I am about to install my second oil cooler on my touring and was wondering if booth coolers have thermostats on them. The one I am adding is a DS from a touring. I remember reading that on an R1 setup only the first one has the t-stat, but from looking at the setup, it looks like you woud need two. Also, should I expect this thing to mount right up, or will I have to fab some mounts? I haven't even looked in there yet.

 

I think you will need the mount and duct . do you have the correct hoses .

 

Yes, all the hoses have been changed to -10 and ready to go.

 

IIRC the coolers are plumbed in series so only need 1 thermostat - the flow path = from engine thru t-stat to dr side cooler thru cooler then out to pass side cooler then back to engine -

 

-10an hosing? what size fittings did you use to go into the oil coolers themselves?

 

That's correct. I added an R1 passenger side cooler to my base model and that's exactly how it runs.

 

the path is correct, but it seems to me you'd need a second thermostat. The internal thermo is bypassing the driver's side cooler and sending it to the passenger's side cooler. Cold oil w/no thermostat could equal a blown cooler. There needs to be two bypasses, one for each cooler, no?

 

No. If the first thermostat is closed the oil never even enters the first oil cooler and so there is no external oil circulation whatsoever.

 

from what i understand, the stock oil cooler has a built in thermostat.

 

Actually, Yes.

The thermostat is only a bypass for the particular cooler that it's attached to. Both of the stock R1 coolers have thermostats. Only if you ran an external thermostat that bypassed the entire cooling system, you would only need one thermostat, but that's not what the stock thermostats do.

 

yes it is built in but if you added another driver side on the new passenger side you would have 2 thermostats.

 

right...built in thermostats, no blown cooler.

 

I fail to see the point. Certainly no harm in running two thermostats.

 

The purpose of the "bypass" t-stat is so that oil is still circulating through the system. If you have a t-stat that just blocks oil flow, then the hot oil would never flow to the t-stat, it would have to be done by convection....or conduction....i can't remember which one. Correct?


And I bough adapers the go from the 22mm threaded holes in the oil cooler to -10. I got rid of the stock clip thing, cause no one seems to sell those connectors. Plus when I want to upgrade oil coolers, I just plug em in.

 

22mm threaded holes? 1.5mm pitch threads? did you use aeroquip? how are you going to run thermostats with -10 connections?

 

Not sure what you are saying, but it works like this: There is an optimum temperature for the oil to flow through the system. Too cool and oil is more viscous and requires greater pressure to get through the system. If forced through an oil cooler, could result in a rupture, or busted lines. At the very least suboptimal lubrication, which is why you never want to rev the engine when the engine is cold. Thermostats work to shunt oil that is cooler than optimum back to the engine to be "warmed" to optimum temperature, thus saving the cooler and providing better lubrication. Oil that is as warm or warmer than optimum (thermostat opening temp, get it?) is routed through the cooler to be, ummmm, cooled.

 

shouldn't be a problem as the thermostats are built into the coolers.

 

if there are two oil cooler thermostats, wouldnt the oil sit in the first oil cooler until it was reheated enough for the second to open? then there is no reason to run two oil coolers. it would be one oil heater and one oil cooler ha

 

Thermostats do not block oil flow, they re-route it past the cooler. Period.

Everyone is right when they tell you not to worry because they're both stock coolers and both have internal thermostats, but don't forget to get the direction of the oil flow correct. Hook it up in the same fashion as your existing cooler.

You also asked what to expect when mounting this. It's not a direct bolt-in at all. You said that you have another drivers side cooler.. well, the R1 2nd oil cooler is a mirror-image of the driver's side cooler so you'll have to get creative with the mounting. The duct probably won't work at all but it might provide you with a good start at fiberglassing a new one.

I have some detailed pics from when I pulled mine off, if you need some reference. Just let me know. Good luck.

 

I am assuming the flow direction should be thermostat side = in?

What I was trying to ask earlier was, with aftermarket coolers and external t-stats, do they block flow or are they bypass also. I cant see how they are bypass without some creative plumming. If they do block flow when closed, how does hot oil ever get to the t-stat to open it. Does that make sense?

 

Sorry for the derail, but this thread seems remotely related.

What do you guys think would be better, another stock unit or a huge oil cooler in the stock location? This is barring a 99 spec front bumper that will eventually go on.

 

With the stock bumper, I would think two stockers (R1/R2 setup) would work as good as or better than a large single one -- due to the small opening in the stock bumper. Now, if you are running a Mspeed GTC bumper, a single big one would probably work great!

 

Yup. Your question makes sense.

With an aftermarket setup, you have a t-stat with 4 couplings.. One line from the block, one line back to the block. One line to the cooler(s) and one line from them. When the oil is cold, the thermostat is closed and it just takes the return path back to the block. When it warms up the thermostat opens up a bit and some makes its way through the cooler(s). How much depends on the temperature.



I second Rynbergs thoughts on cooler preference. If you have the opening, a larger cooler would definitely be easier to implement and you'd keep a nice cool air duct on the other side of the car. The word on the street is that the stock coolers are pretty hard to beat. Assuming they aren't all beat up.


The coolers are made from very soft aluminum.. While you're in there I'd spend some time straightening the fins and maybe putting some screen in the ducts. Pics of Mine here

 

http://www.autosportracetech.com/RX-7/oilsystem.htm

All of the oil (except that which is above 150 psi after the pump and is relieved back to the sump) that is pumped thru the engine first goes thru the oil line to the 1st cooler. If cold, it bypassses to the return line to the oil filter, or to the 2nd cooler for R1s where if cold, it bypasses again and returns to the oil filter. There is only one return line.

R1 coolers are in series, not as efficient as parallel, but easier to plumb.

 

uh...no...read the above response by Kevin2K to see what happens...probably they are the same as it was easier to design and mass produce one unit. What I think is confusing everyone is the fact that there are no seperate thermostats. They are built into the oil coolers. One line in, one line out. Let me borrow from www.bmracing.com :

"B&M's SuperCooler low pressure drop coolers reduce the risk of lube system failure. A controlled amount of ATF "(oil) "is allowed to bypass the stacked plate core, passing through a self-regulating orifice which monitors resistance to flow. Controlled by viscosity, the thicker ATF" (oil) "is returned directly to lube through two open bypass openings in the stacked plate core. As operating temperatures increase, more of the ATF" (oil) "flow is directed through the core. Resulting in a highly efficient cooling technology that combines improved protection against lube system failure with the required levels of optimal heat transfer. "