Engine oil cooler (LS1)

[savage1987]

Who makes a good setup for these?

I have never done one before so I don't really know what's involved when it comes to adapter plates, remote mounting oil filters and whether to use rubber or braided hose etc.

Any information appreciated. Please post photos if you have them as well, they'll be a big help!

Sam





note: I have been looking at this one for $850 but not sure if that's my best option, or if the lines will reach considering I bet it's designed for VT-Z ... http://www.ls1turbo.com.au/uk/cooling.html
http://www.ls1turbo.com.au/images/oilcoolerkit.jpg

[Scaf]

You could buy an oil cooler, remote mount plate, fittings and braided hose ALOT cheaper than $850!

Check out Jegs.com you could do it for $300 easyyy.

[stumps.]

Agreed, sandwhich plate, lines and cooler cheap as.

You will drop some oil pressure but will increase capacity.

What is making you decide you want this? Stock Cammed? ls1 probably would not warrant an engine oil cooler.

[Turbo2.6L]

You don't want to cool your oil too much as it will reduce it's lubricating properties once out of it's efficient temp range... So, how hot is your oil getting & does the car do alot of track work?
Also, $850 is steep for some china braid & a generic cooler/sandwick plate. Look at some online shops (local & international) for better pricing & quality gear if you must put one on. DO NOT USE RUBBER HOSE THOUGH!

[savage1987]

You could buy an oil cooler, remote mount plate, fittings and braided hose ALOT cheaper than $850!

Check out Jegs.com you could do it for $300 easyyy.
I was looking on jegs.com yesterday actually, and I figured as much. Just a matter of choosing parts properly.

Agreed, sandwhich plate, lines and cooler cheap as.

You will drop some oil pressure but will increase capacity.

What is making you decide you want this? Stock Cammed? ls1 probably would not warrant an engine oil cooler.
I will be chasing around the 500rwhp mark from the next lot of work, N/A. It's a peace of mind thing for me, I like fluid cooling.

You don't want to cool your oil too much as it will reduce it's lubricating properties once out of it's efficient temp range... So, how hot is your oil getting & does the car do alot of track work?
Also, $850 is steep for some china braid & a generic cooler/sandwich plate. Look at some online shops (local & international) for better pricing & quality gear if you must put one on. DO NOT USE RUBBER HOSE THOUGH!
OK, I was leaning toward braided anyway for something as vital as engine oil.

Usage: car is currently seeing daily duties, this may or may not change once the next round of engine work kicks off (cam, heads, nitrous). It does get flogged at the drag strip a fair bit, but the choice to run an oil cooler is more for bullet proofing / over engineering the setup for my own peace of mind, so I can happily thrash it on a burnout pad etc without fearing for its life :)

Because it's a daily, is it worth looking into an oil thermostat? How necessary are these things really, surely the oil will get up to temp again pretty quick once it gets into the galleries even once the cooler has dropped it by a few degrees...

[stumps.]

As discussed you will loose a bit of oil pressure regardless of pump by adding 5L+ into the system and "x" meters of extra hose.

One of the guys on ls1 who has a dediacted track car uses 12L of oil in his setup.

[Turbo2.6L]

Nitrous is not NA, just so you know ;)
For daily & dragstrip duties i wouldn't bother. Car will not overheat the oil unless you are using shit oil & thinking of running bigger cubes (read: bores) where the heat would increase exponentially.
If the car will be seeing the circuit it is probably a good investment as repeated abuse will see temps rise substantially, but without reading off an accurate Oil Temp guage & comparing reading to your oil's recommended temp range i wouldn't even be certain you'd need one in this instance...

[shane]

For the drags you wont need one and adding anything unnecessary that could be another source for a fluid leak is probably not a good idea.

[cplagz]

Get an inline thermostat whatever you do. There is no point in cooling oil when you can't get it up to temperature anyway.

[mitchy]

wont do shit in burnout comp's either.

[AGIT8D]

I will be chasing around the 500rwhp mark

KEC shut down bro!

[Turbo2.6L]

wont do shit in burnout comp's either.

^^THIS!
Unless you rig up some kind of thermo fan setup that you can wedge a bag of ice between it & the cooler. Don't think the officials would like it though...

[savage1987]

Thoughts right now: may not bother.

Although not very mobile in a burnout comp, the AU fans pull a SHITLOAD of air through as they turned out pretty well shrouded :P lucky..

The more I learn, the more I am inclined to leave this for now - at least until I pop a motor and build something with a bit of an overbore.

[cplagz]

Run an icebox cooler if you are that worried. Fill'er up with dry ice and do skids til your heart is content.

or a CO2 fogger.

[savage1987]

KEC shut down bro!
I don't get it.. you saying it's not an achievable figure? Really it's less about the number and more about the timeslips :) 500 is just where my stab in the dark says it'll end up.

Run an icebox cooler if you are that worried. Fill'er up with dry ice and do skids til your heart is content.

or a CO2 fogger.
toooooooooo keen

[AGIT8D]

I don't get it.. you saying it's not an achievable figure? Really it's less about the number and more about the timeslips :) 500 is just where my stab in the dark says it'll end up.


If we are talking about a Naturally Aspirated LS1 then yes, I'm saying it's not an achievable figure.. Not without a very deep wallet :)

But now I read you are talking about nitrous? Which is a form of artificial aspiration in a sense. ~500rwhp on an LS1 with nitrous is within range.

[Tre-Cool]

when my vy ute is back on the road i'll be running an oil cooler. but it will have a inline mocal thermostat on it.

until the oil gets upto temp it only allows a small amount of oil to circulate through the cooler so as not to "shock" the cooler once it opens.

[Turbo2.6L]

If we are talking about a Naturally Aspirated LS1 then yes, I'm saying it's not an achievable figure.. Not without a very deep wallet :)

But now I read you are talking about nitrous? Which is a form of artificial aspiration in a sense. ~500rwhp on an LS1 with nitrous is within range.

Easily acheivable. Head & cam LS1 with a well matched shot of gas will go high 500's. Already happened in WA & the car went 9.9X on stock bottom end LS1, then continued to run low 10's for a full season without breaking.
Pretty sure there's vids of it in the drag racing section on here... 'AGE01' Red VX Clubsport built/tuned by WA Perf.

[Brett_J]

If you're going to run that much HP then sure, it's a wise move, but like mentioned run an inline thermostat, once it's up to temp they are stupidly effective, you'll have bulk oil and proper cooling.
Stay away from backyard internet mechanics for advice, speak to those that do this shit for a living :)

[ryanr32]

Stay away from backyard internet mechanics for advice, speak to those that do this shit for a living :)

KEC did it for a living. Would you take there advice?

Think you might find there are a few more people here who have personal experience than half the shops

[Brett_J]

KEC did it for a living. Would you take there advice?

Think you might find there are a few more people here who have personal experience than half the shops

wow, really, because I've just joined up and don't know this...................

[savage1987]

If we are talking about a Naturally Aspirated LS1 then yes, I'm saying it's not an achievable figure.. Not without a very deep wallet :)

But now I read you are talking about nitrous? Which is a form of artificial aspiration in a sense. ~500rwhp on an LS1 with nitrous is within range.
I see :)

when my vy ute is back on the road i'll be running an oil cooler. but it will have a inline mocal thermostat on it.

until the oil gets upto temp it only allows a small amount of oil to circulate through the cooler so as not to "shock" the cooler once it opens.
May still end up doing this, we shall see what becomes available.

Easily acheivable. Head & cam LS1 with a well matched shot of gas will go high 500's. Already happened in WA & the car went 9.9X on stock bottom end LS1, then continued to run low 10's for a full season without breaking.
Pretty sure there's vids of it in the drag racing section on here... 'AGE01' Red VX Clubsport built/tuned by WA Perf.
Good to know!!

[AGIT8D]

Easily acheivable. Head & cam LS1 with a well matched shot of gas will go high 500's. Already happened in WA & the car went 9.9X on stock bottom end LS1, then continued to run low 10's for a full season without breaking.
Pretty sure there's vids of it in the drag racing section on here... 'AGE01' Red VX Clubsport built/tuned by WA Perf.

Yeah I know man, WAPERF!

I also stated above that 500 on the gas is within range. Age's nitrous setup was no basic plate kit, however. Haven't seen that car down the track since the 9 either, any idea where it is now days? Was one of the nicer presented late model cars down there.

[Turbo2.6L]

It's still around & will be out next season again i believe.