Although bar and plate style coolers are more efficient, they tend to add a lot of restriction. For the purpose of trans coolers, could aggravate thrust bearing failures. For engine cooler, well do you really want a reduction in oil pressure ?
I would gladly give up a little efficiency and go with a tube and fin.
AG.
That is a loaded answer. You are correct that the tube and fin style has less pressure drop if you compared two coolers that are the same size.
If you size a stacked plate or plate/fin style cooler properly sized for your application you could have less pressure drop and be equal or close to a tube and fin style with the benefit of a lot higher efficiency.
What type of coolers are all the OEM suppliers putting on high performance cars and HD trucks??? Stacked plate/tube fin designs.
My suburban with a factory trans cooler runs at 140* normal and 160*/180* towing heavy. Both oil and trans are stacked plate style coolers.
I understand where you are coming from in why you prefer tube and fin, but to be effective they have to be huge to make a difference.
I know that in tank coolers are marginal at best and would consider tube fin style in the same class, [better than nothing] and if I didn't change my oil every 3 thousand miles or less I would step up to an aftermarket oil cooler like I have on my trans.
The only important thing regardless of which style you choose is that it will keep your oil temps in the optimum range of 180*/200* for longer service life of the engine components and consistent oil pressure.
Lastly, none of these coolers will drop your oil pressure.
Are you saying people who don't run a cooler at all and have eliminated the sandwich adapter lose oil pressure??
I ended up unscrewing the 90-degree adapters instead and cut off the weird-sized rounded fittings. I'll have to buy more, slide them on and flare the pipe ends.
