Adding a second oil cooler

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alltrac4life

New member
Im going to cut the oil line that feeds the turbo and run a cooler to the front of the radiator and then back to the turbo for extra cooling and to keep the oil pressure up (it will be cooler, so it wont thin out as much). Just wanted to see if anyone has done this. I'll let you guys know how it go's. It wont be for a while cause im in the middle of a rebuild and i have to tune my ems and break in the motor.
 
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Mad1

New member
I have not quite done that but I have added a oil relocation kit which moves my filter which I mounted behind my bumper which probably now acts as an oil cooler and since the filter is away from my down pipe and turbo better still.
 
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gearhead313

New member
I think its a great idea. It will help cool the turbo and save the bushings in it. Something i'll be doing when mines torn apart.
 
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Conrad_Turbo

New member
The oil cooler will have a pressure drop across it, it all depends on the type of cooler and it's size. But cooling the oil will increase the viscosity and the pressure...so it might not necessarily increase your oil pressure (not always the best thing) to the turbo.
 
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alltrac4life

New member
Mostly i just want to be able to cool my oil off if i had just raced and then i can drive around without boosting and cool the oil off. Its impossible without the extra cooler. Thats how my friends mkIII supra turbo works, cause he has a oil cooler at the front of the car, and a oil temp guage. You can watch the oil temp fall as you cruse around.
 
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Wreckless

New member
alltrac4life":18j1bv3k said:
Mostly i just want to be able to cool my oil off if i had just raced and then i can drive around without boosting and cool the oil off. Its impossible without the extra cooler. Thats how my friends mkIII supra turbo works, cause he has a oil cooler at the front of the car, and a oil temp guage. You can watch the oil temp fall as you cruse around.
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MK3's have a oil pressure gauge stock, and the stock oil cooler is next to worthless. Its better than nothing though.

For an oil cooler upgrade, I'd be hesistant to mess with the feed line to the turbo. If anything, integrate the cooler into the oil return line to cool down the super hot oil coming out of the turbo, but you'd have to be careful that the oil cooler didn't restrict it, as turbos hate working when the oil in the return line gets backed up for whatever reason.
I personally think Oil filter relocation kits are perfect to integrate an oil cooler however. An oil temp guage wouldn't be a bad idea either, so you could make sure you actually need to cool the oil down. Oil that is too cold hates lubricating just like too hot oil does.
 
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alltrac4life

New member
I dont think cooling the oil too much will be an issue. The cooler the oil is going into the turbo will have an effect of how hot it will be when it comes out. It could also help keep the turbo bearings cool and prevent them from scortching, which i had happen to me. I was able to get it fixed because it was only a very mild amount of scortching.
 
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sardgt4

New member
I have a small Earls oil cooler mounted on my st185. Never got around to plumbing it though. What do you guys think is better to use -6 or -8 hoses? One thing I must suggest is that for the oil filter relocater kit DO NOT USE the rubber hoses that come with it. Mine got a little too friendly with the ex manifold and burst. Long story short it caught on fire. It happend in front of pep boys. Luckily I got the fire stopped before any damage was done. I got too hasty and wanted to get it working before I could afford the Steel hoses$$$.

John So 92 st185
03 g35 coupe
 
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Conrad_Turbo

New member
alltrac4life":1jpvuyvt said:
I dont think cooling the oil too much will be an issue. The cooler the oil is going into the turbo will have an effect of how hot it will be when it comes out. It could also help keep the turbo bearings cool and prevent them from scortching, which i had happen to me. I was able to get it fixed because it was only a very mild amount of scortching.
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Scorching only really happens when there is no oil flow, if the oil is constatnly circulating there should be no reason for it to scorch. Motor oil has an optimum temperature and having it too cool will not be a good idea (as Wreckless stated)...

Unless you are running extreme amounts of power and needing to run an aftermarket radiator to keep the engine cool, then it'd be a good idea to upgrade and have an aftermarket oil cooler, but till then I wouldn't think it'd be the best idea.
 
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gearhead313

New member
I dont understand how not adding an oil cooler on a turbo car could be bad. If you are going to worry about the viscosity of the oil, then run a straight 30 or 50w oil. That is why when you look at oil, turbo cars sometimes have something to do with the label or what not. The extreme heat won't hinder viscosity.

With that said, running a 50w oil with a cooler would be the best way to cool the oil. Trust me, you wont get feed oil "too cool" with an oil cooler.
 
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alltrac4life

New member
Conrad_Turbo":2svf7mf0 said:
alltrac4life":2svf7mf0 said:
I dont think cooling the oil too much will be an issue. The cooler the oil is going into the turbo will have an effect of how hot it will be when it comes out. It could also help keep the turbo bearings cool and prevent them from scortching, which i had happen to me. I was able to get it fixed because it was only a very mild amount of scortching.
Click to expand...

Scorching only really happens when there is no oil flow, if the oil is constatnly circulating there should be no reason for it to scorch. Motor oil has an optimum temperature and having it too cool will not be a good idea (as Wreckless stated)...

Unless you are running extreme amounts of power and needing to run an aftermarket radiator to keep the engine cool, then it'd be a good idea to upgrade and have an aftermarket oil cooler, but till then I wouldn't think it'd be the best idea.
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Even with the oil going through the turbo it still will scortch the bearings
I raced up a steap hill and got out of my car and the turbo and manifold were glowing orange, thats how you scortch your bearings.
 
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alltracman78

Active member
alltrac4life":2vk97r7v said:
Conrad_Turbo":2vk97r7v said:
alltrac4life":2vk97r7v said:
I dont think cooling the oil too much will be an issue. The cooler the oil is going into the turbo will have an effect of how hot it will be when it comes out. It could also help keep the turbo bearings cool and prevent them from scortching, which i had happen to me. I was able to get it fixed because it was only a very mild amount of scortching.
Click to expand...

Scorching only really happens when there is no oil flow, if the oil is constatnly circulating there should be no reason for it to scorch. Motor oil has an optimum temperature and having it too cool will not be a good idea (as Wreckless stated)...

Unless you are running extreme amounts of power and needing to run an aftermarket radiator to keep the engine cool, then it'd be a good idea to upgrade and have an aftermarket oil cooler, but till then I wouldn't think it'd be the best idea.
Click to expand...

Even with the oil going through the turbo it still will scortch the bearings
I raced up a steap hill and got out of my car and the turbo and manifold were glowing orange, thats how you scortch your bearings.
Click to expand...

Turbo/manifold is ALWAYS red hot after a hard run. EVERY TIME I drive home it gets that way. 25? times. That's totally normal.
 
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alltracman78

Active member
I (personally) don't think a second one is necessary. I highly doubt it will hurt the car, but it does add more complexity. If you're not satisfied with the stock one, improve it.
Just my 2C
 
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