Where To Install Oil Cooler?

[Guest Zero-MN]

Hi all,

 

I'm at the point of installing the oil cooler in my friends Saab Turbo engined Zero and can't figure out where to put it.

 

It can't go in front of the rad as the intercooler will be there but there's tons of space in front of the engine, any suggestions on how to mount it to the chassis and at what angle for good airflow? I wasn't sure if it was a bad idea to drill holes in chassis tubes for mounts as its quite a highly stressed area.

 

Any ideas gratefully received!

Nick

Edited September 6, 2010 by Zero-MN

[Guest The Modfather]

For the best efficiency, the rad should be upright and in full face of the incoming air. If you already have an intercooler in the nose cone then there will be a problem with air flow already without putting another obstacle in the way.

So many people are posting that they have too much hot air under the bonnet, but this isn't a problem with air coming in, moreso that they cannot get the hot air out quick enough, which is holding up the cooler air coming in.

Perhaps a sideways mounting towards the bulkhead (the widest part of the engine bay) and an air duct going out might help you?

I suggest having a look at how race cars mount their rads in places other than the front, and use their experience and adapt it to suit your needs. I personally, if an oil cooler was necessary, would mount it down low near the bulkhead (where the air is cooler for a start) but on the side panel, with the leading edge of the cooler tight against the rails, and the trailing edge about 15-20 degs away from the frame rails, so that it is angled, and a cut out in the side body panel so that the air inside the engine bay can pass through the cooler and exit the car. I would also make it sit in a box so that the air can only exit the car.

 

Just something I threw together to try and show you what I mean:

[Shaft]

Hi Nick, another option, and i'm thinking the way i'll go post IVA, is to mount it up in the top of the nose cone just foward of where the bonnet fits. Mount at 45degs and fit a female scoop into the nose cone to feed it with air. By female scoop, i mean as opposed to a bulge.

This could then be tailored to fit perfectly the profile of the cooler.

HTH,

Nick.

[Guest robinj66]

Nick's setup sounds very similar to my S7.

 

The oil cooler came from a Rover (200/400 I think) and comes on a bracket at 45 degrees.

[Guest dinger]

There is lots of room behind the radiator, I'll dig out a pic of mine,

Make sure not to leave more than 10mm gap between radiator and oild cooler otherwise it will creat a pocket of very warm air between the two,

 

This is the only one I could find.

 

 

hope that helps

 

Dave

[Guest Zero-MN]

Cool thanks for the excellent replies all, I like the mounting at the top of the nose cone, the engine already sticks above the bonnet line a lot so making a bonnet 'male' bulge and a female vent may be problematic. Dinger's close-behind-the-rad could work for us, and I think we'll deffo do a vent like Daz suggested to extract the hot air, particularly from around the turbo.

 

cheers, and will post some pics when we get it all mounted.

[Guest mcramsay]

Sorry to bump this but do you need to fit an oil cooler for the standard 2.0 zetec? I mean will it be ok without?

[Guest mcramsay]

Sorry to bump this but do you need to fit an oil cooler for the standard 2.0 zetec? I mean will it be ok without?

[Guest dinger]

I heard you the first time Craig, lol

 

 

It all depends on what the car will be used for, if its track days then I'd say it is essential, if its the odd blast down the lanes then its not really needed, Zetecs like to run quite hot oil temps.

 

I fitted mine as I wanted a remote oil filter, Also I love the track days

[Longboarder]

I've done a good number of track days over the last four years with three different zetec engines in and never had a problem with overheating. True the latest engine has a water/oil cooler (because it came with it on) but the engines have never gone over 95 so I doubt the oil gets over 110. The only way to be sure would be to fit an accurate oil temperature gauge, read expensive. I am much more convinced that efficient water cooling of the engine with plenty in reserve is what's needed for a zetec or pinto. The oil will look after itself without a cooler. If you must, then make sure flow is thermostatically controlled or you will have rapid engine wear from overcooling the oil.

 

Very different in a turbo installation. I would try a Laminova oil cooler and get someone like allyfab to make a high efficiency ally water rad to fill the available space in the nose with the intercooler in front. Then really concentrate on getting the air out from under the bonnet.

 

Nigel

[agent_zed]

after looking at the Donkervoort in another thread you could do what they do and have it outboard thus removing the hot air in the engine bay problem. you can see it just behind the front suspension in a fibreglass housing.

 

 

piffered straight from their site http://www.donkervoort.nl/cars/d8.htm

 

hth