specRX7_22

Which cooling setup is better and more effective?

The early setup with the smaller radiator and the oil cooler underneath, OR the later setup with the larger radiator and the oil cooler sorta under the oil filter??

any advantages or disadvantages of either?


ALSO.... is an aftermarket aluminum radiator better than a stock one in GOOD condition? If so, what are some known brands that you guys trust or use?

Barwick

a lot of cooling for a rotary is done by the oil (or so I heard the Mazda Engineers said)

If that's true, I'm gonna go ahead and say definitely the big oil cooler.

Btw race car drivers prefer the big oil cooler setup as well.

Redwood

UNDOUBTEDLY the first (oil cooler under radiator).

Oil cooling is huge on rotaries. Make sure the radiator is in good working order and getting plenty of air and you'll be fine for everything except for some damn hard racing (even then, probably be fine).

The later setup with the oil cooler under the oil cooler was a questionable move by Mazda (can anyone justify this for me? always kinda wondered). Even better though is to use the larger radiator and retrofit a 2nd gen oil cooler.

I'd recommend temp gauges too, just to reinforce the efforts.

Good luck.

SPiN Racing

Oil Cooler under Rad.
The "Gurus" I know.. as well as ALL the racers I know.. the FIRST thing they do to a mazda they MAY Autocross or even drive hard.. is JUNK the Oil filter Oil cooler.
The Front Mount oil cooler is great.

TrentO

Large oil cooler underneath the short rad. I run a 3-core short rad and the large oil cooler underneath. The car only got warm once when I put some expanded metal mesh in front of the rad to keep debris out.
With the addition of a chin spoiler to force extra air through the setup is bulletproof. (As long as you stay on track an out of the weeds)

-Trent

CrispyRX7

iTrader: (139)

I heard from one of Downings mechanics that oil cooling in a rotary accounts for about 40% of your total heat load. Use the bigger oil cooler - better cooling and larger oil inventory.
On my FD larger more efficient oil coolers dropped both oil temperatures **AND** water temps considerabl
my2cents
Crispy

chairchild

hmmm......

I've got a 12a (with oil-filter mounted oil cooler) would it be ok to plumb in an aftermarket oil cooler and keep the standard cooler plumbed in? If not, which holes do I have to plug to stop water from pouring out onto the floor?

cpa7man

iTrader: (2)

It seems most or all of the spec7 cars have the oil filter mount cooler. I was thinking this was a requirement in spec7????

I agree with the above viewpoints, also the large stock radiator does a great job.

What oil and water temps are you seeing on the track specrx722??

specRX7_22

No its not a requirement, I think it's just that alot of people have later cars.

Oil temps - don't remember off hand.
Water temps >> 190-210 (depending on many things.)

I know for a fact that oil helps cooling ALOT because at the last race when my dad had a little 'incident' at the left front corner which caused everything to shift to the right, the oil line got a little bit kinked (only to decrease flow alittle bit, and he saw temps 220-225.

(that little incident also totaled the car... frame and frame tips have been bent 10 too many times lol.)