My crappy water oil cooler is leaking pretty bad and I figured I would replace it with a better air to oil cooler. However, oil coolers aren't that common or cheap. So I was wondering if I could get away with using one of those $35 hayden tranny coolers you can get at autozone to cool my engine oil? The only alternatives would be to pay out for a legit oil cooler, or grab one from a second gen rx-7.

 

Yes, they work great..I reccoment the big B&M transcooler..That thing works awesome, I know because I have used one..Cheap from summit or Jegs as well..

 

Do they flow enough volume to cool the heat monster that a rotary is?

 

Of course B&M supercooler.. http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
60 bux and it's probably bigger then a T2 intercooler..

 

i know this will sound funny but i have used air conditioning condensors for oil/tranny coolers before. the come factory mounted and i got away with sawing the fittings of and some fuel line and ssclamps. the only problem it presented was cooling too well. it would take all day to warm the tranny up to get a smooth shift. as far as cooling motor oil i dont see any prblem except maybe having to run a lighter viscosity.

 

NO

 

you can get a 2nd gen cooler for $40 or a 1st gen for $100, both are probably equal in performance. that is your best option. if you look on the back of the tranny cooler it will say "not for engine oil cooling".

 

Yes but used oil coolers = VERY BAD IDEA... and new ones are so much money its insane...

 

i have never heard of a bad experience with a used oil cooler......

 

When I went to college (automotive service technician) they told us ABSOLUTELY never ever ever EVER reuse a oil cooler. Obviously there will be crap in them if the vehicle it was previousily on blew a engine or had anything in the oil. Maybe after sonic cleaning it would be better? I just remember clearly them saying NEVER, reuse one.

At the same time you can run another small oil filter between the oil cooler and the engine. But in my car im thinking against this since that would mean I would have 3 oil filters. (turbo feed prefilter, normal oil filter, and oil cooler filter?)...

 

On a rotary,the first place the oil goes from the cooler,is into the filter.
Not that I condone simply bolting up a used cooler and running.You should have it cleaned,or at the very least flush it out in a solvent tank first.Ive used several junkyard coolers with nothing but sucess.I always pull the cooler thermostat and flush them out first,though.

And, tranny coolers/AC condensors on a rotary......no way.
Aftermarket oil coolers......ehh....The factory units might be small,but they have massive internal surface area and turbulators to get the most heat from the oil.I cant with good conciense recommend anything but the stock oil coolers.....

 

i used 4 cans of brake cleaner it works
tho how much i tryed i couldnt get the thermastat bolt undone

 

Soft faced vice, and a big box end wrench....works every time.

 

big box end wrench?????

 

Standard wrench with one end open, and the other end a loop (box end)

You just need a big one to fit the thermo.12 point works,6 point grabs better.

A box end ensures that you wont round the edges like with a crescent or open end wrench.And its better than a socket because the handle,thus the force,is close to the item your trying to turn. A socket and ratchet tends to put your hand farthur up from the nut/bolt,so you get more deflection,thus slippage......

 

awsome thanks mate really apreciated