LS3 oil cooler yes/no?
Discussion
Mark, if 65deg is accurate, your oil temp is far too cold. I have been advised by several engine builders that even with modern fully syn oils, they are designed to give max protection at around 90 deg.
Having said that, my car has a LS7 and even with the oil cooler blanked off she still only gets to around 85 deg on normal roads (and takes quite a while to get to that temp).
Martin.
Having said that, my car has a LS7 and even with the oil cooler blanked off she still only gets to around 85 deg on normal roads (and takes quite a while to get to that temp).
Martin.
In my setup I have a very funny situation. My oil temp sensor is mounted with the pressures sensor in the deck of the V8 and when the engine is running is typically shows 25-30 degress less than actual. If I measure the oil temp with my infrared temp probe it is 85-95 under normal conditions. When I let the car sit a while my oil and water temp probe are reading the same temps, so the oil probe is ok. It has to do with the place I put it and I still have no idea where the cooling is coming from ? I will move the temp probe since I want to read it the correct values where no math is required.
I just wanted to bring this thread back as I find myself asking the same question. I am fitting an LS3 developing less than 500hp and will use the car for road use only (no track) What is the present thinking on the need for a separate oil cooler when using my planned set up? It would be a pain to fit later, but if I wont really benefit from fitting one then I guess it's a possible saving?
Hi Barrie,
I have had this exact conversation (once again) with a couple of other owners this week, and our unanimous decision is that for a 430-550bhp LS3 Ultima an oil cooler is not needed, and especially if you are not planning to do any track days. Also the factory confirmed that it wasn't worth fitting one for that type of power.
If that doesn't help...I was the one that started this thread and asked the question 4 years ago, the car is being IVA'd in 2 weeks and there's no oil cooler fitted. Not only that, my plan is to fit a cam over the next winter to give me around 550bhp and i'm still not planning to fit a cooler.
I hope that helps
Pete
I have had this exact conversation (once again) with a couple of other owners this week, and our unanimous decision is that for a 430-550bhp LS3 Ultima an oil cooler is not needed, and especially if you are not planning to do any track days. Also the factory confirmed that it wasn't worth fitting one for that type of power.
If that doesn't help...I was the one that started this thread and asked the question 4 years ago, the car is being IVA'd in 2 weeks and there's no oil cooler fitted. Not only that, my plan is to fit a cam over the next winter to give me around 550bhp and i'm still not planning to fit a cooler.
I hope that helps
Pete
But of course the LS3 doesn't have a dry sump as standard, that's the LS7.
There is a guy on here who races off road vehicles (and is also building a GTR) and he uses LS3's in his off roaders. He says that those engines really get put through their paces in more ways than our cars will, but he's still never felt the need to fit an oil cooler to any of them.
There is a guy on here who races off road vehicles (and is also building a GTR) and he uses LS3's in his off roaders. He says that those engines really get put through their paces in more ways than our cars will, but he's still never felt the need to fit an oil cooler to any of them.
I can attest that LS3s run cool, even in my Can Am, which has less free air-space under the clam. 99% of the time, I'd agree that if you're under 550bhp and not beating the car on track, the oil cooler isn't strictly necessary. However, I chose to add one during my build, but did so with a thermostat. This way, when it's not needed, the cooler isn't in use, but when things heat up, the stat opens and the oil circulates. Best of both worlds and it's there when needed, without me having to think / worry about it.
Excellent thanks for the reply. I am going to leave the oil cooler as it wont see any real hard driving whilst in my ownership
chucknorris said:
Hi Barrie,
I have had this exact conversation (once again) with a couple of other owners this week, and our unanimous decision is that for a 430-550bhp LS3 Ultima an oil cooler is not needed, and especially if you are not planning to do any track days. Also the factory confirmed that it wasn't worth fitting one for that type of power.
If that doesn't help...I was the one that started this thread and asked the question 4 years ago, the car is being IVA'd in 2 weeks and there's no oil cooler fitted. Not only that, my plan is to fit a cam over the next winter to give me around 550bhp and i'm still not planning to fit a cooler.
I hope that helps
Pete
I have had this exact conversation (once again) with a couple of other owners this week, and our unanimous decision is that for a 430-550bhp LS3 Ultima an oil cooler is not needed, and especially if you are not planning to do any track days. Also the factory confirmed that it wasn't worth fitting one for that type of power.
If that doesn't help...I was the one that started this thread and asked the question 4 years ago, the car is being IVA'd in 2 weeks and there's no oil cooler fitted. Not only that, my plan is to fit a cam over the next winter to give me around 550bhp and i'm still not planning to fit a cooler.
I hope that helps
Pete
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