RE's oil coolers (35 row vs 25 row)
 

Yes, it is time to reduce heat without extensive oil mods that so many focus on with an expensive rebuild. So instead of spending 5 thousand dollars on a ported monster with oil mods I am keeping with old-fashioned knowledge and upgrading the puny oil cooler on my touring. Thanks to Malloy's competitive pricing I have the money to buy an engine and a bling-bling set of oil coolers.

Does anyone know if the 35 row dual oil coolers are too big? There is more metal to heat up when the oil sits there when the car is off plus I'm not upgrading my front end quite yet and feel that maybe the 35 row is just too big and opting for the 25 row dual oil coolers would be a better decision.

Has anyone bought either of these and what do you think?

Garrett

Dual coolers that are new already represent over a 100% cooling capacity vs one stock cooler. Plus you will be adding another ~1qt of oil.

do you mean RE Amemiya or Rotary Extreme?

Rotary Extreme. It's actually a 34 row oil cooler kit and not 35. :)

I think you need a Mazdaspeed or Wisesports nose to take full advantage of Chuck's monster oil coolers?

Thanks for the correction, 34 rows. Yes, I am talking about Rotary Extreme. If RE Amemiya makes a kit, it would certainly be conveniently out of my price range.

I realize the cooling capacity will be over 100 percent but if you're gonna do it you might as well make it 230% (3.30 x stock). I pinned the same philosophy on my intercooler. Do it right and big the first time (front mount would have been better though).

So, anyone have one of these kits, a first hand account would be nice? I'm leaning toward 25 rows.

Garrett

I replied

to your post. (just finishing the sentence for ya)

stock is 10 or 11 row. Mocal is 19, Earl's is a range, 25 and 34 row most common. Dual 25 row is much better than dual 10 row.

If you know you're going to get a GTC or other front, eventually, you can change the 25 to a 34 row by just changing the coolers an brackets. Then sell the old 25s.

Are you very serious about track days? I mean serious enough to have already upgraded the brakes, run R-compound tires and have a roll bar? Assuming of course that you have already done all the "normal" mods listed in your sig.

You haven't even upgraded the shocks yet?

Why do you need MASSIVE oil coolers? The problem is you should size componets for what they will be used for. Putting a 3" exhaust on a Civic will actually cost some power. Putting two HUGE oil coolers on a obvisously street driven car will just be another mod for the sig line...

Not to hijack the thread...Turbojeff, what would be a good cooler size for a car that will be a daily driver, with occasional SCCA participation? Could i just convert it to the R1 duals and be pretty well off or would bigger coolers benefit me?

well, depends on the oil thermostat too... even the cooler is big, but if temperature can be maintained, then it will be fine.
but if you have no oil temp problem, its kinda pointless....

well. if you have a stock single, then i think the RE is the best way to go, but i havnt bought mine yet. its winter time, i dont thinnk your gona need this right now. save your money till about march then this would be a good investment.

Are T-stats that important in an oil cooler setup? If I remember correctly Jspecracer7's setup doesnt use one.

One single stock one in good condition. Straightening out the fins and making sure that it is ducted well would help.

Adding the R1 cooler would increase cooling capacity 100%. I think that upgrade would be a good idea if you found an R1 setup.

SCCA SOLO II events usually last less than 1 min so heat isn't usually a big problem.

To add to Jeff's point - don't even think of changing oil coolers without an oil temp gauge.

I don't use a t-stat in my oil cooler setup because Okinawa never sees temps lower than 70 fahrenheit. My car never has problems warming up.

With my stock dual oil cooler setup, I was seeing 100 to 110 C cruising. I have a RE Amemiya N1 bumper for reference. When I switched to a single setrab 25 row(with a fan on the back that turns on when the radiator fans turn on) I'm seeing oil temps from 85 to 95 C cruising. My dual oil coolers were properly ducted, as well as my setrab oil cooler.

I don't think that running dual oil coolers is detrimental to 13B-rew operating well. I only see it as being helping in the engine longevity(by providing cooler oil to the engine/turbo). Only bad effect I could see is a smaller wallet.

I'm not using the coolers to boost my sig. That is ridiculous. I only included my sig for information concerning my current mods. It is always helpful to include your modifications so that advice will be more relevant. I don't have my suspension upgraded. I plan on doing that after December. Only then will I track my car. Instead, I'm getting my engine ready, then my suspension and body. The only reason in debating RE's oil coolers is because of temperature. I'm concerned with temps to extend my engine's life, no other reason. If I could just slap a turbo on with no afterthought, that would be ideal, but not practical.

I personally know nothing of water temps being better maintained because of oil coolers. That is why I posted. So, if anyone cares to elaborate on personal or objective experience then please do so.

Garrett

You don't need dual 34 row oil cooler unless your car is strictly for race use or the enigne is making a lot of HP that it needs extra cooling.

Both the 25 row and 34 row oil cooler kit come with a 180F Mocal thermostat.

Chuck Huang

So Chuck, do you recomend the singe 34 or the dual 25 for daily driving at around 300rwhp?

Str8down, what did he just say?

300 rwhp is not a lot of HP, nor is a daily driver a race car.

But I see you're asking about a single cooler vs dual. Well surface area is what matters here, and dual coolers will have more surface area with the stock openings.

just go with the single upgrade from Chuck, 25 row should be enough for the touring. OR go with the R1 setup if you can find it cheap enough which is hard to do.

Tim

BTW, I am coming out with an add on kit so you don't have to replace the stock one. You can keep the stock driver side and add another 25 row or 34 row on the passenger side. The price will be cheaper than the dual one but more than the single replacement one due to extra fittings and stainless braided lines. Who will be interested?

Chuck Huang

I'd be interested, granted i dont find a steal on a R1 cooler :)