Plug Oil Cooler Adapter ?

[G McCall]

It seems I may have screwed up by plugging my oil cooler adapter when I installed my new ChargedAir aluminum radiator. Has anyone actually done this ? I left adapter on, but plugged it.

While testing under boost I heard a loud shrill, and now have a ticking noise under hood. Have I restricted oil flow?

 

[WarpSpeed]

Oh yeah. The only oil it's getting is through a small relief valve in the adaptor.

 

[Steve Wood]

What is your oil pressure? I have seen it done but you have me wondering now.

In fact, I just walked out and looked at one of mine but I took the cooler adapter off it.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Oil adapter plug'd

Plugging it is a NO NO NO!!! The passages in the adapter are NOT tied together. 1 side goes to the cooler, thru the cooler and then back into the engine oil circuit. As Steve said...all you got is what can get thru the by pass valve.. and that ain't much!!
The whistle you heard was the oil trying to get thru.. OR, if you ran it long enough, it was the bearings starting to complain...
If you don't want the adapter/cooler then take the adapter out, or loop the ports w/ a hose...

 

[G McCall]

Thanks for the info,
Down again

 

[JDEstill]

Greg -

I went back and read your thread from last week. Sorry I didn't see it then

There is hope. While the bypass does offer a big restriction if you try to run through it alone, you might still have had enough oil pressure to not damage your engine. After all, what really matters most is the pressure as the oil goes into the engine (which is what your gauge sees). If that pressure is good, and stayed good all the way through whatever driving you've done, then you might be alright.

What will happen is that pump discharge pressure will go up to try and maintain the pressure as the oil goes into the block. If you are getting 60 psi at the block, the pump discharge might normally be something like 70 or 80 psi to get that. In your case, pumping everything through that little bitty bypass, to get 60 psi at the block you might need something like 150 psi pump discharge pressure. While this might be really hard on the oil pump, oil pump drive gear, #1 cam bearing, and maybe the cam sensor and timing chain, hopefully it wouldn't cause any failures.

So, I hope you've been a good boy and the angels are smiling on you!

John

 

[G McCall]

Thanks for the support. Taking it to motor builder ASAP to check it out.

 

[G McCall]

Originally posted by Steve Wood
What is your oil pressure? I have seen it done but you have me wondering now.

In fact, I just walked out and looked at one of mine but I took the cooler adapter off it.

Steve,
Oil pressure was up at or near 80 lbs at start up. When engine was hot it would idle at 19 Ibs ( A little lower than when cooler lines working). 45-50 Ibs pressure at cruise. Pressure will rise on throttle hit.

 

[Steve Wood]

I would think it is okay, then...but either take it off or loop it back...Now I wonder where my adapter and hoses are. I bought steel braided line and fittings to put an external cooler on mine and I don't remember where I put the adapter....heck to get old!

 

[FJM568]

Was the bypass on the oil pump cover blocked??? If it's not blocked, then the backpressure from blocking the cooler lines would've opened the bypass in the pump cover, putting unfiltered oil through the motor...

If the pump cover bypass wasn't blocked, I'd say you're probably still okay, as long as a lot of trash didn't make it through the bypass instead of going through the filter...

Or maybe I'm just not understanding the question...but that's how I see it...

 

[WarpSpeed]

If I understand it correctly, the "bypass" in the pump cover is on from the oil "tube" after the pump, cooler and filter on the tube going into the block, when that opens(depending on what spring is in it) it recirculates the bypass oil back to the intake of the pump, not bypassing the filter into the motor.
BUT, the "relief valve" in the adaptor and pump cover opens when there's a pressure differential between the 2 sides of the filter or adaptor(I think it's 5# but not sure.) That relief valve will flow unfiltered oil into the motor.
With the cooler plugged off, that's the only way oil is getting through to the motor. IF I understand it correctly.

 

[Ennit Morris]

so guy blocking the oil cooler is a no no ??? a lot of people said you dont really need it because of syn oil are so good

 

[G McCall]

Originally posted by FJM568
Was the bypass on the oil pump cover blocked??? If it's not blocked, then the backpressure from blocking the cooler lines would've opened the bypass in the pump cover, putting unfiltered oil through the motor...

If the pump cover bypass wasn't blocked, I'd say you're probably still okay, as long as a lot of trash didn't make it through the bypass instead of going through the filter...

Or maybe I'm just not understanding the question...but that's how I see it...

IT seems that the bypass hole in the oil cooler adapter may be too small and will therefore restrict flow. It still goes through the filter though.

 

[G McCall]

Update

Well,
I first removed my Baldwin B279 oil filter (PTE turbo saver), and poured oil through strainer; found no debris at all. Nothing. Then I cut the filter open and found no debris at all. Then I removed magnetic drain plug (Finger and rag over pan drain hole) and found no debris at all stuck on magnetic plug. Then I let about a quart of oil from the oil pan drain through the strainer; found nothing. Installed pan plug, new oil filter and oil.
From this point I'll either remove adapter or better yet install an oil cooler. THEN let motor man inspect motor and bearings.
Feeling better than yesterday.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Feelin better!!

Great!! Now, if the PTE is has the hoses crossed, it'll cause the SAME kind of problem..... BTDT TOO!!!

 

[JDEstill]

Originally posted by Ennit Morris
so guy blocking the oil cooler is a no no ??? a lot of people said you dont really need it because of syn oil are so good

Not using the oil cooler is okay, though most would probably say it is preferred. What is the no no is just blocking in the oil cooler adapter. Completely removing the adapter is okay, as is connecting the two ports with a single hose.

I didn't even think about the oil filter bypass saving your butt Greg! That probably let enough oil through to keep your engine alive.

Here's a scematic of the oil system I made up once upon a time. You can see the path the oil has to take if the oil cooler is blocked in. I bet if the filter bypass was plugged as well the oil pump would be effectively dead headed and would probably break.

http://pages.prodigy.net/buickv6/_images/oil pump schematic.pdf

John