mmascari
Apr 15 2017, 09:24 PM
I installed a Setrab oil cooler for a 3.0 six conversion in the front trunk. Does anyone know if there is a direction the oil has to flow through the cooler or are they unidirectional? I bought the cooler from PMS.
Eddie914
Apr 15 2017, 09:31 PM
Hot in ... cool out!
Mark Henry
Apr 15 2017, 10:03 PM
Technically by thermodynamics you want in (hot) to be the top port and out (cold) to be the bottom port.
Likely less important on a small oil cooler, but it's how engine water cooled rads work.
EdwardBlume
Apr 15 2017, 11:12 PM
Motors have blown getting it wrong.
stugray
Apr 16 2017, 08:08 AM
QUOTE(RobW @ Apr 15 2017, 11:12 PM)
Motors have blown getting it wrong.
Could you please elaborate?
My BS meter jumped a little there.
I would argue it does not matter.
My system has two Setrab front coolers in series and it goes hot in on top on one and hot in on bottom on the other.
stownsen914
Apr 16 2017, 08:22 AM
Well, Carroll Smith says to put hot in at the bottom if the cooler is oriented such that one port if higher than the other. This is different that how it's done with a water coolant radiator (hot in at the top), but remember that with a water radiator the water pump usually sucks water from the radiator, so you want extra pressure that the "head" gives you by sucking out the lower port of the radiator. For an oil cooler, the oil is pumped into the cooler (not sucked out), so this isn't necessary. I believe Carroll Smith preferred hot in at the bottom to give more even flow through the cooler.
EdwardBlume
Apr 16 2017, 09:00 AM
QUOTE(stugray @ Apr 16 2017, 07:08 AM)
QUOTE(RobW @ Apr 15 2017, 11:12 PM)
Motors have blown getting it wrong.
Could you please elaborate?
My BS meter jumped a little there.
I would argue it does not matter.
My system has two Setrab front coolers in series and it goes hot in on top on one and hot in on bottom on the other.
Randal's first motor in the Beast detonated due to oil starvation. According to Randal, the oil lines were not installed correctly.
Cracker
Apr 16 2017, 09:38 AM
Off of a scavenging line (which is probably your source) I would install the hot to the bottom port of the cooler. Allot of air is inter-mixed (due to aeration) with the oil and I would want that flushed out to the tank.
Tony
Dave_Darling
Apr 16 2017, 02:45 PM
QUOTE(RobW @ Apr 16 2017, 08:00 AM)
Randal's first motor in the Beast detonated due to oil starvation. According to Randal, the oil lines were not installed correctly.
The oil lines not installed correctly is a little bit different from putting the cooler in the circuit the "wrong way".
--DD
Larmo63
Apr 16 2017, 04:05 PM
I'm in the process of doing this as we speak, I'd like to know the answer too. I was going to run hot in the top, cooled oil out the bottom, the ports are inches from each other, so I wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference.
Oil out of the sump gets pumped up to the thermostat, and depending on temp goes forward when the t-stat (@ 180 deg.) closes it then goes up to the cooler, into it and through. Then cooled oil flows all the way (back through the t-stat) to the inlet port in the oil tank.
Right?
Steve
Apr 16 2017, 04:27 PM
Ask Jim at PMS. He has installed hundreds of them.
Cracker
Apr 16 2017, 04:44 PM
If a thermostat is used...it would be on the pressure side. Different animal - generally, the most effective cooling occurs on the scavenger/low pressure circuit. As suggested...probably better to ask PLS.
T
Elliot Cannon
Apr 16 2017, 06:22 PM
I think bdstone would be able to answer that.
wndsrfr
Apr 17 2017, 05:30 AM
QUOTE(Cracker @ Apr 16 2017, 07:38 AM)
Off of a scavenging line (which is probably your source) I would install the hot to the bottom port of the cooler. Allot of air is inter-mixed (due to aeration) with the oil and I would want that flushed out to the tank.
Tony
Air isn't going to flow out the bottom port, it'll rise to the top and may stay there, reducing the coolers effectiveness.
mmascari
Apr 17 2017, 01:02 PM
Thanks for all the responses but not really getting a definitive answer. Seems to me that there are good reasons for both.
michael7810
Apr 17 2017, 01:58 PM
Call Patrick. I'm sure he will tell you how he does it.
mepstein
Apr 17 2017, 02:52 PM
I just asked Bob Russo - porsche 962 mechanic, used to campaign the Al Holbert, Al Unser Jr 962. He said it really doesn't matter, hot oil is hot oil and if it's under pressure, it's going to move quickly no matter up or down.
He said guys blow oil coolers by not warming up the engine and running cold oil at high revs.
mmascari
Apr 17 2017, 05:16 PM
QUOTE(mepstein @ Apr 17 2017, 01:52 PM)
I just asked Bob Russo - porsche 962 mechanic, used to campaign the Al Holbert, Al Unser Jr 962. He said it really doesn't matter, hot oil is hot oil and if it's under pressure, it's going to move quickly no matter up or down.
He said guys blow oil coolers by not warming up the engine and running cold oil at high revs.
Thanks, I did call PMS and was told they run the hot in to the top.
maf914
Apr 17 2017, 05:16 PM
QUOTE(mmascari @ Apr 17 2017, 11:02 AM)
Thanks for all the responses but not really getting a definitive answer. Seems to me that there are good reasons for both.
Why not contact Setrab?
michael7810
Apr 17 2017, 06:30 PM
QUOTE(mmascari @ Apr 17 2017, 04:16 PM)
QUOTE(mepstein @ Apr 17 2017, 01:52 PM)
I just asked Bob Russo - porsche 962 mechanic, used to campaign the Al Holbert, Al Unser Jr 962. He said it really doesn't matter, hot oil is hot oil and if it's under pressure, it's going to move quickly no matter up or down.
He said guys blow oil coolers by not warming up the engine and running cold oil at high revs.
Thanks, I did call PMS and was told they run the hot in to the top.
I would go with PMS, they have been hot-rodding 914s for 25+ years...
KevinP
Apr 21 2017, 02:32 PM
Hot raises, cold sinks, pretty pretty straight forward?
mepstein
Apr 21 2017, 03:00 PM
Either direction - per setrab
mmascari
Apr 21 2017, 09:27 PM
QUOTE(mepstein @ Apr 21 2017, 02:00 PM)
Either direction - per setrab
Who reads instructions?
mepstein
Apr 21 2017, 09:33 PM
QUOTE(mmascari @ Apr 21 2017, 11:27 PM)
QUOTE(mepstein @ Apr 21 2017, 02:00 PM)
Either direction - per setrab
Who reads instructions?
I do but usually not until I've already done it my way
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