Front Mounted Oil Cooler, Where best to rout lines... Options

[jhadler]

Hey all,

Well, after an immensly successfull National Club Trials weekend (No, I didn't drive. I was the Chief Steward), I -GOTTA- get my car back together and on the track again. So... I've decided to take the hit of the additional weight and put an oil cooler where it belongs... in front.

With that in mind, here's my questions and limitations...

1) In my class, I cannot cut sheet metal, so I plan on mounting the cooler below and slightly ahead of the bumper, with the spoiler cutout to allow venting. I can't cut into the sheet metal to vent into and through the truck.

2) I have an old RX-7 oil cooler (long and low) that was previously modified (T-stat removed). Sufficient? Or possible headache? The other cooler (25 row Mocal) I have was going to go in the engine bay when I was trying despoerately to shave weight wherever I could. The weight game is going to have to wait though. I GOTTA drive that car again soon!!

3) Where to route oil lines? I will be running a header (another Q on that in my next post), so no heat. Is it good to run the lines through the heater tubes? If so, where to go once they get up front? If not, where to go and how? I will be running this car in autox and TT, and some of the local tracks (Mead) aren't friendly to cars with low clearance, so I would probably prefer to keep from mounting the lines on the bottom of the car.

4) And then, lines? Hard lines? Braided SS? Rubber?

5) T-Stat suggestions or cautions? I -have- a Mocal sandwich plate with the built-in T-Stat. If that's not going to be a serious headache, great. But if anyone has a compelling reason for dumping it in favor of something else, please let me know.

6) Oh yeah, I don't have a massive budget. So I gotta try and keep things under control...

Thanks!!

-Josh2

[GeorgeRud]

I had good luck running -12 Braided Aeroquip lines along the passenger side rocker panel, then up the right front wheel well. Mine go through the inner wheelhouse panel, under the gas tank, through the front bulkhead, to a GT style oil cooler. I don't know why you couldn't just run the lines over the front wheel well (like a 911) and fit an oil cooler under the front bumper (ala 911 as well).

For a full race motor, I would probably recommend using -16 lines, but that's quite an added expense and they're harder to run.

Rich Gonzalez in Indiana has had good luck running finned lines along the right rocker panel as a forward and return line. I think they are some Circle Track boy pieces, but seem to work well. Neat idea.

[Aaron Cox]

QUOTE (GeorgeRud @ Oct 17 2005, 07:58 PM)

I had good luck running -12 Braided Aeroquip lines along the passenger side rocker panel, then up the right front wheel well. Mine go through the inner wheelhouse panel, under the gas tank, through the front bulkhead, to a GT style oil cooler. I don't know why you couldn't just run the lines over the front wheel well (like a 911) and fit an oil cooler under the front bumper (ala 911 as well). For a full race motor, I would probably recommend using -16 lines, but that's quite an added expense and they're harder to run. Rich Gonzalez in Indiana has had good luck running finned lines along the right rocker panel as a forward and return line. I think they are some Circle Track boy pieces, but seem to work well. Neat idea.

same here.

i have tons of pic in my blog.

[SirAndy]

do a search here, i don't remember who's thread, it's been at least a year or so, might even be in the classics, but there was a thread with tons of pictures etc. ...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) Andy

[Trekkor]

Maybe this one:
HERE

KT

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (trekkor @ Oct 17 2005, 09:43 PM)

Maybe this one: HERE

that one is gud, but i was actually thinking of

THIS ONE ...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif) Andy

[jhadler]

Great threads there folks! Gotta love this group.

So it looks like running the lines down the right side rocker is the easiest route. From there, they punch through into that hollow under the fuel tank and then into the trunk? I'd very much like to avoid having oil lines -in- the passneger footwell if I can at all avoid it.

One of my other questions... I currently have a sandwich adapter with a built-in T-stat, does anyone have experience with these. Good or bad?

And, is the Melling HD pump strong enough to push the oil to a front mounted cooler?

-Josh2

[jhadler]

Has anyone used the RSR front spoiler that GT racing makes?

Looks perfect. Only I'd need to buy the right kind of oil cooler to fit. But it definitely looks right. Doesn't seem to need any sheet metal removal...

Any experiences out there?

Thanks,

-Josh2

[Mark Henry]

QUOTE (jhadler @ Oct 18 2005, 01:01 PM)

And, is the Melling HD pump strong enough to push the oil to a front mounted cooler?

First test the float on the melling...







Toss it in a lake and if it floats use it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)


Get a 30mm shadek off of Jake.

[Dave_Darling]

QUOTE (Mark Henry @ Oct 18 2005, 02:23 PM)

Get a 30mm shadek off of Jake.

Remember, the cam gear (and maybe the slot on the end of the camshaft?) has to be modified to use the Schadeck. Not a good option if the engine is already together.

If the Melling is on there, and it ain't leaking, it should be fine for a front-mounted cooler. That's the whole reason for using them in the first place, I believe.

--DD

[brant]

Josh,

the melling is fine.
for a track only car we gutted the T-stat on recomendation of AJRS when using a sandwich take off.

but if your temps are good enough, then no need.

cool on the sucessful weekend.
brant

[DanT]

I ran the RSR GT Racing front spoiler on my 914-6 2.7L RS.
Ran 19 row Mocal oil cooler in spoiler. Ran all SS braided lines and AN fittings. I believe they were AN16s. 911 thermostat...etc
Worked great. Never ever had any overheating problems, even at Thunderhill or Buttonwillow in the mid summer months.
worked great but you must be very careful if you drive on the street. My car was lowered for track duty and the spoiler hangs down very low.
Other than that it was great. Attaches to bumper much like a special edition spoiler. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)