I'm doing an a/c rebuild on my GTA and I figured while the radiator is out I might as well replace it with a new one. Decided to also replace my coolant hoses, and noticed that my metal oil cooler lines are pretty badly rusted on the inside. I just hate the thought of that rust making its way into my new radiator, so I'm considering just removing the oil cooler all together. I'd like to keep my car stock, but that thing just seems like more trouble than it's worth, and I use synthetic oil anyways.

How difficult is it to remove? I'm assuming it's just a couple of bolts? I looked on YouTube and didn't really find any videos.

I suppose another option might be to just cut out the metal lines and replace with rubber heater hose, but I'm not sure how well that would work. Seems like they'd just be flopping around under there without any way to secure them.

 

You'll need a new oil filter adapter, that's it. Not very difficult. Definitely do not do the heater hose thing.

 

Is this it?

https://www.autozone.com/filters-and...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Yep, you will also need to buy two 5/16"-18 x 1 1/4" bolts to install it. Blue loctite recommended on those. The gasket is controversial.

 

thanks. I ordered one from Amazon so it should be here tomorrow. $10 cheaper than the parts stores.

Im a bit confused on the filter. Will the normal size filter for a 350 work? I see some reviews saying to buy the filter for a 454, but then some of those are for 4wd and talk about not clearing the front drive shaft.

 

Whatever size WIX #51060 is fits in a third gen. Unless you've got a front driveshaft.

 

You don't need a different oil filter adapter, just swap out the 2 bolts that locate cooler.

 

Hawks sells reproduction oil cooler hard lines made of aluminum if you are interested in keeping the oil cooler. Otherwise, you can certainly eliminate it and remove the lines and heat exchanger. As was already stated, the oil filter adapter is the same, just uses different bolts. Same oil filter with or without the cooler.

 

I did see those and I may consider them down the road. I'm going to clean the cooler and save it just in case.

Those new lines look like they would be tough to install though, without raising the engine.

 

Your post confused me until I removed the cooler and discovered the adapter is already in there. Not sure why my car already had one when others say they needed one?

Anyways, the GM one looked way better built then the pot metal Melling one, so I reused it.

 

The same adapter is used for either the oil cooler or no oil cooler and just the oil filter. The only difference is the bolts. No oil cooler uses standard hex hex head bolts and with the oil cooler uses hex bolts with extension pins to keep the oil cooler from rotating.

Yes, the GM adapter is better made.

 

why do some posters here say they needed to buy the adapter? Just curious.

 

Needed it to convert the L31 I had with the cooler, I guess it depends on what motor you're using.

 

Depends on type of cooler used.

 

Not sure. There are other types of oil coolers that use a different adapter, but they didn’t come on thirdgens.

 

In one of them the oil leaves the engine, flows through the oil lines into the oil cooler inside the radiator endcap and back into the engine.

In the other one coolant leaves the cooling system, flows through the coolant lines into the engine oil warmer on the engine then back into the cooling system.

Two different styles of oil cooler/warmer depending on how you want to look at it. I prefer the one that doesn't dump all your oil out if it fails. Or better yet neither of them and run a high quality synthetic oil. I prefer the oil stays in the oil system and the coolant stays in the cooling system.