Anyone using solid mounts for the under radiator oil cooler?
 

I'm fabbing up a set of solid mounts and I want to know if anyone here has tried this and, if so, run into any problems (i.e. cracking the oil cooler). I only found one relevant thread, but I don't thinking mounting will be an issue.

200th post!

Pretty sure Mazda intended for the cooler to move around a bit, so you'd probably be better off with mounts that have some flexibility.

I'm sure too, but it may have just been a "better safe than sorry" sort of engineering decision rather than one based on testing.

here's how i have mine. been running it like this for more than 5 yrs with no problems.

My writeup in the archives for installing a 2nd gen FMOC has solid mounts. Part of the trick for longevity is tie the oil lines down enough so they don't vibrate while still allowing for thermal expansion.

rxtasy3, that radiator looks markedly different... :scratch: (later models had drain cocks?!) Differences aside, what's most important to me is: is that a rubber bushing between the radiator bracket and the oil cooler mount? I've included a picture for comparison.

Trochoid, I've seen your thread (here for the rest of us). The under-radiator coolers have top mounts and none on the sides, which is why I'm worried this could pose an issue.

i have no rubber mounting between the oil cooler and rad. the reason my rad looks different is because both rad and oil cooler r from an rx4 like the engine(see sig).

That explains it. The mounts on the oil cooler look about as sturdy as a 7's nonetheless

What Trochoid said. Mine have always been solid mounted, but make sure to allow rom for the lines to move. Same with the Radiator.

I attached mine with a ridged bracket to the body of the car and then attached the oiler cooler to the bracket with bolts and locknuts thru rubber grommits. Its been on the car over 5 years.
I hadd to do it that way because of the aluminum rad didn't have any mounting tabs for the oil cooler.

The only time a solid FMOC is going to cause problems is if the mount extends out horizontally for some distance, and the FMOC hangs off of that. A longer, weaker arm might allow the FMOC to vibrate, eventually leading to metal fatigue. That's why I kept the FMOC close to the bar in my writeup and made sure the mounting was solid to eliminate any vibrations.

Since the motor rocks back and forth, so does the oil cooler lines. I use rubber mounts and aluminum brackets.

If that's true, then the radiator should be on rubber mounts too. Since it's not, the engine rocking is absorbed by the radiator hoses. The FMOC lines will do the same.

Whered you find the metal brackets for your oil cooler?

I see your point but the oil cooler hose connections are more fragile. Threaded fittings with crush washers and thread sealant. The mounting ears are for FMOC are smaller, can bend, and aluminum cooler is more brittle. Mazda used rubber mounts from the factory and it can only help. My Earl's Plumbing shop strongly recommends it and sees many oil cooler failures when solidly mounted. To each their own.

Heres my 2 cents on production car engineering in general. If the designers
engineered the solution in a way that increases cost, even marginally then
they had a good reason.

In this case, they spec-ed rubber mounts, which would cost more than a
hard mount. The decision was either based on avoiding future warranty
service (expensive) or it was a safety issue. I don't see it as a safety issue
so I suspect its to make the fragile aluminum oil cooler last longer for the
very reasons DriveFast7 pointed out.

I still have my rubber mounts and went so far as to plug the gap between
the radiator bottom and the top of the oil cooler with a new foam pad last
time I have the radiator out for a refurbish. I just wanted to make sure the
air was forced thru the radiators.

I think I'm gonna mount mine to the bar in front of the radiator using two of these exhaust hangers from Autozone.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i5...e/580fe317.jpg

just some scrap stainless a friend had laying around his shop. i think it's like 1/8th thick.

I'm bringing this back. I have a question. I'm relocating mine in the track car. Well, remounting actually. I thought bring right behind the front sway bar may be a bad idea as it may restrict flow. When it's mounted right under the radiator, isn't the sway bar blocking flow for you all? It was on mine. It may be ok that way. I pulled mine and cleaned it. There was a lot of garbage blocking air flow.

Should I remount in the same place or move it to avoid the front sway bar?