southernrunner

I was thinking just now while pulling my engine. Would it be possible at all to take your a/c cooler and change it into your oil cooler. Is this a really stupid as question? I really didn't put much thought into it before asking but I was just wondering. I am pretty new to rotary's. I mean it works like an oil cooler, you might have to customize your oil lines. You won't have a/c but I mean if you had the money, couldn't you make it work?

85 FB

I think it's the internals of the cooler, along with how the rows are set up, that make the difference. I don't think it'll work, due to the internal difference. But, then again, I'm going off of the best of my knowledge and I've never split either two open and looked inside. Someone else might have or has more experience with such a thing.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Bad idea, try this. https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-archive-71/cooling-oil-how-install-fc-oil-cooler-1st-gen-write-up-pics-478521/

southernrunner

Well I wasn't going to do that, I was just wondering if it was possible.

capt murph

I think you are referring to the condenser. I don't see why it would not work. It is a heat exxhanger and it is designed for about 250+PSI. How well it would work is another question, but it will cool what ever goes through it.

I could not open the link trochoid added...

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Link works fine for me, that is my writeup on installing a 2nd gen fmoc in a 1st gen.

gsterror

It's whole purpose is to turn a gas into a liquid. Through the process, I think it would collapse or something, since it would go in liquid, and it would try to 'condense' it into a heavier liquid.

capt murph

This is a bit of a misconception. While on an A/C application gas goes in hot and comes out as a condensate (liquid), a liquid going in, like oil, would not change state. It would simply come out cooler. It is the same principle as the heater cor or the radiator in your car.

southernrunner

So if you ran all the lines like they were on your oil cooler but to your condenser, your condenser should act like the oil cooler just bigger right?

d0ntdreamit

Southernrunner,
What a creative idea!

southernrunner

Well I was just thinking.... Look's just like an oil cooler, has the same set up. Hell why can't it work. I myself would be willing to work on it and see if it works but I don't want to ruin a new engine if it doesnt. Does anybody know if this has been done or even thought of before? And I thought I couldn't think of anything good. lol

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

There is at least 1 or 2 other threads about this. I think one was started by RRTEC. People determined that the passages in the AC condensor would be too small, restricting oil flow. I would just use the factory FMOC. If you wanted to go crazy, you could do a dual FMOC like some FDs have.

Edit: Here is one of the threads about it.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=oil+cooler

85rotarypower

If the A/C condenser did actually have big enough lines to provide the flow needed, it wouldn't be nearly as efficient as the stock oil cooler, but it might be better than the stupid beehive on 83-85's. The stock oil cooler can be whats called a "plate" style of cooler. I don't know exactly where they get this name, but thats what its called. The A/C condenser is a rod and fin style cooler and not as efficient as a plate style cooler. Given size, the stock oil cooler is still more effective than the A/C condenser would be. A large aftermarket plate style tranny cooler, say one suitable for 28000lb GVWR, would be equivalent to the stock cooler. Thats what I would guess anyway. I'm actually surprised that noone has brought up the fact you could use a large tranny cooler in place of a factory air-to-oil cooler.

capt murph

Well there you go. The theory is valid, but it seems the lines are too small.

85rotarypower

Thinkin about it now, gettin a large aftermarket cooler is probably the cheaper way to go. I should have done that, as I have cracked 2 oil coolers on my car so far. The stock cooler is just too delicate.

candyassmiler

i dont think the beehive is any less efficient, its just a bad idea. oil leaks yielding water leaks is not what someone wants to deal with. air to air is much more simple, with less drawbacks. sorry for impertinence.