Phil Silano

I recently installed a nice, new all aluminum radiator from 928 Int'l that has both transmission and engine oil coolers in my 1983. The old radiator only had the transmission cooler.

My car does not have the three parts that make up the oil thermostat. At least I think it is only three parts based on my reading of the manual.

The question: What happens if I hook up the engine oil cooler without those parts? Does all oil go through the cooler all the time? Am I putting the car at risk of not having oil pressure properly distributed? Without a detailed flow diagram I'm leery of making changes ***** nilly.

I'm living in Las Cruces, NM, so at altitude all the time, high temp most of the time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ducman82

Have you taken apart the oil sender/housing to see that you are in fact missing them? My old 4.5 had the temp stuff but no cooler lines. I have been running my hybrid 16v with no issues with the thermo installed without a cooler. Now I just did what you did, get the new intl radiator and I hooked up lines. All is well

Phil Silano

I'm certain, had that section apart a few months ago to fix an oil leak.

GregBBRD

While I'm not certain of what happens without the thermostat being present, the thermostat does have holes in it to correctly direct the oil flow.

The plugs in the block currently dead head the flow. I'd need to go study the oil flow to see what would happen if you were to hook the two plugged holes together, without the thermostat/flow director, which is essentially what you would be doing by adding a cooler.

However, I can't help but wonder, why anyone would even try to do this....why not just get the $25 worth of used parts and do it correctly?

Phil Silano

I do plan on getting the parts. Was just wondering if I could hook up the cooler in the interim while they are on the way.

PorKen

You can hook the cooler up w/o the t-stat - it just won't do much.

The oil t-stat closes a bypass passage as it warms. The hole for the t-stat becomes a larger bypass if missing.

Phil Silano

Very good, thank you for that info. I'll postpone the job until next weekend and do it all at the same time.

SMTCapeCod

Good thread, real car information.

Mrmerlin

NOTE when you fit the couplers that screw into the block for the cooler lines,
it would be a good idea to green loctite them,
use fresh sealing washers ,
and always counter hold the fittings while tightening / loosening the cooler B nuts
NOTE add a dab of antiseize to the threads and the rear face of the sealing bulbs on the lines so the B nuts wont seize

Phil Silano

Started the job this morning. Something is not quite right.

Are these the wrong parts or is the car not configured for this application?

PorKen

Phil Silano

Thought so, thanks.

Ducman82

The little Pistons and springs go behind the top two (above oil cooler lines) fittings.