over here BIG Boys and all.
Then save yourself with the money and enjoy the car as you do not need the oil cooler.

But then if you want to go a different path just like in the movie MATRIX when you want all possibilities will be on your hand then choose between the blue pill and the red pill....Your choice buddy.

Either way you are welcome...Just be ready for a HELL of a RIDE!

BTW dont forget your credit card...lol

robones

bvl

I understand trying to apply logic and reason to a hypothesis.

The problem here is, the engineering and observed data don't jive with your hypothesis Yes heat transfers, but the rate of transfer is vastly different across different materials and states of matter.

Heat soak isn't going to occur to the point of pulling significant timing. Simply measure IAT from a readout to see exactly what is going on. If you are stuck at a stop light for a few minutes, IAT may creep up a few deg F but once you start moving its back to ambient. The intake is not hanging on top of the block.

The thermodynamics here are not much different from car to car. Air temp is going to matter to fuel/timing. If folks buy an oil cooler with the expectation its going to improve performance on a street car, I think that's a misinformed purchasing decision.

- b