oil coolers
 

i have a 93 base version FD with the tiny little one side oil cooler in the front end. i've heard that the R1's came with a larger oil cooler and have seen on rotaryextreme.com some "monster" oil cooler sets (25 row, 34 row, sinlges, DUALS). would it be extremely advantageous or just a mild improvement for me to eventually invest in one of these or even to find a used R1? i just use my car as a street driver vary rarely feeding it any real power. honestly i'd say i pass 4.5k rpm maybe 2 times a week when she's all warmed up. eventually i might try to turn it into a little more of a street/race car... but that's probably around 5 years out at which time i'll probably invest in one. but for the time being, i just wonder if it should be a front runner on my list of "things to buy" or if the stocker is good enough. let me know what you guys think. thanks

im still on the stock 93, as well. i want to upgrade just to keep things cooler but them oil coolers are a bit pricy. so i guess im with you on if i need one or not.

but i race a little so i may need one. good question i hope you and i get some replys on this...

If the car is stock, the stock cooler is fine. Every now and then there is a set of R1 coolers in the for sale section..

I'd upgrade all the crappy plastic cooling system components before doing the oil coolers...

by "crappy plastic cooling system components," I assume you mean the radiator (plastic end caps) and the AST? anything else missing from that list?

make your own oil coolers

The stock single base/touring cooler is adequate for street use. You don't require dual/larger coolers until you are road racing the car, although more cooling in the summer never hurts.

BTW, the R1/R2 model has two coolers, identically sized to the base/touring cooler. As others mentioned, you can occasionally find a set for sale for about $400.

it can get kinda brutal here in the summers, but i think its mostly humidity. i might keep an eye out for the R1s but seems like i'm good to go for now... would it be possible to simply fit a second stock oil cooler to the other side (by fabbing mounts and running some more pipes) or is there alot more to it than that? i have access to a top knotch machine shop where i work and if its just getting things made, i can get a good deal on the work or just use the machines myself... i think :)

Not quite identically sized but close enough. I sold my R1 duals for $400 FWIW.
Regards,
Crispy

I'd also be sure to have fresh coolant hoses too. The lines to the turbos have been DANGEROUSLY brittle on all the FDs I've worked on.. You're right about the AST and Rad.. You can keep them, but it's just safer to get aluminum and save yourself the headache. Oil coolers isn't a bad idea by any means... Just not quite that big a deal if you run a nearly stock car. :)

check out rotary extreme they have two sets that they sell. They are 25 row and i believe 35 row upgraded oil coolers. They are alot harder to make yourself because you make custom brackets and such. I would just buy theres or buy mine when I upgrade and sell mine. Just a thought but rotary extremes look very very good.

sparkey, could you keep me in mind for when you go to upgrade? i might be interested in buying them from ya at that point in time (assuming its the R1s)