Oil Cooler - under engine lid? Options

[SpecialK]

QUOTE (Jake Raby @ Jan 19 2005, 02:42 PM)

My whole system is in the trunk.. Accusump, Setrab cooler, and two canton filters. I duct air through the cooler with outside air as the cooler is fully encapsulated in a shroud fed with two hoses. The air is roted out the rear and under the car..

Jake....I'd like to see a pic of that set-up (if it's not top secret (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) )

Still got room to put the top in there?

[Jake Raby]

The top still fits..

I don't want to give out pics just yet because I have not finished testing it...

And I wanna sell the entire kit if it works well on the updated engine..

[ottox914]

Has anyone tried mounting in the front trunk where the a/c condensor would go? You could pop the plastic discs out from behind the front bumper on the 73-74's, duct that into a box over the cooler, and also add a small scoop under the car to pull air up and over the cooler, venting the air back below the car, as the a/c system did. I have a front mount a/c box and have been thinking about this. Might help on the corner balancing as well, given that our cars are a little rear heavy anyway.

[AndrewBlyholder]

Now if we're gonna start talking NACA ducts, I have a fantasy about that topic. I've been thinking how to get a well integrated AC system into a 914 for vacation crusing. Don't want to give up the front trunk space as is done in the usual dealer installed version. I was think a NACA duct in the rear quarter panel just behind the rear edge of the door, similar to the Boxster air intake location. Mount the AC condenser in the generous and unused space between the engine bay side wall and the outer fender. Screen the backside to keep rocks spinning off the tires from doing damage. AC condenser could be on one side, oil cooler on the other.

Andrew

[StratPlayer]

When I had my engine rebuilt I had them mount an oil cooler under the car, damn thing didn't do anything about the hot temps. Finally mounted the cooler where it should be. I've had this cooler installed now for almost 3 years without any problems. Also have a mocal thermostat for this setup.

[StratPlayer]

This is where I mounted the thermostat

[d7n7master]

Not as pretty as others but worth maybe 10 to 15F oil temp on a hot summer day... diff: with 195/210 without 210/220.

[dmenche914]

Some interesting locations for coolers seen here. The ones mounted directly above the headers, or heat exchangers might do more harm than good, ecspecially in stop and go traffic, little air flow, and a big heat source right under them.

An extra cooler in the engine bay is not the ticket either, It will preheat the air needed to cool the heads by the fan.

It would be very interseting to see some data on before and after oil temp, AND head temps with some of these installations. Some installations may lower oil temps, at expense of head temps. maybe not a good trade off?

As per VW experience, that is well documented, for Bug, and Busses, one should not run an extra cooler int he engine bay, as they have learned it will preheat the cooling air. It is generally considered a no-no.

Porsche when they decided they needed extra cooling placed a cooler up front, away from the engine bay, in a good air stream, and near no hot exhaust components. It took more piping to do it, I bet they had a good reason doing it that way rather than an engine bay mounting, or over the headers.

Unless I see before and after temp readings of both oil and heads to the otherwise, i will believe that engine bay mounting is harmful, as is mounting a cooler right over a header.

A front mount is the best beat, however Porsche did for a year or so have a copper pipe "loop" cooler on the 911, basically a pair of metal oil lines that went along the rockers and intot he front fender area. The pipe was coiled a couple times, and routed back to the engine, it was later replaced with a "real" cooler, however it must have helped some, and might be an option if one does not want to cut the front bumper for the correct factory front cooler. perhaps a loop of pipe could be routed behind the fog light grill(s) to get good air flow? Or maybe just mount a pair of small coolers behind the fog light grills (you won't have stock fog light then).

the 914 has a sealed lower engine bay for a reason, to assure that only cool air gets to the fan, run a cooler on the engine lid, and oil might be cooler (depending on air flow) but you will increase head temps. I have found thru testing on a Bug motor that head temps track fan inlet temp, so a 50F rise in fan inlet air temp (engine bay temp) will give about an equal rise in head temp.

[ChrisReale]

Adding a cooler close to the exhaust is not going to be as effective as mounting it up front. Yea, it might get you 5 degrees cooler, but the majority of race cars have the cooler up front, and it is there for a reason. I guess that it could cause a bit of drag, (look at the intake on F1 cars right above the drivers head) but I think that is something they just deal with, as it is guaranteed to keep the temps where they should be. IMHO, your best and most effective bet is to mount it up front.