No, I don't want to recreate a lot of the questions and answers that I've already seen in the existing collection of oil cooler threads, rather I'd like your opinion on how I should go about setting mine up with my current config.

Here's the scoop. I'm running a 3.2 with the stock engine oil cooler and a small external oil cooler tucked up under my right rear fenders controlled by a Mocal thermostat. FWIW, this config is fine for street use, and I rarely see the temps going above 210 on the hottest days unless I really push the car. However, I may start doing some track stuff again next season and will obviously need a better cooling approach.

I want to run a front cooler in the traditional spot and will probably make my own duct work similar to a stock GT setup to exit out the floor of the trunk. I haven't decided on the cooler, but let's assume something in the RX-7 style/range. Here's the real root of my dilemma, I want to retain my front bodywork without cutting massive holes or needing to buy a new GT style front bumper/valence setup. If I remove the body plugs in front of the cooler and add small electric fans to the cooler, do you think that will be enough to keep the engine temps in range? Anyone with similar experience good or bad?

Thanks,

Dion
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No experience, but I would think you would at least need the GT cutout valance to allow free-flow to the body plugs.

Body plugs should be fine, it's not about fans or the size of the inlet, it's about draw and getting the hot air out.

How do you plan on exhausting the hot air? Underneath? Out the side into the wheelwells? Up through the hood? Are you going to use any ductwork in the front trunk?

One important consideration is to make it easier for the air to exit than it is for it to enter. This will help to improve air flow and therefore, cooling.

I thought I made it clear in my original question. I plan on making my own duct work similar to the GT setup exiting out the floor of the trunk.

I'm more concerned with getting enough air into the system using my current bodywork.

With your 3.2 and it's stock cooler behind cylinder #6, you should be fine, but will only know after you install the cooler and run the car. My 3.6 doesn't have that onboard cooler so the front cooler is a monster and I have a smaller auxiliary cooler in the liquid circuit where the old one cooler was. None have fans but they would certainly help if I needed them. You don't want to do it, but I cut a hole in the front bumper to make a large grill that is considerably higher than the original holes, to get the cooler intake away from the road surface. The air be cooler up there! I had originally dumped the air under the car like you are going to, but the hood outlet is far better in my case. Like so...

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The bumper in the picture is fiberglass, but I still have the steel (black) bumper I cut the original hole in in my attic... just sittin! It looks exactly the same but the rubber pad is scruffy.

If you run SCCA track events, they won't let you run with the hood outlet in any of the production classes.

When the car was a 2.7L and I lived near San Francisco the internal cooler was all I needed on the street. Here in the deep south we need more, rather than less cooling capacity, both for daily driving in town and on the track.

Good luck

Thanks Ron.

Here is what I am doing:

my thread

This is the tool I used to creat the extra hole - very cool:

tool thread

I haven't got mine running yet so I can't comment on effectiveness. However, with the amount of air going in and the fans to help duct it out, I can't imagine any problems.

Rob

Thanks Rob. Based on your tool pictures, it looks like you are running the GT style front bodywork too?

Your signature says the car was converted to a six from a V8? Do you still have the inner fender cooling outlets? I do, and am surprised by how small the front inlet needs to be to cool a Subaru turbo motor that should be producing quite a lot of heat. The larger the outlet the more scavenging/flow seems to be produced, so if you still have those big outlets you may need a smaller than usually used inlet size. May need to be larger than just the existing holes, but not as large as the GT valance/bumper combination.

dion9146,
I did mine like a GT too. What I did was cut the front spoiler for the air to flow into the cooler. I cut the holes out. Mine was a 3.0 with PMO carbs. No problem with the heat at Putman last summer at 90 degree day.
Van914

Like this. I used a SS screen to cover the cut out.
Van914Click to view attachment

I think the following would work for you. First pic is a Patrick car done with a stock bumper. The next 3 are my car.
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I wanted the same as you...minimal cutting on the body. I used ALL the holes (widened slightly) for the intake side of the cooler. I actually calculated the area of the holes compared to my inlet area in the bumper. Note how wide the inlet area is compared to the outlet

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I then blocked the sides so all air was forced through the cooler

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Next I covered the top and made the outlet ducting very similar to the GT style using aluminum and pop-rivets but to fit my large Mocal cooler. I added some small fans with a thermostat for stop and go driving but I'll be changing to a little different fan setup soon and I'll post pictures.

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Finished....
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The system works great and was pretty easy to make. Most people calculate x2 on the outlet side area since the air gets hot and expands. Many make the judgement that they need the same area of the cooler size open on the intake but a good portion of the cooler area is occupied by cross tubes and fins so you don't need as much as you may think but it's nice to get direct flow when possible.

Question, is it 'better' to route the outlet under the car or into the wheel wells?

Just wondering as I'll be thinking about the same mods when I get my project underway. But with a 2.7 I may just need the on-engine cooler.

Thanks guys. Thanks for the ideas and pics. I think a cutout in the lower spoiler coupled with larger 'holes' and a setup like Paul's is the way to go. The PO had most of the lower trunk floor cutout for his radiator exit, but of course I welded in a new trunk floor which I'm going to end up cutting a chunk of it back out. Go figure.

Just got back from running around all morning between meetings. Outside temps 96 degrees, 'feels like' 106, car ran up to 225 on the 30 minute trip home. Within acceptable warm limits, but it would be nice to have some better backup.

Dion

I've asked this before and never got a response. Why not run a loop cooler inside the front fender? No holes and you keep your body work intact.

They aren't very efficient at all and really not worth the bother for all the plumbing involved when you could use a real cooler. Even Porsche dumped the loop and installed a standard cooler in the same location and eventually put a fan on it. The only reason they "almost" worked in a 911 was the quantity of metal line involved getting there that probably dissipated more heat than the loop......

Yes, this is a rough mock-up of what it will look like - before I install some black expanded mesh over the opening:



This is what it looks like finished: