TT Oversteer

My car has the aftermarket Lemke Terbatrol oil cooler mounted in the right front fender well. While this looks like a nice mod, I'm not thrilled with its performance. My 3.2 is stock and when I drive in ambient temps above 90F my oil temp pushes up around 230; with the A/C running I've seen 240! This is too hot for my comfort level (and the engine's). The thermostat does open and I can hear oil circulating through the lines and cooler. It's quite noisy and sounds like there is cavitation in the cooler and lines. I've been told the Terbatrol is effective by one source and that it is a poor design by another because the large diameter of the lines slows down flow (which would explain the noise). The oil lines from the thermostat to the cooler are rubber covered with woven fabric which probably doesn't dissipate heat much. So here's some questions to ponder:

1) Is the Lemke Terbatrol cooler any good?

2) Is the stock 3.2 radiatior-style cooler and steel lines worth retrofitting to an older car at a cost of $1000 used or $1500 with the fan?

3) What's the best aftermarket cooler out there at a reasonable price?

4) Are the Elephant finned lines effective enough to justify their $700?

5) What are all of you using and are you happy with the cooling performance?

As always your opinions and observations are appreciated!

MUSSBERGER

My car came with a Carrera cooler on one side and a Mocal on the other. On the hottest days at Summit Point it will get to maybe 210 degrees. I can't tell you more than that.

Mark S in NM

The Lemke is a very good cooler, I have run one on my 73 longhood with a 3.2 since 1992 have run many track events and have never seen over 225 on 100 degree day's. You should NOT hear cavitation. A couple of questions,which side scavage or pressure is the cooler plumbed to? Porsche uses scavage side for fender coolers. What type of thermostat? it may be your thermostat is not opening all the way and if it has bypass maybe bypassing oil back to tank W/O getting to cooler. What size lines to and from cooler? Are there any openings in front of your car to let air pass over cooler? FYI radiator type coolers are not very efficient W/O air flow thats why they run fans with exception of eary cars like 69 911 S cars.
Coolers like yours are efficient W/O fans
because they are a radiator type,the many
fins on Lemke or the old factory type 28 tube type cooler radiate heat. Yes the fan equiped cooler is very good but you shoud not be having the problem if everything is working correctly.

dbryant61

Best 3.2 Carreras have a fan. Add a fan.

Crimson Nape Racing

I thought my 3.2 was running hot but it was the sender. the marks on the gauge are not accurate. I took out the sender, got a bunch of speaker wire to extend the leads, put the sender in boiling water in the kitchen (still hooked up with the long wires), turned on the ignition and marked the gauge glass with a thin strip of red tape. that mark will obviously be 212 degrees. my 212 degree mark was near the gauges 240 degree mark. it is good for the engine to get above 212 sometimes because it will boil off any condensation in the oil. there was also a mark on the inside edge of the gauge where the factory did the same thing (I found this out later), and it was right on with my mark. the factory mark may not exist on all years, and is nearly impossible to see. it is a straight "scratch" on the inside edge way thinner than a hair.

Mark S in NM

[QUOTE=TT It's quite noisy and sounds like there is cavitation in the cooler and lines. [/QUOTE/]

Folks, I think this is more of a problem than just adding a fan or new cooler. A closed loop oil system should not cavitate in the lines or cooler UNLESS there is a problem elsewhere.

JackOlsen

Early cars make lots of noise in the external loop. It's the low-pressure side of the system and it always has some air in it. Are the later cars different?

I have both a Carrera cooler and a Turbatrol, plumbed in series. A Turbatrol should be up to the job of cooling a 3.2. Have you checked both your external and internal thermostats?

Edward

I don't know that cooler, but DO know that my Carrera-type in my SC works superbly. My first thought is add the electric fan. Your 90 ambient temps isn't all that high; perhaps you're just not getting enough air through the cooler because you're not moving fast enough (is this in slow traffic?) A manually switched fan can fix that in a jiffy.

If that doesn't do it, try cutting the "unnoticible slot" under the bumper to aid airflow. Or the parking lamp air scoop avail at pelican. Also "seal" the underneath area with sheetmetal so that incoming air can exit only by passing through the cooler. If said cooler is truly a good design (as I said, I haven't a clue there), then improving airflow through it will definitely improve its performance.

Edward

TT Oversteer

So........it sounds like the consensus is that the Turbatrol is a good cooler. I have the Pelican air scoop in place and the car runs hot at freeway speeds not just in traffic so I don't think lack of airflow is the problem. The plumbing comes off the metal line that wraps around the rear of the 3.2 engine and into the thermostat (I assume this is the scavenge line). The thermostat itself is "H" shaped and says "Made in U.K." on it. The return line connects to the oil tank. I know the thermostat opens, at least partially, because the cooler becomes hot to the touch and I can hear the oil begin to circulate when it opens. Where is the internal thermostat and what is the accepted technique for testing both thermostats? It sounds like we may have narrowed it down to either a partially-open thermostat or maybe a bad oil temp sender giving innacurate readings?

jakeflyer

Easier to check the sender and the gauge first. The internal is on the back of the 2.7 and 3.0 (against the firewall. I have read you can lower the engine by taking the rear motor mount loose and lowering it a few inches with a floor jack. Check with boiling water is what I have used. 2 of 2 (over 100,000 mile engines) 911S were bad. The thermo is not that expensive to go ahead and replace it if it is out.

dbryant61

The thermostat is inside the right rear wheel-well. It opens at 195 deg. F, IIRC. Two hard lines to and from engine and two hard lines to and from front oil cooler. I have heard of lots of people with the 3.2 Carrera cooler + fan do fine in almost any temperature. What kind of condition is your engine in. Is it properly tuned? Could it be running lean?

Data point - I have a PowerHaus center mounted oil cooler in a front spoiler. Oil temp hit about 210 one time last August during a D.E. at VIR with ambient temp at 102. Unless it is realy hot, hauge goes up to top of the bottom box (195) and sits there.