Oil Radiator Masking

[aide]

One of my winter jobs is to fit an oil stat or something to keep the oil at a more constant temperature. There are two options I’m considering. Either an oil stat or a coolant fed oil cooler.

But in the meantime, since it’s getting cold, I was wondering if anyone can let me know how or what they use to mask off the oil radiator at the front N/S?

[purpleliability]

I used a high quality (read: piece I had laying around) bit of cardboard that I cut down to the oil cooler shape.

I then wrapped it in insulating tape so that the cardboard wouldn't fall apart in the winter and I wedge it in front of the oil cooler where it will quite happily stay until I remove it.

I've done this for the last 4 years and it makes a big difference to warm up times and general winter running. Cost effective, no need to mess with any pipes and light weight too

[aide]

Thanks Barry, did you completly cover the oil cooler?

[RichV6]

purpleliability said:

I used a high quality (read: piece I had laying around) bit of cardboard that I cut down to the oil cooler shape.

I then wrapped it in insulating tape so that the cardboard wouldn't fall apart in the winter and I wedge it in front of the oil cooler where it will quite happily stay until I remove it.

I've done this for the last 4 years and it makes a big difference to warm up times and general winter running. Cost effective, no need to mess with any pipes and light weight too

Did exactly the same, well apart from wrapping in heavy silver foil before taping up. I seem to spend more months with it covered than uncovered

[purpleliability]

aide said:

Thanks Barry, did you completly cover the oil cooler?

Pretty much! In these conditions the lack of traction makes high revs a bit of an impossibility so building up any oil temperature is all but impossible.

If it suddenly warms up/dries out then it's only a 3 second job to remove it.

[aide]

Thanks guys..
I'm out tomorrow evening so will head down to the garage a little earlier to have a tinker.
Best wishes
Aide

[Flatplane8]

I've used a block of celotex insulation wrapped in duct tape for the last few years for this. It's cheap, and has the advantage over an oil stat in that the oil is always flowing though the cooler. There is a small risk that in the colder months the cooler will never be used with the stat bypassing it, leading to sludging up.

Cheapness was my reason though

[ridds]

The oil stats always bypass a small amount to stop any danger of that.