rx7will

iTrader: (6)

Would a single upgraded oil cooler be enough for a fd used for track use. My fd is a base model and i rather run just one big oil cooler than two. This way i can use the passenger side space in the bumper to draw air into my intake. I have not looked too closely into it but it should be possible. Has anyone priced out an upgraded single oil cooler with all the hoses, fittings and thermostat? I think the rotary extreme single oil cooler kit is around $900. I'm in nor cal so the tracks i will be going to are Buttonwill, streets of willow, mazda speedway and maybe sears point and thunderhill. Or will the stock single oil cooler be enough?

pugg57

the rotary extreme 34 row single is $950, the 25 row single is $850...

take the rest of this for what its worth since i don't race... i'm just regurgitating what i've seen before...

1. the stock single is not sufficient for racing (barely sufficient for spirited road driving)
2. unless you have a HUGE opening on your bumper the 25 row is just as good as the 34 since a good portion of the 34 row will be blocked by the bumper skin
3. the "best" (again, i don't race) version from my personal point of view as a Mechanical Engineer is a nice set of daullies (appropirately sized for what you have room to make use of) and a small duct in the radiator opening to pull air back to the filter (much like the IC duct)

rynberg

In my experience, and the experience of other track guys I've talked with, a single upgraded cooler will not be adequate for tracking the car in hot weather -- 90F+. A single upgraded cooler should be perfectly adequate for track days in cooler weather, provided you aren't running 400 rwhp.

If you plan on avoiding the hotter track days, I would just go with Chuck's single 25-row kit. The stock bumper opening is not big enough to take advantage of the 34-row cooler. It's easy enough to upgrade later to the dual kit if you need to. Otherwise, I would definitely spring for a dual cooler setup.

I went from a single stock cooler to Chuck's dual 25-row kit. I doubt that the second cooler added much time to the install, and the additional hosing is not anymore in the way than for a single cooler.

rebuild FD

I noticed mahjik is running a Mocal, which he said was $300 (less fittings?)

anyone have experience with that one?

http://www.nopistons.com/forums/inde...howtopic=24936

rebuild FD

Setrabs are also relatively inexpensive http://www.bakerprecision.com/setrab.htm

Trevor

So we should all run 6.5" x 2.5" coolers that match the stock opening huh? That's what it sounds like you guys are saying...that there's no advantage whatsoever to installing anything that's bigger than the opening?

Hmmmm...let me spell it out. Regardless of the size of the opening a larger cooler will cool better when the ambient air around it gets swapped out at a decent rate...even when its not seeing direct airflow over the entire face of the core. Take a 25 row and a 34 row and put them in a box with a decent (but small) amount of flow thru the box. The 34 row system temp will be lower. You have more fluid in the system, the fluid spends more time in contact with the cooler, there is more surface area to dissipate heat, and more mass in the cooler to act as a sink during temperature spikes. The sections of the cooler that actually recieve direct airflow will draw additional heat away from the parts that don't. Its nothing too far fetched.

I have dual 34 row coolers. To be specific they hang down low enough to use both the stock oil cooler openings and the openings in my R1 lip. You can tell by the arrangement of the bug accumulation over the miles. There are two seperate ovals of bug guts on each cooler. Proof that they work well? It was 108F today when I was out testing...my oil temps were 159F stable while cruising at 80-84 mph. At the same time my NPG-R coolant was running 214-217F. Not bashing but I seriously doubt you'll see comparable temps in the same conditions with dual 25 rows.

And just to let you know...they're not overkill for the heat I deal with this time of year. I've seen 194F oil temps in stop and go on many occasions during the last couple weeks.

I did run a single 34 row cooler for awhile when I had to replace one of my coolers after one of the R1 lip nutplates chaffed it. A single 34 row is not optimal for 103+F ambient daily driving. 200-220F oil temps were the norm during the heat of the day around town. More like 190's on the highway. On the track I'm sure temps would be alot higher.

And another thing...this time a big negative. 34 rows hang LOW. The lower mounting hardware is just a hair below the R1 lip. My car is stock height and I have to be constantly on guard for any kind of steep grades where I may "check" the coolers. I've switched to internal wrenching (button head) hardware to get just a hair more clearance. The hardware gave me just enough to get in & out of my driveway without scraping. I know I could NEVER lower my car with these things installed.

I'm not saying everyone needs a pair of 34 rows though...so don't take it that way. Unless you live in Satan's armpit, road course the car in insane temps, and/or attempt to keep oil temps manageable while pushing 250-260F coolant temps on the track with Evans you should be more than A-OK with dual 25 rows...and you won't have to worry about every little bump in the road destroying your coolers .

rynberg

Considering I'm running dual 25-rows, I don't think that's what I'm saying. However, even Chuck who builds and sells the kit says you'll need an aftermarket bumper with larger openings to take full advantage of the 34-row. Considering how much larger even the 25-row coolers are than the openings, I would tend to believe him.

I'm sure the 34-row cools SLIGHTLY better than the 25-row coolers with the stock bumper, but to me, a 34-row is not worth the additional expense, weight at the front of the car, or risk of damage, over the 25-row.

Speaking from personal experience, the dual 25-rows are good for TRACKING the car in up to 100F heat, perhaps hotter if you can keep water temps in check (I couldn't). I can't imagine needing more than the dual 25-rows for street driving, but then I'm not driving around in 110F+ temps with the A/C on either. In fact, the oil temps are too cold in "winter". Next "winter", I'm putting the passenger-side oil cooler inlet cover back in for street driving.

Just my personal experience....

rx7will

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for all the great info. I might just keep the stock drivers side oil cooler and make one for the passenger side. Or I might leave it stock for not and drive half of each session. The track days are more for fun than anything else.

rx7will

iTrader: (6)

Anyone have experience with the mocal dual 19 row oil cooler kit($800) or the rotorsportracing Fluidyne 20-row($950) Is the rotary extreme 25 row kit worth the extra money (1200) I went to button willow about three weeks ago and it was about 100 degrees. According to my greddy temp gauge at about 100F the stock cooling system is at its limits, i have a base model with single oil cooler. Every time i get on boost in fifth gear the temps would rise. I need to upgrade my cooling system and i'm not sure which kit to get.

Jay7 Nyc

iTrader: (3)

I have the Mocal Dual mocal oil cooler kit for sale with all fittings and carbon fiber ducts and its brand new never used or installed.. Ebay sale fell threw so its back up for sale..
After reading my thread PMME with an offer if interested. Here is the link to my thread..
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=448304&page=1

rynberg

Judging by the temps achieved by other track guys, I would say that the ducted 19-row setup is probably about as effective as the unducted 25-row setup. However, I do NOT like how CWC designed the t-stat fittings (rigid connection to engine block!), nor do I like having the oil cooler fittings on the bottom. For these and other reasons, I went with Rotary Extreme's kit instead of the CWC.

I have not seen exactly how the dual kits based on the Fluidyne coolers are designed, so I can't comment on those.

potatochobit

iTrader: (1)

its price vs pefromance is what they are saying.

getting an AM front bumper has shown to help reduce temperatures alot. im sure part of that is larger oil cooler openings.

rx7will

iTrader: (6)

Okay guys i bought the dual oil cooler from link below
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...hmentid=128364
Do you think its worth it to add in a thermostat inbetween the stock cooler and the aftermarket one. So i will be running two thermostats in series. Or should i just leave it alone.

BobfisH

dont run two t-stats in series, or else the second will never open!

240sxer

how would 1 stock and 1 upgraded oil cooler run?

GUITARJUNKIE28

i used a couple b&m supercoolers.
i haven't done any datalogging yet since the car still isn't finished, but the intire thing witht he thermostat was ~500ish, iirc.

GUITARJUNKIE28

btw, coolers are only hard mounted at the top with aluminum brackets. that way they'll flex and bend backwards instead of snapping the fittings and blowing my oil all over the road if i ever hit anything.

but if i ever hit anything that hard, the bumper would be toast and a couple bent brackets would be the least of my worries.

4CN Air

iTrader: (7)

where can the t-stat be bought?

GUITARJUNKIE28

i got mine at the local performance shop, but summit, jegs, jcw....etc

rx7will

iTrader: (6)

I already bought the kit on the forum, but i guess i can always upgrade the drivers side one later on.