Question about aftermarket oil coolers
03-12-06, 09:15 PM
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Question about aftermarket oil coolers
After doing a lot of searching, I decided it was best to find an R1 setup or RX7stores oil cooler setup for my car. After doing some thinking today i realized most people wont add any oil cooler cause there are so many extras to factor in like lines that fit to the stock lines, thermostat, mounting harware, etc.
My question is why couldnt a guy cut the return line coming out of the stock oil cooler (since the stock setup already has the t-stat in it) and basically run an aftermarket cooler inline with the return line adapted with some fittings and some high pressure hydraulic hose or something, double clamped, which should hold all the oil pressure the car will produce?? Just a thought for those of us on a budget who cannot spend $850+ on a dual oil cooler setup. Thoughts anyone???
My question is why couldnt a guy cut the return line coming out of the stock oil cooler (since the stock setup already has the t-stat in it) and basically run an aftermarket cooler inline with the return line adapted with some fittings and some high pressure hydraulic hose or something, double clamped, which should hold all the oil pressure the car will produce?? Just a thought for those of us on a budget who cannot spend $850+ on a dual oil cooler setup. Thoughts anyone???
Last edited by vtecgsr95; 03-12-06 at 09:19 PM.
03-13-06, 07:14 AM
#2
Racing Rotary Since 1983
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absolutely.
a second oil cooler is a valuable mod and does present itself w real options to save alot of money.
i am just finishing a second oil cooler install. here's how i did it.
find a non r1 fd oil cooler. an easy task and probably around 30-50$. best place to look is our 3rd gen classifieds. get the duct and the rear hanger and the rubber biscuits w the cooler.
remove the nose, the undertray, the fiberglass bumper. take 3 measurements as to the position of the driver's side oil cooler. i, then, cut 3 pieces of welding rod using the measurements to use as a quick reference.
cut the rear hanger bracket horizontally and move the bottom section over .9 of an inch toward the center of the car. this will position the oil cooler laterally. you will not that there is an r1 stud on your non r1 chassis. thanks mazda
the bracket is steel and i welded it. if you don't weld you could just use some steel and a couple of bolts.
now you need to set the angle of the cooler... use your reference welding rod.
at this time you need to hacksaw off the vertical mounting bracket that is positioned on the right side top of the oil cooler. leave an inch of vertical stub. drill a couple of holes and use 3/4 inch by 1/8 mild steel to fashion a bracket that points forward and mounts to the frame. put some rubber somewhere on each of the 3 brackets for vibration.
the left side of the cooler has a flat strap pointing forward. cut it of after drilling a 1/4 inch bolthole. make an "S" shaped bracket that sweeps up to the rear and ties into the r1 mounting stud.
as to fittings you have options.
first no matter what you do, short of welding on the alu cooler, you need 4 adapters. metric 21mm X 1.5 ( i think) at the coolers to AN-8. you need 10 feet of dash 8 hose and a 18mm X 1.5 adapter at the block ( i think) to a 180 degree AN -8 fitting. according to my measurements the engine to the outside port on the pass side oil cooler hose is 4 ft and the hose connecting to the 2 coolers is 6 ft.
total cost of the fittings and hose new from Pegasus is under $150.
fabbing the airduct, i haven't done it yet, should envolve cutting the stock duct in half and pop riveting alu sheet to get the correct angle.
stock fd oil coolers have thermostats.... you will just have 2. no biggie.
dont forget to straighten the fins, you will be amazed at how malleable they are. an easy job while you are watching the speed channel. i found the perfect tool amongst my picks set.
once you have straightened the fins on both your coolers you will no doubt put a stainless steel screen in front of them....
you could do it all for less. there is nothing wrong w using barbs and non SS line.
so even if you go w the fancy stuff you have a really nice setup for u $200.
sounds good to me.
howard coleman
a second oil cooler is a valuable mod and does present itself w real options to save alot of money.
i am just finishing a second oil cooler install. here's how i did it.
find a non r1 fd oil cooler. an easy task and probably around 30-50$. best place to look is our 3rd gen classifieds. get the duct and the rear hanger and the rubber biscuits w the cooler.
remove the nose, the undertray, the fiberglass bumper. take 3 measurements as to the position of the driver's side oil cooler. i, then, cut 3 pieces of welding rod using the measurements to use as a quick reference.
cut the rear hanger bracket horizontally and move the bottom section over .9 of an inch toward the center of the car. this will position the oil cooler laterally. you will not that there is an r1 stud on your non r1 chassis. thanks mazda
the bracket is steel and i welded it. if you don't weld you could just use some steel and a couple of bolts.now you need to set the angle of the cooler... use your reference welding rod.
at this time you need to hacksaw off the vertical mounting bracket that is positioned on the right side top of the oil cooler. leave an inch of vertical stub. drill a couple of holes and use 3/4 inch by 1/8 mild steel to fashion a bracket that points forward and mounts to the frame. put some rubber somewhere on each of the 3 brackets for vibration.
the left side of the cooler has a flat strap pointing forward. cut it of after drilling a 1/4 inch bolthole. make an "S" shaped bracket that sweeps up to the rear and ties into the r1 mounting stud.
as to fittings you have options.
first no matter what you do, short of welding on the alu cooler, you need 4 adapters. metric 21mm X 1.5 ( i think) at the coolers to AN-8. you need 10 feet of dash 8 hose and a 18mm X 1.5 adapter at the block ( i think) to a 180 degree AN -8 fitting. according to my measurements the engine to the outside port on the pass side oil cooler hose is 4 ft and the hose connecting to the 2 coolers is 6 ft.
total cost of the fittings and hose new from Pegasus is under $150.
fabbing the airduct, i haven't done it yet, should envolve cutting the stock duct in half and pop riveting alu sheet to get the correct angle.
stock fd oil coolers have thermostats.... you will just have 2. no biggie.
dont forget to straighten the fins, you will be amazed at how malleable they are. an easy job while you are watching the speed channel. i found the perfect tool amongst my picks set.
once you have straightened the fins on both your coolers you will no doubt put a stainless steel screen in front of them....
you could do it all for less. there is nothing wrong w using barbs and non SS line.
so even if you go w the fancy stuff you have a really nice setup for u $200.
sounds good to me.
howard coleman
03-13-06, 12:02 PM
#3
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Howard, I thought about that, but I was also considering like a fluidyne oil cooler. I would obviously have to fab up brackets and a duct, but if I installed it on the pass. side, and made some ducting.....and routed it inline with the return line......it would already have a t-stat, and basically I would just need the required hose and barbed fittings to splice into the OE cooler return line! Shouldnt that work properly?? They have large 25 row coolers for around 100 bucks! I figure even if my OE cooler fins are bent, the extra cooler would handle the extra work! lemme know what ya think.
frank
frank
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