I did my second DE this past weekend w/ the Mardi Gras PCA at No Problem raceway in New Orleans...what a blast! By the end of each run session, my oil temps were between 240 and 250. Is this too hot?...i think it probably is, but i am soliciting feedback. '72 2.0, Webers and running Mobil 1

What kind of external cooler is everyone running? What are my options?

Thanks
BH

This is a tad too hot. I'm betting the ambient temp wasnt over 80-85. On a 100 degree humid day those temps would have been 260-280.

If plan to keep this engine and do DE's you will need to install a cooler. The goal is keep it around 195-200. This appears to be a really good target number for our engines.

I can show you 3-5 different ways to mount the cooler.

Welcome to the board. I'm pretty sure I recognize you from some other boards.

B

Thanks Brad, I do quite a bit of lurking. I haven't really had too many problems w/ my car so haven't had to ask many questions. I purchased it as it sits pretty much sorted for AX and track events.

I have seen the front mounted cooler w/ lines run behind the rockers and have seen the cooler w/ piggyback electric fan mounted in rear trunk or something like that...what is the simplest, most effective, non-cosmic solution that doesn't cost a fortune? Or are those attributes all exclusive of each other?

Thanks
BH

Forget the under car with a fan BS. They dont work for high speed events where you have sustained speeds in the 100mph range. You must have air moving over the cooling fins of a decent cooler.

I recommend Fluidyne coolers. We are having very good luck with these coolers. You can purchase a cooler that is very similar to the factory GT coolers.

None of this will be cheap. Figure on 500$ or so for the cooler/lines and engine adapter w/thermostat.

B

Mazda RX-7 cooler.

CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP!

On my 914/4, I have a small oil cooler mounted beneath the trunk, with an electric fan. I used a Mocal sandwich plate adapter. The fine Mr. Bland had a stash of these coolers (very inexpensive), and I bought the adapter from Mocal direct, and the fan at my local FLAPS. Total cost for installation was around a hundred dollars.

Just mounting it up dropped the temp about 10-15 degrees. I put the fan switch in the center console, and turning it on will drop the temp another 10+ degrees.

-Rusty

Seanery...

Take ALL of the RX7 coolers and shove them up...... LOL

Friends dont let friends runs cheap oil coolers on expensive engines.

LB.

The under body coolers work great for street/autoX cars. But we are trying to drop the temp here 50-60 deg.

Please do not slouch in the cooler area. I have case after case of engine failures related to RX7 coolers. Its just not worth it.

It ranks right up there with using outdated seat belts to protect your life (what is it worth ??)


B

Yeah, the requirements for a race car are surely different than the needs of a street car in Iowa. I think my setup is quality (the cooler from Bland was the real score), but not what would be needed to cool a dedicated track car.

-Rusty

What about something like this behind a cutout in the valence?
Nascar Style Oil Cooler

QUESTION:

Does anyone remember someone in Pano or Excellence selling a sleeve that fit over your oil filter that was supposed to help drop oil temps by 10 degrees or so?

Did anyone buy one?
Know where to get one?
Have any thoughts or experience on one?

I remember it advertised in several different spots.

99% snake oil.

-Rusty

Ooops. I think it's called a "Cool Collar" or something close to that.

-Rusty

Also, check your timing. I know something about this....

Yeah, what is this I heard you installed a pertronix and didn't retime the motor? Did you get it done at the AX? or it it time to buy a timing lite.

I thought anything over 235 degrees was getting pretty damn hot for oil. Brad, have you tried the aluminum turbo 2 oil cooler? I have a pic somewhere. Its huge and really nicely made not like the cheap steel units.

Geoff

Brad held my hand through it at 12:30am :flower: , got it worked out for the most part. Went to AX, and my temps were at 220 after a run, then would cool down to 180-190. Got home, bought a timing light, and it was advanced a good bit. Re-timed it, and all is well. Lurnt a lesson: Dont mess with shit at mid-night the night before an AX

yeah, I heard the fucking cell phone ringing at 11:20PM when I was in Portland, ( you woke the kids and Monique up). Heard your message in the morning but Blair was gone already too.
That's a good lesson!
Geoff

Sorry about the wake up call.

Seanery,

I said Fluidyne. The one pictured in the Ebay ad is very close to what we run. Check the Fluidyne website.


B

Chris,

what was the timing before you reset it ?? Normally that is good for 30+ degrees.


B

I had set it for him 2 weeks ago to 27'BTDC. He has no marks so its hard to do. Chris needs to mark his fan properly as I think the mechanic installed a bus fan. Oh, it was set to about 15'BTDC.
Geoff

There are marks on it, actually Geoff, a white one for TDC and a Red on for 27 BTDC. Not sure why we didnt see them before...it is a 914 fan, I got it from Pelican (better f'in be!) I know the temps were ok, but it was 55 degrees outside, and that seemed a little hot for such a mild ambient temp.

We're gonna use a MazdaSpeed (not the same as the RX7 junkyard stuff) cooler on my car. They are enormous and well built. I figure you basically can't have too much cooling -- around here it can it 115F in the summer and combine that with 5-6000 rpm track driving and you're asking for it. If the engine won't get up to temp in the cooler times of the year, I can block off part of the front opening/grille.

Not sure, but it was pretty advanced.

On a 90 degree day... we have to block off the Fluidyne to get the engine up to temp. I'm really tired of everybody telling me I HAVE TO HAVE a cooler on the 3.0's and 3.2's. KISS MY ASS.

Chris,

what is the price on the Mazdaspeed cooler. I cant imagine they are much cheaper than the Fluidyne.


B

Chris, did you have lots of pinging?
Geoff

No, no pinging. Only thing that was different, was my idle was about 1100. Now it idles at 950.