Oil coolers
#1
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Since this discussion board is dedicated to the racers, i figured i'd ask this question here since you guys should know plenty about this. What fender mounted oil cooler do you guys recommend? Pelican has a sale on carrera oil cooler kits to convert sc's like mine to carrera coolers for 650. But i don't know if it's as good as the elephant racing wide mouth fender oil cooler. Since you guys use them on the track, what's your take on all this? (Other oil cooler suggestions from different venders are welcomed too)
#3
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Hey Fast;
I honestly don't know from experience how efficient a fenderwell cooler is, but I do know that a fender well is one of the worst spots on a car aerodynamically. Lots of air gets in, but not a lot gets out. Therfore, this does not make it the greatest place for a cooler.
It is a common place for 911s because there really IS no good place! The best place is in a low front spoiler position, and even that is less than optimal because of the 911s low, square front tub. If you have AC it is even more of a problem.
![](http://redlinerennsport.homestead.com/OilCoolerFinal.jpg)
Before I spent $650 I'd sure want to know how many degrees I was likely to gain. Sounds like a lot of $$$ to me. If it didn't give me 40-50 degrees, I'd say it was a waste.
What temps are you seeing anyway?
I honestly don't know from experience how efficient a fenderwell cooler is, but I do know that a fender well is one of the worst spots on a car aerodynamically. Lots of air gets in, but not a lot gets out. Therfore, this does not make it the greatest place for a cooler.
It is a common place for 911s because there really IS no good place! The best place is in a low front spoiler position, and even that is less than optimal because of the 911s low, square front tub. If you have AC it is even more of a problem.
![](http://redlinerennsport.homestead.com/OilCoolerFinal.jpg)
Before I spent $650 I'd sure want to know how many degrees I was likely to gain. Sounds like a lot of $$$ to me. If it didn't give me 40-50 degrees, I'd say it was a waste.
What temps are you seeing anyway?
#4
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John is of course correct and that was my personal choice as well
But the B&B fender mount has been shown to work fine on an ACed 3.6 transplant in Az. track use will of course place different demands on the coolers.
For my stock 3 liter Carrera, a large fender mount was more than adequate even on hot track days.
![](http://www.owners-gallery.com/uploads/Ruf_Oil_cooler_small100.jpg)
But the B&B fender mount has been shown to work fine on an ACed 3.6 transplant in Az. track use will of course place different demands on the coolers.
For my stock 3 liter Carrera, a large fender mount was more than adequate even on hot track days.
#5
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FWIW, on my SC, I started out with a Earl's cooler in place of the loop cooler, which helped but didn't provide enough cooling. Added a fan, which helped more, but still not enough. Ended up with a front valance cooler, as shown above. In my case I added a RUF front valance with RUF cooler, which worked very well.
I've seen some fender mounted coolers where the owners did what Porsche did, which is provide a shield around the cooler, to force the air to flow through the cooler (also doubles as a stone shield). I've also seen where people have shaped aluminum to channel air from the fog light opening and route it directly to the fender cooler.
And -16an lines.
I've seen some fender mounted coolers where the owners did what Porsche did, which is provide a shield around the cooler, to force the air to flow through the cooler (also doubles as a stone shield). I've also seen where people have shaped aluminum to channel air from the fog light opening and route it directly to the fender cooler.
And -16an lines.
Last edited by Bill Gregory; 02-29-2004 at 10:39 AM.
#6
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Here's a setup with two coolers, one in each fender (a Carrera cooler and a Turbatrol), with the battery boxes removed, aluminum ducting around and underneath the coolers, a fan on one side, grilled openings in the foglight areas, and the backs of the headlight buckets opened up so that grilles can be substituted for the headlights on triple-digit track days.
![](https://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/image_uploads/Coolface.jpg)
In my case, I simply didn't like the look of the front-bumper cooler. The price of my particular streak of vanity is pretty high, though -- a bumper-mounted cooler is certainly the best solution, from a simplicity and dollars point of view, especially for the track. But this setup works for a 3.6, even on very hot southern-California days.
![](https://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/image_uploads/Coolface.jpg)
In my case, I simply didn't like the look of the front-bumper cooler. The price of my particular streak of vanity is pretty high, though -- a bumper-mounted cooler is certainly the best solution, from a simplicity and dollars point of view, especially for the track. But this setup works for a 3.6, even on very hot southern-California days.
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Hey Guys;
One thing I might add is that you have to be careful using multiple coolers. You MUST pay attention to the line sizing, as you stand to create a restriction with multiple assmeblies. I know someone who lost a $50k GT3 3.4 engine because of this. You can get by with -12 lines in lower stress situations, but you really should be using -16.
The car pictured (modified 930S) saw a 45 degree temp drop from 250+ to 200-210 with the setup I built.
![](http://redlinerennsport.homestead.com/files/coolerairpath.jpg)
One thing I might add is that you have to be careful using multiple coolers. You MUST pay attention to the line sizing, as you stand to create a restriction with multiple assmeblies. I know someone who lost a $50k GT3 3.4 engine because of this. You can get by with -12 lines in lower stress situations, but you really should be using -16.
The car pictured (modified 930S) saw a 45 degree temp drop from 250+ to 200-210 with the setup I built.
![](http://redlinerennsport.homestead.com/files/coolerairpath.jpg)
![](http://redlinerennsport.homestead.com/files/coolerframesheeted.jpg)
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#9
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FWIW I have a MazdaSpeed Motorsports (fomerly MazdaComp) cooler up front in my 914-6 conversion. The cooler measures approx. 22" x 7" x 2 1/2" and is enclosed in custom aluminm shrouding with a 32" x 7" intake in the bumper/spoiler area. AN-12 braided lines and Troutman thermostat.
Since this setup was installed...I can't get the car much over 200° no matter what I do. It's almost "overcooled" as I have to block off the cooler intake in anything but extreme conditions -- which we do have here in the summer, i.e., 105+ F ambient temps at our local tracks.
Oil cooling, pumping and filtering is not an area to skimp, even if you "only" run a 2.2 like I do at the moment...
Since this setup was installed...I can't get the car much over 200° no matter what I do. It's almost "overcooled" as I have to block off the cooler intake in anything but extreme conditions -- which we do have here in the summer, i.e., 105+ F ambient temps at our local tracks.
Oil cooling, pumping and filtering is not an area to skimp, even if you "only" run a 2.2 like I do at the moment...