oil cooler adaptors, 3/8 vs. 1/2 inch sandwhich style Options

[realred914]

looking for a good sandwhich adaptor to add an oil cooler. want one with a thermostat built in, I see several brands for sale, there are some big price differances too.

at any rate there are some ones that have 3/8 inch NPT inlet/outlet threads, and others that have 1/2 inch NPT threads inlet and outlet. the price differenace is considerable (nearly 3X)

seeing as the oil passages upto the filter are not all that fat anyway I figure, how much benifit would one get out of a 3/8 NPT fitting verses the 1/2 NPT? I still plan to use AN10 hose and fittings and have 1/2 inch NPT on the oil cooler itself, so the biggest restriction in the new system would be the 3/8 NPT fittings on the sandwhich adaptor. will this be a significant flow restriction or not verses the larger adaptor? the engine will be a daily driver motor, not a high rpm race motor.

[carr914]

McMark you use a thermostat???? I was under the imression it is a good idea to allow oil to heat up faster on cold starts.

maybe I'm misunderstanding your post
but to be clear.. a thermostat does allow the oil to heat up faster by keeping it out of the cooler on cold starts...

the thermostat also protects the cooler.


on both both of the race cars I've used coolers we have skipped the thermostats because we could control the start up situation, also because we normally are not running in freezing weather, due to weight, and finally because the restriction of a thermostat does degrade maximum cooling (slightly)

however is my old street car with a front cooler I did use a thermostat
and in the cooler I'm about to install on the rear of this street car I also am going to use a thermostat.

brant

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Also on the sandwich plate I had on my -4 Track car, I saw serious heat transference as the whole plate got hot.