Oil Coolers - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BigDan3131 · 08-29-2011, 04:13 AM

I think my oil temps have been part of the reason my coolant temps are so high. So who runs an oil cooler and which type? Headered, plate type, tube and fin? Would you go with the same size as your tranny cooler or smaller because some heat is good. What size line do you use and are you running it straight to the cooler and back or with a thermostat inline?

**Captainfab** · 08-30-2011, 12:05 AM

Both vehicles my son has had a 406 in, he has run the factory engine oil cooler. The engine originally came out of a '79 K10. Have not had a single engine temp issue.

Marv D · 08-30-2011, 09:18 AM

Oil is the only coolant the crank, rods, pistons, cam, lifters, rockers and valve springs see at all! The factory oil cooling system is allowing the heat to radiate out through the pan. IMO the biggest mistake people make is assuming oil is only a lubricant. It's as much or more a coolant. Proof..... When you loose oil pressure what happens,,, bearings burn up! It blues up the metal surrounding the bearing shell.

Yeah,, any help you give it in the way of adding additional oil capacity, a cooler, even remote dual filters all helps keeping oil temps down. One of the worst things I've seen for oil temps is the oil pan caked and crusted with heavy oil soaked mud. That makes a really good insulator to hold that oil heat in!

As a racer most of us don't use a oil cooler. 1., the less external connections the less chance of a failure that could cause major disaster on the track (both in oil under the slicks and engine damage) and cause any restriction in flow. We take lots of care to feed this life blood to the criticle engine components. Second, were usually trying to get oil temps UP! The typical racer brings his car to the line as stone cold as he can. Goal is 160°+ oil temp, engine block temp less than 140° , and the radiator / underhood temps stone COLD. Nice goal if you could achieve it!

Cold oil is BAD oil. Flow properties are terrible and it doesn't wash the heat away fast enough. As a FYI in a 600-800HP high rpm motor with a 6qt system I was seeing a 40° increase in oil temp in 9 seconds of mayhem running down the track. When I went to a 12 quart Gilbterson pan my oil temps only increased 10-15° during the pass. (Data logging is cool

)

All that to say, there is good things and bad things about a oil cooler. In a stock application it offers some place for the oil to loose heat, and it adds additional capacity (about 2/3 quart for a typical GM factory cooler),,, it also offers another place for leaks / line failures.

When your engine overheats, your oil overheats,, don't be so foolish to think it's not vice-versa also!

BigDan3131 · 08-31-2011, 04:40 AM

I know all to well about running cold as a former street racer [ I had to quit, too many kids saw me pull the wheels off the ground when I hooked hard at a stoplight. I left hard and he was still sitting at the light by the time I reached the other side] oh the good old days in Cali. Anyway I have a 7 quart oil pan low profile along with a 2 quart extra capacity trans pan. The tranny cooler has its own fan and I have another I can use with the oil cooler I will be buying. I tend to overbuild things to future proof myself, I have only a 435-450 hp small block but my fuel system can handle up to 1200 hp.

Should I use -6 lines or -8? I think -8 would be better.

08-29-2011, 04:13 AM	#1
BigDan3131 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Maple Valley, WA Posts: 1,913	Oil Coolers I think my oil temps have been part of the reason my coolant temps are so high. So who runs an oil cooler and which type? Headered, plate type, tube and fin? Would you go with the same size as your tranny cooler or smaller because some heat is good. What size line do you use and are you running it straight to the cooler and back or with a thermostat inline?

08-30-2011, 12:05 AM	#2
Captainfab 60-66 Nut Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Posts: 23,246	Re: Oil Coolers Both vehicles my son has had a 406 in, he has run the factory engine oil cooler. The engine originally came out of a '79 K10. Have not had a single engine temp issue. __________________ Power Steering Box Adapter Plates For Sale HERE Power Brake Booster Adapter Brackets For Sale '63-'66 HERE and '67-'72 HERE and '60-'62 HERE and "60-'62 with clutch HERE Rear Disc Brake Brackets For Sale. Impala SS calipers HERE Camaro Calipers HERE D52 Calipers HERE 6 Lug HERE Hydroboost Mounting Plates HERE

08-30-2011, 09:18 AM	#3
Marv D Registered Truck Offender Join Date: May 2008 Location: hells training ground (aka Ariz) Posts: 3,118	Re: Oil Coolers Oil is the only coolant the crank, rods, pistons, cam, lifters, rockers and valve springs see at all! The factory oil cooling system is allowing the heat to radiate out through the pan. IMO the biggest mistake people make is assuming oil is only a lubricant. It's as much or more a coolant. Proof..... When you loose oil pressure what happens,,, bearings burn up! It blues up the metal surrounding the bearing shell. Yeah,, any help you give it in the way of adding additional oil capacity, a cooler, even remote dual filters all helps keeping oil temps down. One of the worst things I've seen for oil temps is the oil pan caked and crusted with heavy oil soaked mud. That makes a really good insulator to hold that oil heat in! As a racer most of us don't use a oil cooler. 1., the less external connections the less chance of a failure that could cause major disaster on the track (both in oil under the slicks and engine damage) and cause any restriction in flow. We take lots of care to feed this life blood to the criticle engine components. Second, were usually trying to get oil temps UP! The typical racer brings his car to the line as stone cold as he can. Goal is 160°+ oil temp, engine block temp less than 140° , and the radiator / underhood temps stone COLD. Nice goal if you could achieve it! Cold oil is BAD oil. Flow properties are terrible and it doesn't wash the heat away fast enough. As a FYI in a 600-800HP high rpm motor with a 6qt system I was seeing a 40° increase in oil temp in 9 seconds of mayhem running down the track. When I went to a 12 quart Gilbterson pan my oil temps only increased 10-15° during the pass. (Data logging is cool ) All that to say, there is good things and bad things about a oil cooler. In a stock application it offers some place for the oil to loose heat, and it adds additional capacity (about 2/3 quart for a typical GM factory cooler),,, it also offers another place for leaks / line failures. When your engine overheats, your oil overheats,, don't be so foolish to think it's not vice-versa also! __________________ Still playin with trucks, even at my age! When you're dead, it's only a problem for the people around you, because you don't know you're dead. .....It's kinda the same when your STUPID. I just did my taxes and reviewed my SS statement. Thanks to the current administration it looks like I will only have to work till noon on the day of my funeral. Last edited by Marv D; 08-30-2011 at 09:32 AM.

08-31-2011, 04:40 AM	#4
BigDan3131 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Maple Valley, WA Posts: 1,913	Re: Oil Coolers I know all to well about running cold as a former street racer [ I had to quit, too many kids saw me pull the wheels off the ground when I hooked hard at a stoplight. I left hard and he was still sitting at the light by the time I reached the other side] oh the good old days in Cali. Anyway I have a 7 quart oil pan low profile along with a 2 quart extra capacity trans pan. The tranny cooler has its own fan and I have another I can use with the oil cooler I will be buying. I tend to overbuild things to future proof myself, I have only a 435-450 hp small block but my fuel system can handle up to 1200 hp. Should I use -6 lines or -8? I think -8 would be better.



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