My oil temps are running a bit higher than I like (230). Will the baffle help reduce the heat? The water temps are great (200). I have ordered a baffle will install it before I run again, but just thought I should ask. Any, and all help/info, will be greatly appreciated.

 

No, the purpose of a baffle is to keep the oil from sloshing away from the sump pickup during cornering. It has nothing to do with the oil cooling.

What sort of car do you have and where are you measuring oil temps? Are you seeing these temps on the track or on the road?

-b

 

It's also supposed to help de-airate the oil.

 

The oil temp probe is on the "engine out" at the oil filter. I'm embarrassed to tell you, but I will. The car is a tube frame, coil over '63 MG Midget. I took 5 years to build this thing and am just now working out the bugs. We have a "Country Club" type track located in Cresson, TX called Motor Sport Ranch, this is where I play. Now back to the issue, Racing Beat says in the add for this baffle that it will reduce oil temp, are you not finding this to be true? I didn't install one at first, because I didn't see the advantage. I did order one, so I will install it now, just because. I built the pan and have sufficient traps and baffles. There is no way it can starve for oil. Thanks for getting back on this.

 

It could help by keeping the oil away from the bottom side of the engine(combustion section) once it falls through the plate.

I don't think it would matter a huge amount but every little bit helps.

Also, a Midget with a rotary sounds like a blast. I've experienced a ported 12A in an MGB, so I bet even smaller would be that much better.

 

Did you use a Mazda oil cooler in the swap? They are quite hard to beat with aftermarket coolers.

-billy

 

Yes, I used the stock RX7 cooler, and a HUGE Griffin aluminum radiator. I fabricated an aluminum shroud from the nose opening to the radiator, so I know it's getting a bunch of air. I plan to run again this month, and it's going to be HOT. That's why i'm trying to get the temps down as much as possible. If it doesn't get any better I plan to build a little bit bigger pan that can hold a bit more oil. I have been racing or working on race cars for over 40 years and understand they are just a simple work generator. The more you do, the more you have to do!

 

We just run 2 stock oil coolers in parallel and a big stock car radiator and have no problems on the track even in the Florida summers.

 

Hey, that might work, I have a spare cooler. Thanks for that info.

 

I'm going to say there is not enough air flow getting to the oil cooler. I have a NA 13b that I push to almost 9k RPM, it runs in the TX summer heat and oil temps have never been an issue. I've got one stock oil cooler and a Ron Davis radiator. Ducting is fairly good with the oil cooler getting a VIP spot when it comes to air flow. I have NEVER seen my oil temps get over 200, usually they hang around 180. Water temps on the other hand took some time to get right, now I can see 220 on a very hot day but usually stay around 200. As far as a baffle plate, I have an ISC modified stock pan... I don't think the baffle does much for temps - it's all about air flow to the cooler.

 

Definitely add the second cooler (you are currently running a cooler from a 2nd gen rx7, right?)

And I'd like to add that a tube-frame rotary Midget is definitely a cool car, and certainly nothing to be embarrassed about. Got any pics available? I'm sure folks here would love to see it.

Good luck,

-b

 

might want to put a baffle/flange (whatever?) around the oil cooler, have it stick forward 1" so all the air goes thru the cooler not spill around it..did you cut a few vents below the mouth to get extra air into the rad area? 230 is not too high if thats max, especially if you are using synthetic(which you should). i thought the crank scraper (baffle) on an A series was to keep the crank from whoopping the oil all over hell, ie:reducing friction etc. and getting the oil to fall /stay down in the pan.....you should have an accusump too for your lil' 3 main.....
also, oil cooler in front of radiator? best to have the cooler really close to radiator for straight air flowthru....

 

After reading your post, it looks like you're describing a BMC "A" series engine. I gave up on those a long time ago. This car has a 13B Rotary with a 48mm side draft. I did this for the reliability factor, you know change the oil and go play again. Can't do that with a full blown 1275cc. Thanks though.

 

parallel or series? I'm just trying to think of a parallel fitment.

 

Parallel, when you run them in series you lose the high temperature differential between the air and the oil after it goes through one cooler. That means the second cooler isn't doing nearly as much for you.

I come out of the engine and go into a remote filter mount that has hook ups for 2 in and 2 out. I use one of the "in's" and two outs and split the oil there. It goes through the coolers and comes back to the engine to the front and rear plates. This cuts out a bunch of turns for the oil inside the engine and sends it right to the mains. The other way is to get a filter cover/re-locator that has two oil line inputs and bring the oil back to the engine at the top where the stock filter is. This cuts out a few turns and makes the vertical galley under the filter in the engine just for the pressure regulation. You could also bring one cooler back into the stock return and the other back into the filter area on top.

 

Is this really true? I did some back of the envelope calculations one time and IIRC everything pretty much ended up a wash (assuming that both coolers get the same airflow).

My experience with the coolers on my car (which are plumbed in series - that's the way the previous owner did it) is that I actually have problems getting the oil hot enough. The thermostats have been removed and I'm seeing about 160-170 at the pedestal on a hot day at VIR (H2O temps 200-210).

I always assumed that the bigger issue was that series coolers will drop your oil pressure more than parallel ones - essentially you have a larger flow restriction and thus get a larger pressure drop across them. I'm only seeing 40-50+ psi (again, with a pedestal sender), which is why I'm going to replumb it to a parallel system Real Soon Now (it's somewhere down there on the ToDo list ).

I know we've beaten this to death over the years, but is there any new data available from anyone?

Thanks,

-b

 

I'm running a stock 13b FC. If I'm routing 2 factory coolers parallel, does that mean that the fead line runs into the first cooler and then out and into the second cooler then the return line back to the engine? I understand wiring in series or parallel but can't picture any other way to connect the oil coolers then the way I explained. I'm running about 220 water and 220 oil temp with single oil cooler and aftermarket radiator with 2 electric fans.

I race circle track at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wa. Any input is very helpful. Thanks!

 

That would be series plumbing, just like wiring.

 

To run parallel coolers you would run the single line from the block to a splitter (a T or a Y) and then each line goes to a cooler. The return lines from the coolers are plumbed into a T fitting and then you have a single line out back to the block.

Do a search back some old posts in this forum. If you are going to remove the thermostats in the coolers, then make sure you use a bolt to close up the bypass.