Dual Oil Coolers (series or parallel)
 

Looking for some technical info and\or experience :)

Let me start by saying that YES I do have an oil temp problem; and is caused by the front mount intercooler. Now I know some of you are thinking that its imposible; not in my case since I have a 2nd gen. With that said, please hear me out; most 2nd gen owners install a 2nd fc oil cooler, and I was in the process of doing so. The problem with a 2nd gen FC oil cooler is that you will end up blocking the raditor, or having to cut the bumper\cover and create all kinds of ducting.

That's how I ended up here on the 3rd gen forum, most of you guys run dual oil coolers; besides I like how mazda moved the oil cooler to the sides on the FD\RX8, I am sure they have their own reasons for that.

OK, so here is the question; should I go with a serial or parallel installation? FC racers recommend PARALLEL, but 95% of the FD dual oil cooler kits (not to mentioned the R1) were configured in SERIES.

For those running dual oil coolers on their factory single cooler FD, did you noticed any oil pressure drop? Is one cooler hotter that the other?

Anybody running dual oil cooler in PARALLEL?

Any benefits to running parallel would be offset by the increased complexity. A serial installation works GREAT and is easier and more simple. No pressure drop, in fact my pressure is higher because the oil temps are cooler.

I think Crispy? Or someone did it to there race car. I remember a thread about it in the racetech subforum.

THANK YOU!

I ended up going with a SERIES setup, just because is far cheaper than doing a parallel setup.

Thanks for the info.

I planning to parallel imo I think it's better for cooling.
Khris

Why do you think that?

The longer the heat exchanger the more temp it can transfer with all other things being equal.

someone did a test on the difference between parallel and series and found that series did better for cooling with anything near stock oil pressures. The same person found that putting restrictors in the lines to SLOW down the flow of oil to spend more time in the exchangers actually yielded better results.

If the series setup doesn't yield good results, I might go with the parallel setup; however I seriously doubt that it will come down to that.

Do you have a link? It would make for a nice reading :)

Let me just make sure I understand this....
A serial (or in series) would be the oil exits the front cover and is fed to the T-stat. From the T-stat over to the first oil cooler, out of the first oil cooler to the second cooler, from the second cooler back to the t-stat the off to the oil pedastal.

A parallel set up would be from the front cover to the t-stat, out of the t stat to a T fitting which would split the oil to both coolers. From both coolers it would collect at a seperate T fitting before heading into the t-stat and back to the oil pedastal.

Correct?

I seem the think that a series would yield better cooling, less pressure drop, be more simplistic and cut down the possible leaks points considerably.

I have a parallel set up on my FD race car and a series set up on my street FD. I can't say I see much difference between the two - they both seem to work fine.

Correct, and a series setup is waaaaaay cheaper; hopefully I wil be abel to provide some feedback by tomorrow night :)

Cool, thanks for the feedback!

Provide feedback soon as I plan on ordering some parts in the very near future for my FC as well..... twin Mocal 19 rows are a definate, just need to decide on the plumbing... so hurry up ;)

twin stock fc oil coolers works really really good.

I will post pics and feedback :)

However I went with the B&M coolers, two 11 X 11 X 1.5 (20 something rows) both for almost the price of one mocal!

Yes as long as you can find where to install the second one, which means you will end up cutting the bumper\cover, and\or blocking the raditor. My original intention was to use a 2nd OEM 2nd gen cooler, and after buying all hoses, and fittings; I decided to go the extra mile and do things right.

Its easy in an FC..Thats what titaniumTT has.

I have seen a 20B powered single turbo fc, with twin stock coolers. In AZ the oil temps never exceeded 160 deg at the oil filter. This is with an FC koyo Nflow. the water temps where also way down, and thats with a FMIC.

Pics please :)

Run them in Parallel. Thats how i have them setup on my 20B. I've heard with series that you get some pretty mean pressure drops.

I may have an FC but I'm VMIC it so twon stock FC oilcoolers are out. I do have two FC coolers though.... hmmm... nah, not worth it at this point. Right now the only decision is between running the Mocals in series or parrellel

That's what I've heard, but how bad can it really be? Stock R2(?) had a dual oil cooler setup in series, and 99% of the dual oil cooler setup for the FDs are in a series setup.

On any case, I have an oil temp\pressure gauge; and will provide feedback as soon as I get them installed (hopefully tomorrow :fingersx: )

Massively INCORRECT, as I stated previously in this thread.

Doesn't parallel require dual thermostats (one for each cooler) ? or do you just use the one oil cooler without a t-stat and then if if doesn't cool well enough the second one comes on line. ?