I eliminated the factory oil cooler when I replaced the original 305 with a 383. I figure I saved about 10-15lbs (including coolant), eliminated two possible sources for leaks, and although I'm not a thermal engineer, the unit didn't appear as if it really could do all that much as far as cooling the oil anyways. There's got to be a gazillion small blocks running daily out there without oil coolers and I don't use the car for heavy hauling or endurance racing. Do you guys think I made a bad decision?

 

You'll be fine.

My harmonic balancer came apart a couple years ago, the outer ring slid backwards & slowly ate through the factory cooler tube until it leaked.

I pulled the hard lines out, plugged it all up. Now no more coolant runs back there to cool things off & all it still good.