OIL cooler

[paul2000]

HI lads hope you can help me out here ,i am looking for an oil cooler for my griffith ,i have asked on the griffith forum but had no luck ,the type i want is a 19 row cooler with thermostat if any one can tell me where to get on plus price if pos ,that would be a great help many thanks paul

[bobfather]

These cars suffer from oil being too cold, you need a water cooled oil cooler so that it works as an oil heater as the car warms up. The only times oil temperature becomes an issue is when a turbo is fitted or perhaps trackday use. Have you got an oil temperature gauge? what temperatures are you seeing?

You should bear in mind that cold oil is bad for the engine, oil needs to be hot to operate at peak performance

[mk1fan]

Unless you're tracking the car - either trackdays or in competitions - then, as above, try fitting a heat enchange unit between the filter and the take off plate.

Not up on the Chimps or Griefs but my Wedge has a remote filter. The unit fits between the filter and the remote plate.

Something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252242575254?_trksid=p20...

You'll need to connect into the coolant circuit omewhere after the pump so there is flow through it as the engine runs.

This kit looks complete but for the thermostat;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401131536472?_trksid=p20...

[LongBaz]

Got an un used Mocal cooler if you are interesed.
PM me if interested

[Pupp]

Whilst I don't think normal usage of a relatively mild RV8 should produce huge oil temperatures, I'm not convinced they run over cool either. Bulk measured temperature (ie from the sump plug typically tapped for a sensor) will vary greatly from that in the gallery immediately above the pump... even with a turbo driven hard, I never exceeded 125 - 130C measured there but it was often 100+ for extended periods pre-turbo. Not a problem for decent oil in good condition but higher than I like all the same.

Nothing against modine or Laminova coolers that tap into the cooling system, but can say a decent sized air-facing core with a thermostat also does the trick with loads of headroom to spare (mine sees max 105ish charging hard - measured dynamically, and quickly drops to 75/80ish when off boost)

[phazed]

I agree with Gary above. Those were my findings as well.

A thermostatic sandwich plate and air cooled cooler brings your oil temperature up to speed quite quickly and then opens up to cool as required.

[ClassicChimaera]

I'm liking this thread.

I have an aversion to high revving because I'm worried about oil temp.

So a draft cooled oil cooler ( for want of a better term) does this sit forward of the rad.

Basically can this still cool the oil in hot weather in traffic jams stationary.

Will the fans do the same for the oil as it does the water temp.

Thanks

[bobfather]

phazed said:

I agree with Gary above. Those were my findings as well.

A thermostatic sandwich plate and air cooled cooler brings your oil temperature up to speed quite quickly and then opens up to cool as required.

What temperature does the thermostat open at? Synthetic oils are good up to 150°C and optimum in the 100 - 130°C range, if the stat opens at say 130°C it's likely that it'll never open. I'm still wondering what good an air cooled unit will do. I'm due delivery of an oil temperature gauge from Craigauge because I'm worried the oil isn't reaching optimum temperature quickly enough, I have no concerns about it overheating

[davetripletvr]

ClassicChimaera said:

I'm liking this thread.

I have an aversion to high revving because I'm worried about oil temp.

So a draft cooled oil cooler ( for want of a better term) does this sit forward of the rad.

Basically can this still cool the oil in hot weather in traffic jams stationary.

Will the fans do the same for the oil as it does the water temp.

Thanks

Mine is fitted where they fitted them on the Malaysian cars, there are vents already cut into the fibreglass waiting for it to be fitted. It lies down above the vents on the drivers side in the nose, this area is curved so the cooler is not sitting flat so also helps with airflow

[ClassicChimaera]

davetripletvr said:

Mine is fitted where they fitted them on the Malaysian cars, there are vents already cut into the fibreglass waiting for it to be fitted. It lies down above the vents on the drivers side in the nose, this area is curved so the cooler is not sitting flat so also helps with airflow

Thanks Dave, it's interesting what Bobs saying. I'll look forward to his own findings.
Luckily it's all been done before so people like me who are only now considering such failsafes are able to learn from real time experience.

I think I'd also then want an oil temp gauge to be able to monitor,, but then id like one of those anyway

[bobfather]

ClassicChimaera said:

I think I'd also then want an oil temp gauge to be able to monitor,, but then id like one of those anyway

£36 from Craigauge, true to original manufacture with correct text, face colour & bezel anodising, absolute bargain. You could easily pay more for a mismatched ebay gauge. The big issues are cutting a neat hole in the dash and finding a location for the sender

[TailEndCharlie]

Does "craigauge" have a web site or contact details.?
I had a brief look on google but it didnt bring up anything...

[bobfather]

TailEndCharlie said:

Does "craigauge" have a web site or contact details.?
I had a brief look on google but it didnt bring up anything...

This is it...

Craigauge TVR

They appear to have multiple names but I believe the owning business is Caerbont Automotive Instruments Ltd

Edited by bobfather on Friday 21st April 12:47

[spitfire4v8]

This was my take on this subject, water/oil heat exchanger (the very shiny silver box thing at the front) mounted at the very front of the engine bay with bypass thermostat heating the oil up during engine warmup time and then running at coolant thermostat temperature. Seems to be how most prefer to do things these days.

• mounted at the front because clivef's exhaust takes up al the other available space haha!

[ClassicChimaera]

Cheers Bobfather. Bookmarked
Yes so is there a difference in the temp of oil in the sump compared to when it's being forced up top. Where do you fit the sender to get the best average, I assumed the sump but hmm.

[bobfather]

ClassicChimaera said:

Cheers Bobfather. Bookmarked
Yes so is there a difference in the temp of oil in the sump compared to when it's being forced up top. Where do you fit the sender to get the best average, I assumed the sump but hmm.

I'm certainly more interested in the temperature of working oil so I'm hoping to tap into the filter output. I fear the sump could give a slow response due to oil volume and a low reading due to surface cooling from the sump.

This is where I'm planning to fit the sensor

[phazed]

bobfather said:

I'm certainly more interested in the temperature of working oil so I'm hoping to tap into the filter output. I fear the sump could give a slow response due to oil volume and a low reading due to surface cooling from the sump.

This is where I'm planning to fit the sensor

That is where my sender sits for my oil pressure gauge.

[TailEndCharlie]

bobfather said:

This is it...

Craigauge TVR

They appear to have multiple names but I believe the owning business is Ltd

Edited by bobfather on Friday 21st April 12:47

So its not actually craigauge, but caigauge.? As in Caerbont Automotive Instruments gauge...

Also im guessing the picture is of the oil pressure sender, is there a pressure and temp sensor combined in the upgraded version.

Edited by TailEndCharlie on Friday 21st April 17:44

[bobfather]

TailEndCharlie said:

Also im guessing the picture is of the oil pressure sender, is there a pressure and temp sensor combined in the upgraded version.

No, that's an oil temperature sender as fitted by another PHer. The oil pressure sender is at the edge of the sump, I'm not sure where the oil pressure switch is

[phazed]

bobfather said:

I'm not sure where the oil pressure switch is

Below the alternator on the side of the front timing cover. Just above the water pump outlet for clarity.