Any recommendations on places to get large oil coolers for a 3rd gen? I was on a site yesterday that had two different types, but I didn't book mark the page! I think they were based out of the midwest somewhere. Chicago maybe?

-Mike

 

www.rotaryextreme.com

 

Ouch, those are pricey!

 

Try a Fluidyne. I think they run about $350- $400.

 

The coolers themselves are cheap, it's the braided lines and the earl's or aeroquip fittings that make it expensive. CWR has lowered thier price on the dual unit to about $850, which is an awesome price for what you get.

 

I think CWR is no longer selling anything. And if he is good luck. I think I got one of the last oil cooler sets.
Kevin

 

Thanks for all of the replies! I think they're pricey as well. I'm just starting to think about what I'm going to do in the next year. I know a guy that is getting a customer oil cooler done by Cooled by I.C.E in Sarasota, Florida. I'm going to give them a ring to see what they offer. Have any of you upgraded your oil coolers? Actually, if you had an R1, could you replace just one of them?

-Mike

 

What makes you say that? I talked to Dwayne about 2 weeks ago, and everything seemed fine....

 

Yes, you could replace just one, no big deal.

 

I just talked to duane at CWR, and everything sounds fine, btw.

 

While on this subject, does anyone know offhand what's involved in swapping in an oil cooler from an R1/R2 into a Touring edition? Or would it just be easier / cost effecient to go with an aftermarket piece like the GReddy or the like?

 

Adding the R1 second oil cooler to a Touring model is a piece of cake. You can check around the country at junk yards and find one(it may take a while) but it's easy as pie. So long as the place you buy it from sends all the right hoses, it's simple.. I did mine in about 2 1/2 hours and the car runs about 15degrees cooler after I added it. Check out Mazmax in Houston, that's where I got mine. I don't have the number off hand but call Ari at RX7.com he'll give the number to ya. Hope that helps.
Art

 

More pics and info on the CWR kit:
http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/parts_i...lers/index.htm

I've had them on the car for >25K miles or so and haven't had any major problems (a fitting came loose once, but no big deal once I tightened it down). With the ducts they make a very nice and complete kit. The cooler elements themselves seem to be holding up to road debris much better than the stockers did.

The kits do seem expensive when you look at the price of the coolers themselves, but I added up the prices for the hose and fittings and everything once and it ended up looking like a good deal considering the brackets and ducts. Plus, you know you'll have all the right stuff rather than getting the car all torn apart and finding out you need a different fitting or more hose. The kit was well worth it to me.

-Max

 

Exactly. I did the same thing, and it seemed the cost of the parts was about $300 less than the cost of the kit, so you're paying $300 for the CF ducts and the brackets, which doesn't (to me) make piecing it together yourself worth it.

 

The big concern I have with some of the larger oil cooler kits is that the coolers are so large that it probably makes sense to change the front of of the car to get more air blown onto them. How much of an oil temperature reduction have you guys had with the aftermarket coolers? Any changes to the actual body work to get it all going?

-Mike

 

yeah, this is a good idea. I think we should organize some sort of group buy for the second oil cooler, or maybe aftermarket oil coolers. If I could substantially reduce the temps with a second oil cooler...then why not?

 

Guys.....Just get a second gen oil cooler. The oil cooler is huge and they are pretty cheap to get. It also looks great in the engine bay.

 

Anyone ever tried to fit a TII oil cooler on a FD, maybe in the engine bay??. I know they a completly different but they are nice and thick.

 

You could definitely use a 2nd gen oil cooler (you can do anything, right?), but having never even seen one, I can't comment on where to fit it.

I really just wanted to share an old adage from the piston world: NEVER buy a used oil cooler. People sell oil coolers when they blow engines, in which case they contain little bits of shrapnel, since it's almost completely impossible to flush them out. Not as big a concern with rotaries, but still something to be aware of...

 

rx7superman,

Have you done this? If you have, do you have any pictures of the setup? How tough of an install was it?

-Mike