Oil cooler and line recommendations

[Flash68]

I'm not an expert by any means...

I don't think it matters which way you mount the cooler as long as the mounting is secure.

IMO push lock hose shouldn't be used in a high temp application. The hose may be rated for temps above what the oil temp will reach, but when I assemble push lock type hose I use my heat gun to warm the hose so it will strech over the barbs easier during assembly. That makes me think if the hose heats up enough during use it's possible that it could come off the fitting... and that would suck.

Good points Herb. Thank you.

As I'm here at my bench playing with fittings and plates.....

I think black braided or any quality line would be fine assuming good materials, good inside diameter, etc. Nothing magic about steel braided, and we're talking about relatively low pressure all things considered. Making sure the connections are secure, like Herb says, is critical.

I'll leave the other question for more experienced folks. I have heard one thing about somehow aligning the cooler rows in the same fashion as the rad, which may or may not be vertical, etc. This is to maintain max possible air volume through both elements to maximize thermal conductivity. I don't know how much there is to that.

The aligning of the rows does make sense I guess... and I just think it looks better that way.

[Twentyover]

... I have heard one thing about somehow aligning the cooler rows in the same fashion as the rad, which may or may not be vertical, etc. This is to maintain max possible air volume through both elements to maximize thermal conductivity. I don't know how much there is to that.

Remembering that the air center fins have louvres in them to assure flow is in the turbulent regime-
If the cooler is stacked close in front of the radiator, I would suggest that the criss-cross pattern formed by the tubes would cause some airflow blockage, except...

If the tube pitches differ in the oil cooler and radiator, the oil cooler tubes will block the air centers and the rad tubes will block the rear of the oil cooler tubes.

So it's kind of a push. Adding distance between the cooler and the rad/condenser, or placing the cooler alongside mitigates the problem.

When I say tubes, I am refering to the tubes formed by the plate laminations shown in Pozzi's image. This style of heat exchanger is refered to as a laminated plate fin type. Sorry I'm being anal, but a tube is not necessarily a round thing

[sik68]

Here is what I did. Stacked heat exchangers are pretty common everywhere so I did it too. There is about 1" between radiator and oil cooler. The radiator fans may also help draw air through the oil cooler:

Also, I am debating whether to turn the cooler over, mounting it upside down to make oil changes easier.

[wmhjr]

Posted my update on the thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...664#post825664 with some pics of the oil cooler/thermostat

[wmhjr]

So far new setup working as designed. No real testing other than test firing but so far so good!

[jtwoods4]

Hey wmhjr

Great thread! I also have a Pontiac in my 1970 Trans Am road race car and I need to install an oil cooler setup. Quick question.... I am running the 10AN braided lines from my canton block adapter plate to my remote oil filter, canton oil thermostat, and oil cooler. There is no room in my car to mount all this stuff close to the block adapter plate. I am going to have to mount everything up near the radiator. Probably filter and thermostat will mount behind the passenger headlight and cooler will mount in front of radiator.

I have an 80 pound melling oil pump so I have strong pressure without the oil cooling system. I just wanted to make sure that mounting all this equipment that far from the block adapter would be ok. If I mount the cooler in front of the radiator the oil will have to travel all the way to the front of the car then back to the rear of the block. Do you see a problem with this?

John

[71RS/SS396]

Hey wmhjr

Great thread! I also have a Pontiac in my 1970 Trans Am road race car and I need to install an oil cooler setup. Quick question.... I am running the 10AN braided lines from my canton block adapter plate to my remote oil filter, canton oil thermostat, and oil cooler. There is no room in my car to mount all this stuff close to the block adapter plate. I am going to have to mount everything up near the radiator. Probably filter and thermostat will mount behind the passenger headlight and cooler will mount in front of radiator.

I have an 80 pound melling oil pump so I have strong pressure without the oil cooling system. I just wanted to make sure that mounting all this equipment that far from the block adapter would be ok. If I mount the cooler in front of the radiator the oil will have to travel all the way to the front of the car then back to the rear of the block. Do you see a problem with this?



John

Use -12 lines, it will reduce the loss from going a longer distance.