No Oil Cooler Needed?

[hemi8]

Is the oil cooler really needed in our cars? I have heard that quite a few people have done away with these and had no problems.
Mike
86 GN

 

[mazdatech78]

I dont run one in my car. I was told by my engine builder that I would be fine running without one.

James

 

[RUQWKNF]

I didn't run one on my old Grey car, and put about 15k miles on two different engines. (high 10 second girdled 109, and a 10.oh - 9.90 274 Stage II Off center.) I currently do not run one on my new 87 either. I highly recommend doing away with the factory oil cooler if the motor has either, A. high mileage B. you have blown a head gasket C. wiped a cam D. toasted a turbo. Anything that would have put trash into your oil system is cause for removing the factory oil cooler. You can retrofit an external, but really, with a 160 T-stat and good fan, the oil cooler is over kill. Unless of course you were a road course racer or lived in the desert.
Just my O2's worth.

Patrick

 

[Lee Thompson]

Yes, If

You drive your car on the street or interstate--you DO need an oil cooler. This comes up at least once a month--They were put on the 86-87 cars for a reason--one of which is the turbo really heats the oil going through it. Install an oil pressure and oil temp gage then judge for yourself. I definatelly feel you need one.

 

[TurboDave]

You drive your car on the street or interstate--you DO need an oil cooler. This comes up at least once a month--They were put on the 86-87 cars for a reason--one of which is the turbo really heats the oil going through it. Install an oil pressure and oil temp gage then judge for yourself. I definatelly feel you need one.

I'd have to agree. On a daily driver it's a must. I took mine off once and without an oil temp gauge to consult, I'd have to assume that the oil temperatures were driven extremely high by the turbo. I say this because without the cooler my hot oil pressure was noticably lower without the cooler.
Put it back on, and hot oil temps were back to normal.

 

[jcj53115]

I say NO you don't need it. If it was a MUST HAVE they would have put them on ALL TR's and many don't/never had em. I for one dont have one. One more area I never have to worry about an oil leak as well.

 

[TurboDave]

I say NO you don't need it. If it was a MUST HAVE they would have put them on ALL TR's and many don't/never had em. I for one dont have one. One more area I never have to worry about an oil leak as well.

Really? In the 86/87 realm (when engineering had improved), which one's didn't????

 

[breiter]

My 2 cents - I think you should run one. Heat kills our cars. I run an oil cooler on my blower car too. Anything to take some heat out of the oil has to help with the engine life. Even most race cars run an oil cooler. If you change engines then have your radiator cleaned and reconect the cooler.

 

[Grumpy]

this has been beat to death a million times .. I am up in the north east .. I don't have an oil cooler on any of my 5 Buicks with a gazilion miles on them opinions opinions

 

[blackstallion]

Put it back on cooler oil means longer engine life,cooler operating temps,and your turbo will be happier.Theres a reason why police interceptors have them if your car is just a drag car u dont need one but if drive to the track i dont see any adavantages on not having one.

 

[breiter]

Hemi8 asked for opinions so thats what he gets. I am in the South and we get all 4 seasons here. Temps here from mid 20's to 100's. He is in VA so he gets somewhere in between your weather an mine. Glad to hear yours has no problems.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

I Just Had The Same Conversation With One Of The Major Engine Builders....his Words....if Your Not Competing At The Bonnville (salt Flats) You Can Get Rid Of The Oil Cooler

 

[Squid4life]

I am in San Diego, my GN is a DAILY driver, no oil cooler. I had plans of putting one on, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Car stays at 160 in traffic all day long. Oil pressure drops to 20 at the lowest if I run it hard then get stuck in traffic, and it is a std volume cover.

My opinion, can't hurt, but not necessary. Will it make my engine last longer... don't know.

 

[Dr.drivability]

oil cooler

How about if you run a precision turbo saver. That extra oil has to help in oil temps. I run a 86/87 Be Cool GN (that fits like ass) radiator that I'm not hooking up the oil cooler due to a thrust bearing failure in the previous motor. What a waste of money!@

 

[XxDarkSidexX]

i bought one for like $60 bucks from summit, got some hard lines and did a front mount. Total was less then $100 with the hard line, the pipe bender, fittings.

Although I do not have data to support any temp changes, I just know it doesn't hurt anything to have one, and $100 for a hard line front mount ant bad

darkside

 

[cabech984]

I have the cooler adapter part but no cooler or lines for my swap car. Im not gonna run one at first. Im gonna see what happens, its my 3rd car anyways!!

 

[Blown&Injected]

I'll try to find this and post again but I will break in a fresh engine very soon and I will not use my new oil cooler, just in case.

So, hopefully it will all work OK and I will eventually put the cooler on. So I guess I will at least be able to report any difference in oil pressure - what does that mean???

It probably will be an increase across the board, so it will seem to suggest that maybe the oil is keeping it together better - does it mean anything at ALL beyond that

 

[SNOWBIRD]

MY ANSWER...160 thermostat..f ,body radiator...dls aluminim engine oil pan and pte turbo saver ,with big filter,, lots of cool oil there

 

[SS/GNX]

I bought the aluminum fbody radiator and have a huge trans cooler with a electric fan on it, so can I just run the oil lines throught the radiator for cooling? Or should i just skip it and run as is with 160T stat?

 

[SNOWBIRD]

I am not sure i understand the question but......the radiator trans cooler cannot be used as a engine oil cooler