Serp intermediate OEM oil cooler take off

[phazed]

My 5.5 used to drink about 1 L of oil on track days and was definitely a little smoky.

Since I rebuilt the engine with a new block, new top hat liners and new rings it doesn't use any oil at all during a track day so I am very happy with that.

The old block had only done about 25,000 miles and the bores were quite warn, piss poor really!

I reckon yours just has a little wear here and there, nothing to worry about. You might as well except that fact that and Fit an oil cooler which is definitely beneficial and will prolong the life of your engine especially if you're doing track days.

[Chimp871]

Fascinating thread. The original RS/cosworth sandwich plates are rare as I believe they're thicker than most. I've a search alarm for ebay and this just popped up today (first I've seen in over a year) and believe sardonicus used the same one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142928125261?ul_noapp=t... or for 10 eur!! https://shop.euroimpex.lt/en/dalis/183544/oil-radi...


I've also got an oil temp gauge with the sender from the timing cover where the blank plug was, about half way up and off side of car. I also get temperatures over 100-110oC on the motorway which I don't think is right. On track it heads towards 140oC, but again I doubt it. So, I'd take the temp reading with a pinch of salt.

If you do fit one, would love to learn where you source the parts from. Good luck

Edited by Chimp871 on Wednesday 5th September 22:26

Edited by Chimp871 on Wednesday 5th September 22:42

[Chimp871]

so I've read this thread maybe 3 times now, and not too sure if a thermostat in the sandwich plate recommended or not?

There's plenty of kits out there for rover v8 with sandwich plates (with/out thermostats)

[phazed]

Thermostat defo recommended

[MisterT]

Chimp871 said:

so I've read this thread maybe 3 times now, and not too sure if a thermostat in the sandwich plate recommended or not?

There's plenty of kits out there for rover v8 with sandwich plates (with/out thermostats)

I think it depends on which type of cooler used. If you use a Laminova type water/oil cooler then a stat isn't necessary because you are harmonising the engine oil and coolant water temps, you can't over cool the oil. With an air to oil radiator then a stat is recommended.

[phazed]

Ah, Laminova, of course! No stat.

[Chimp871]

MisterT said:

I think it depends on which type of cooler used. If you use a Laminova type water/oil cooler then a stat isn't necessary because you are harmonising the engine oil and coolant water temps, you can't over cool the oil. With an air to oil radiator then a stat is recommended.

very true, I should have pointed out air to oil cooled. I suppose this is more effective cooling method if you're ragging the engine?

[QBee]

Matthew, I was never behind you for long enough at Rockingham to see the smoke.....

But if it was making a lot of it, to my mind it suggests your pist-on rings have become pist-off rings.....

[ChimpOnGas]

Matthew, all this smoke business mate..

Are you sure it's not just oil being sucked into the plenum/inlet manifold via the crappy unvalved crankcase breather system we have? Are you getting smoke on hard acceleration, on the overrun when you snap the throttle shut, or just general smoke all the time when the oil is hot?

With aggressive track driving inevitably comes lots of snap throttle opening and closing events, under these situations and with the way the crank case ventilation system works on our cars we really shouldn't expect anything other than a plenum full of oil, and all that oil is only ever going down the inlet tracts to be burnt in the combustion chambers and emerge as smoke from your Griffith's wheelbarrow handles

I wouldn't mind betting if you ran a decent catch can system you could massively reduce the production of smoke on a track day, I'd be tempted to try a MANN ProVent 200, these are a proper OEM quality oil separator system not some Max Power ally tin, the MANN Provent range are properly valved.

The MAAN ProVent systems mainly consist of an oil separating element (a fiberglass filtration media) which is very effective, but where they most differ from the usual cheap catch can system is the ProVent systems incorporate a pressure control system and (depending on the model) an overpressure bypass valve.





Benefits:

• Minimises oil consumption
• Reduced risk of dieseling, ie detonation from oil burning in the combustion chamber before ignition/spark based combustion is initiated
• Prevents oil buildup in your plenum chamber
• Regulates crankcase pressure properly which can also improve drivability
• Keeps critical engine components clean
• Reduces exhaust smoke and odours

Edited by ChimpOnGas on Friday 7th September 10:21

[stevesprint]

Matt

As I’ve been loosing sleep over why JE told me not to use the OEM oil cooler pipes I mentioned them while on the phone with Anthony (Precat) which prompted me to have another shufty amongst my old RV8 junk, luckily I found an off cut off my old oil cooler hoses which I now realise were internally 5/8 inch.

The external diameter of the OEM metal pipes are only 1/2 inch diameter and may explain why no one uses them.

[Matthew Poxon]

stevesprint said:

Matt

As I’ve been loosing sleep over why JE told me not to use the OEM oil cooler pipes I mentioned them while on the phone with Anthony (Precat) which prompted me to have another shufty amongst my old RV8 junk, luckily I found an off cut off my old oil cooler hoses which I now realise were internally 5/8 inch.

The external diameter of the OEM metal pipes are only 1/2 inch diameter and may explain why no one uses them.

Ahhh, that makes a lot of sense now. Thank you very much for your tireless efforts Steve, I can now put this one to bed At least now I know the reasoning behind the sandwich plate design vs the OEM solution.

Sandwich plate it is.

Thank you very much Steve, and thank you very much to everyone else who has contributed, much appreciated.