Is the oil cooler really needed?

[gndriver]

Hey guy's just wondering if the stock oil cooler is really needed. My mechanic took it off without my permission and I was wondering if its just really that important?

 

[Richard Inglett]

With a turbo saver (more oil to act like a heat sink) and less than 85 degree F temperatures, you can get by without an oil cooler. However, oil cooler is worth 3 or 4 psig more oil pressure in the summer months.

Without a turbo saver, much better off to have an oil cooler.

Best regards

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by gndriver
Hey guy's just wondering if the stock oil cooler is really needed. My mechanic took it off without my permission and I was wondering if its just really that important?

Tell him to reinstall it.
GM doesn't incorporate expensive features like that just for grins.

There are ways around having to use it, but just taking it off is wrong.

If you go to a remote filter, that increases the oil capacity and isn't too bad of idea.

If you want to get into serious chip rewritting there are some items to help correct the high oil temps..

 

[tc86gn]

Find out why he removed the lines from it. If you just had work done to the motor because of some type of internal engine failure or anything that produced metal shavings, then he did the right thing IMHO. It is impossible to properly clean them out of the oil cooler. If that is the case then get an external cooler or when the radiator gets worked again, have the cooler replaced.
If there was not any type of internal failure, then hook it back up.

 

[salvageV6]

If he put a radiator in it tell him to find the right one and put the cooler lines back in.

I think they help even with the frequent changes that most turbo cars see.

Just my .02 but I would want to be notified in advance if my mechanic was gonna do that.

 

[gndriver]

Well that explains why he removed it. The original engine that he rebuit blew up and there was Alot of metal shavings in the oil when I looked at it that night. So if those things are impossible to clean I should go with an aftermarket oil cooler then?

 

[elcaminov6]

FWIW, the guy in the Detroit area that really knows these cars (Bruce used to work for Modern Muscle, now owns Aggresive Performance), told me to run the remote oil filter aka turbo saver, and don't worry about the cooler. He doesn't run it on his car (Windy6).

 

[gndriver]

OK so what does this remote oil filter aka turbo saver cost, where can I get one, and how hard is it for a novice to install?

 

[tc86gn]

go to www.precisionte.com. The directions are pretty straight forward. I would still put an external cooler on it, or remove the radiator and have another cooler put in it. This kit will help but is not a cooler. It's basic purpose is to provide clean oil to the turbo so if you should blow something again, you would not contaminate the turbo with metal shavings. The stock setup provides unfiltered oil to the turbo. I would recommend getting it no matter what your plans are. Especially with the heat down here in the south during the summer months.