Will it be done before Parade?, Oil cooler installation Options

[Dave_Darling]

Since I'll be driving the 914 through a desert in July, I figure having an external oil cooler might be a good idea. I bought a cooler, thermostat, sandwich plate, and some fittings from Earl's quite a few years back. I don't have any lines, a way to mount the cooler, or a fan.

I wonder if I'll get the install done before the trip? If I do, it'll be close. I have a lot of other obligations which will keep me out of the garage for most days and evenings...

I intend to get the cooler mounted under the rear trunk floor, locate and fasten in the thermostat, add the sandwich plate, then hook it all together with rubber lines. Then I can remove the lines and measure them, so I can get better lines in the correct lengths.

The rubber lines (fuel rated, so hopefully OK with oil) may actually be used as a short-term solution, but I don't expect them to last very long.

I also have to figure out where to get the oil lines and a fan. Hopefully locally, so I don't have to pay for express shipping...

--DD

[Black22]

I installed a Bugpack Mesa 72 plate oil cooler w/ fan, Mocal Sp-1t sandwich adapter and socketless fittings to socketless hose in about 1.5 hours.

I have two t-stats. One in the Mocal and one Empi on the outlet of the oil cooler. This allows the oil to be cooled in three stages, depending on my driving habits and weather conditions. Stock cooler only until 180 degrees, then the Mocal opens up flow to the Mesa cooler. When the Mesa cooler can't reduce oil temps exiting it to below 180, the fan kicks on.

I ran power to the fan from a fused lead to the battery (Thanks to Toms fuse block mod (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) ), w/o a relay. Works great! Fan will run for about a minute after the engine is shut down. When you fire it up after a brief (10 minute) stop, my temps are back to 180!

40 miles on the freeway, with 86 degree weather, my temps never got over 200.

BTW my cooler is mounted under the rear trunk, above a heat exchanger.