Oil Cooler recommendation

[euGeR]

On a stock DC2R engine (I have other mods), I find a 10Row reasonable. It seems reasonable for about 5 hard laps at wakefield.

What is reasonable?
- 110 degrees (between 5-8 laps it starts to get to 120 degrees)

I run the GREDDY or Trust 10Row for DC2 with -10AN oil lines. Personally, I'm not sure whether that larger is better - it doesnt seem to make much difference in the cooling or oil temps for the short term. I think most guys, no matter what size will get to about this temp.

I got my oil cooler on special =) so if I were to purchase one here, I'd go the EARLS - and use a 16 or 19 row depending on my plans for the engine.

To get below the 110 temp, I think you need a full cooling solution - which gets on the serious side
Radiators
Aluminium baffled sump
Gearbox oil cooler
BIG FANS
Big Airflow (may be use some aero dynamic kit to run air past the cooler).

In the end, any oil cooler should be better than no oil cooler!

[vtml]

Remeber, it's not just the number of rows, it's also the size of the oil cooler core.

[Noel]

Just on core selection without considering the rest of the key variables, one very important factor hasn't even been mentioned. Here; Track User - 10/12 row recommendation. Street User - 16 row recommendation. I know where the correct answer is, but I know plenty of others don't. See the merits and points raised? Technical advise is more applicable on proven results, not trial and error.

[freakie]

ive run 10 rows for 2 years and then i tested the oil temps and showed about 120degs (approx) after 3 hard laps at winton raceway. I spoke to my tuner and then upgraded to an earls 19 row, dropped the temps down to 110degs (approx).

However, my tuner doesnt agree that 110 is going to make my engine last X amount of years longer than say 120. Hard to say without conclusive evidence on this, but his own personal car a build dc2 running a mugen b20a only runs 19 rows, and that is a dedicated track car that does much more than our sprint sessions of 5 or so laps per session.

Take into consideration ambient temps, oil cooler placement, line length and width, type of lines, oil pump pressure, engine max rpms, percentage of throttle, this is what he said is necessary in determining the oil cooler choice.

[e240]

Where are you guys meausring the temps from?
Sump?
After Oil cooler, before engine?
Before Oil cooler, after sump?

[tinkerbell]

i measure my temps from the sump.

[vtml]

Sump for me as well.

[tinkerbell]

Just on core selection without considering the rest of the key variables, one very important factor hasn't even been mentioned. Here; Track User - 10/12 row recommendation. Street User - 16 row recommendation. I know where the correct answer is, but I know plenty of others don't. See the merits and points raised? Technical advise is more applicable on proven results, not trial and error.

can you technically advise under what circumstances oil cooler size will negatively affect performance please?

[freakie]

Tinker, oil pressure fluctuation and colder running engine (not in operating temps)

[tinkerbell]

huh?

pretend i am dumb, can you explain "oil pressure fluctuation and colder running engine"

and i mean just on-track, not on-road...

[freakie]

pretend? i kid

well on track I dont know about colder running, thats more for street

I've seen oil pressure move abit since I went to 19 rows, on large movemements, the power delivery isnt smooth.

[tinkerbell]

so oil pressure "fluctates" more?

strange, i found that after my oil cooler was installed, the max pressure dropped from 80PSI to abt 75PSI at over 3000rpm and MIN pressure increased to around 25PSI at idle compared to 15PSI and was smoothed out...

then i installed a K20A oil filter instead of the Z79A and the oil pressure went back to almost 80 above 3000rpm and the oil pressure droped less when VTEC kicked in too...

i have not ever noticed a correllation between oil pressure and "power delivery"? can you expalin further?

[freakie]

thats what i found in my car, it moved around more on the gauge, mine fluctuates from 75 and went sometimes to roughly 85.

The only time i felt the power loss was when i saw the needle drop below 75, trying to power out of a corner and felt like the car had a "bog" like as if you have a fuel starvation (but it clearly was not, the autronic log showed the a/fs etc perfect)

[tinkerbell]

The only time i felt the power loss was when i saw the needle drop below 75, trying to power out of a corner and felt like the car had a "bog" like as if you have a fuel starvation (but it clearly was not, the autronic log showed the a/fs etc perfect)

was this whilst in VTEC?

EDIT - VTEC can drop out if oil pressure drops rapidly, a baffled sump can assist in preventing this...

[freakie]

Yup I was in the higher rpm when this happened, the Autronic said 7,200 rpms, but it also said I was in high cam all the time that pulse happened.

I have a baffled sump and oil level was normal, the only thing we can think of was the the pressure drop in oil caused it. It was definately engine related, but was not the ignition or fueling. Engine still runs perfect, but it hasnt happened since so I cant say 100% sure