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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ oil cooler location

Posted by: ynotdd Sep 2 2003, 07:50 AM

I use my 914 for autocross mainly and have never had a heat problem at all. I want to do some DE's.I have an oil cooler kit( cooler, fan,thermo, filter relocator) that puts the cooler under the rear trunk that is not installed yet. My question is will this be ok for DE? and does anyone have pic's on how this looks installed?

Posted by: ArtechnikA Sep 2 2003, 08:02 AM

how hot does your oil get now ? what's the ambient temperature at the venues you want to run -- 90F? 125F like the SoCal / AZ folks ?

how big is the cooler ? how do you plan to get cool air to it and heated air from it ? will it be mounted normal to the airstream or lying down flat ? how will it be located in relation to other hot things ?

it will probably be better than nothing - not as good as a front mounted cooler. properly mounted with good ducting it should reject "a significant" amount of heat. mounted badly it won't do diddly except add a quart or two to your oil system - which might be enough of a good thing all by itself ...

you're looking for the "good enough" solution - especially if it involves parts you've already paid for ...
you've gotta try it and see -- and you'll need an accurate temperature gauge to know.

Posted by: ynotdd Sep 2 2003, 08:41 AM

the oil temp never has gotten past a quarter on the factory gauge. the cooler is 10 by 12 double core with a fan. a think i am going to hang it flat( about 3inches down) under the trunk. the track i am thinking of is Lime Rock Park. has anyone run something like this there?

Posted by: Lawrence Sep 2 2003, 09:49 AM

I have to agree with Rich's last statement.

Before you add an oil cooler, get a better gauge and matching sender unit. I think I got mine from GPR.

-Rusty

Posted by: Racer Sep 2 2003, 10:42 AM

You didn't mention if the car is modified or not.. is it?

My guess is that with the use of a quality motor oil, and this being one of your first DE's, I wouldn't worry about a cooler just yet. Also if your running LRP in the fall, it doesn't usually get that hot, which will help you. Like someone said before, make sure your gauge works correctly and just watch the temp closely.

Posted by: ynotdd Sep 2 2003, 12:27 PM

The motor is stock with less than 1000 miles on it. I have done DE's before just not with this car.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 2 2003, 12:33 PM

Three laps on a 2.9 mile track in a stock 73 2.0 and my oil temps (with synthetic racing oil) where in the 250 range on a 90 degree day. I did it as a test. I had ALWAYS mounted coolers in my track cars.. but never had data from a non front mounted cooler car.

My opinion about the cooler mounted under the rear trunk: Dont waste your time. Mount it up front where it will get clean air and not pre-heated engine/exhaust air. There is NO air flow at the bottom of the trunk.

B

Posted by: ChrisReale Sep 2 2003, 12:46 PM

Brad, when you mount the cooler up front, you cut a hole in the chassis for the cooler to fit, so you have cool air flowing through the cooler. But dont you have to direct the air that has passed through the cooler out? How do you do this? Also, For a stock 2.0, would you recommend using one of those oil filter sandwich things that allows you to run lines off it, or use one of those things that removes the stock cooler, and allows you to run lines from where the stock cooler gets the oil?

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 2 2003, 01:02 PM

The GT fiberglass shroud is the cleanest way to exit the air. Or you can exit the air by cutting exhaust holes in the flat portion of the trunk at the base of the bulkhead. This area is right above the steering rack. The most important thing is to make damn sure ALL the air is passing thru the cooler. The air will try and try to go around the cooler if you dont have it 100% sealed to the air entrance. The exit has some importance (mostly cosmetic) but the big thing is getting all the air thru the cooler.

The sandwhich adpater plate is the easiest/cheapest solution for getting lines off the engine. The other ways to do this require the removal of the stock oil cooler (which doesnt work well if your stuck in traffic in your track car).. I tested this also driving around in the Stanford mall parking lot on a 90 degree day (rare for Palo Alto). The oil temps with NO engine oil cooler would get to 200 deg. if NO moving air was going across the front mounted cooler.

I recommend Fluidyne. It has been proven time and time again that the radiator style coolers cool more efficently than the sandwhich style that MOCAL sells. Porsche even uses radiator style on ALL 911's from 1990-1999 when they went water cooled.

B