Morit

Anybody tried something like this? i know that factory cooler is not particulary that good, but Id like to keep it WHILE removing the old conections to coolant hoses..
What I was thinking is conecting oil cooler directly to the seperate small radiator with some electric water pump taken from a junk or something making the coolant move..
Any ideas?

gregsz-28

iTrader: (1)

there already is a pump making the oil move... the oil pump. Do you mean you want to run two oil coolers? you can just plumb the two together, or just buy one good one.

Morit

I was talking about the factory one, which uses the coolant and the oil just goes through..

gregsz-28

iTrader: (1)

and you want to use a water pump to move the oil?

Morit

No.. Search how does the factor oil cooler work...

squirted1

iTrader: (2)

IIRC the oil cooler system runs coolant through the oil filter adapter. Your idea may work but, can't say I have tried. I believe that late 90's early 00"s Dodge Durangos used a small electric pump for the rear heater option that may work for you.

Darkshot

iTrader: (4)

He wants to re-route the coolant lines to the oil cooler, so instead of taking coolant from the radiator you have a separate contained antifreeze system that cycles water from the oil cooler to a small separate radiator with an electric water pump.

I suppose the answer to the question "is this worthwhile?" depends on the ability of the factory oil cooler to transfer heat. Is the factory setup such that an increased temperature gradient (essentially all that you'll be really gaining from this) will more effectively cool the oil.....? Common sense would say yes. I guess you'd have to have a vented reservoir just like regular radiators do as part of the system to accommodate for expansion as it warms up.

Is this just a street car? Sounds like a bit more trouble than it would be worth. Why are you wanting to eliminate the lines from the radiator?

gregsz-28

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Darkshot, I just wasn't really understanding what he wants to accomplish.
The point of the factory oil cooler is to more precisely control the oil temp., the oil stays about the same temp as the coolant.
When you run a separate system for the oil, there is no system to control the temp. of the coolant, so the oil being returned to the engine will be in relation to the outside air temp, it isn't as precisely controlled.

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

It is possible to pull too much heat out of the oil. Back in the 80's I built a custom van out of a new Chevy G30 Beauville window van. It had the factory rear air unit mounted in the rear ceiling. It had a factory engine oil cooler. I rerouted the lines to the rear of the van, insulated them, placed an oil cooler in front of the rear evaporator to function as a rear heating unit. The cooler mounted in the A/C unit was first in a series connection, that routed the oil through first through the heating unit, then through the factory oil cooler in front of the radiator, then back to the engine at the oil filter. The piping was made from 3/8 copper water pipe soldered, and insulated with foam pipe insulation. We mounted a two way valve designed for a diesel truck fuel system to bypass the rear heat unit for summertime. The rear unit put out loads of heat. It worked so well that it overcooled the engine, and the engine was unable to maintain proper operating tempature. We were running a 195 degree thermostate. The dealer told me that with the oil returning to the engine over cooled, it could cause sludge problems, and a possible engine failure. The experience taught me to be careful about too much cooling of the engine oil. Just a thought.

Morit

This will be more of a street/strip car, I got a daily driver car too, but still want to have some fun in Firebird.
A vented reservoir is a good idea, I would have forgot about it..
And actually it is not that much of a trouble. Some used electric water pump would be cheap I will have less coolant lines so it all would look nicer, and a radiator in my bumper would have that sort of intercooler look I am using 82-83 bumper so there are some nice places to put the radiator..
According to 86WS6 the factory cooler can cool a lot if made well.
Since this would be an electric water pump I could manualy switch it on.. Or maybe connect it to the first/second fan wires and program my chip to when I want it to work, so the control could be even better..