Author Topic: high performance oil cooler. Where to set? (Read 3223 times)

haybayian · « **on:** February 02, 2008, 08:19:35 am »

I am about to buy an air cooled oil cooler for my AAZ. In your opinion where should I plumb it?

Thanks.
Haybayian

the caveman · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2008, 08:41:37 am »

the easy way would be to get one of those adaptor plates that go between the oil filter housing and oil filter. if you have the oem vw oil cooler also you may not have enough room after to remove the oil filter when it's time so check/ decide which. if the new cooler is large enough you can ditch the oem one

g-spec · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2008, 11:17:56 am »

I would ditch the oem one...but make sure you get a thermostatic plate adapter. I used an auto tranny cooler on my corrado it worked awesome!

haybayian · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2008, 12:24:47 pm »

Quote from: "g-spec"

I would ditch the oem one...but make sure you get a thermostatic plate adapter. I used an auto tranny cooler on my corrado it worked awesome!

What is a "thermostatic plate adapter", where does it go? where do you find one.
Thanks.
Haybayian

g-spec · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2008, 12:36:52 pm »

It's the plate that replaces the oem oil cooler and it has a spring in it to open at a certain temp. It comes with oil cooler kits, or you can buy it seperatley.
I dont know how to explain it better....if someone could give a better explanation that would be great!
cheers, Mike

Vanagoner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2008, 01:03:35 pm »

I need to learn more about these too. An additional question- I'd like to move the oil filter to a different location to make room for something else there. What do I need to accomplish this?

jimfoo · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2008, 01:06:54 pm »

Most auto parts stores will have remote filter adapters. With my remote adapter and my remote cooler, I had to keep the stock cooler, but in a different location(where my filter ended up being) to be able to screw it all together. My oil cooler came with the thermostatic adapter.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2008, 03:44:10 pm »

The sandwich plate looks like this:

http://www.thinkauto.com/kitcolor.htm

It "sandwiches" in between the oil filter and the filter flange... in the same manner as your current oil cooler does, and has a thermostat so that oil is not diverted to the cooler until needed.

Some people ditch the original water-oil cooler and install a new sandwich plate which then plumbs to an air-oil rad like you are planning to install.

Others figure out a different way to plumb in an axillary oil cooler, reasoning that the stock one actually has the advantage of heating up the oil quicker (since coolant temperature rises much faster than oil temperature).

jtanguay · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2008, 04:14:16 pm »

i wonder if it would be easy to construct some sort of wind flap mechanism that automatically opened when oil reached a certain temp. the flap would allow air to flow over the exchanger and cool it, but stay closed in winter to keep it warm. apparently those thermostatic sandwich plates don't block off all oil flow to the cooler...

g-spec · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2008, 05:47:50 pm »

You could do something like that using a temp sensor and a motor from a car with flip up headlights! Once temp would be reached the switch would send a signal and open the flap (or scoop) and if the temp dropped it would close.....
thats actually a good idea!!!

jtanguay · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2008, 06:49:59 pm »

Quote from: "g-spec"

You could do something like that using a temp sensor and a motor from a car with flip up headlights! Once temp would be reached the switch would send a signal and open the flap (or scoop) and if the temp dropped it would close.....
thats actually a good idea!!!

yea because i've heard of people's oil temps getting too low with external oil coolers. if i were to go that route i'd like to keep the stock heat exchanger to balance out the fluid temps.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2008, 07:14:14 pm »

With the right sandwich plate there's no reason for flaps, temperature sensors etc... the plate only routes oil to the cooler when cooling is required.

The el-cheapo sandwich plates (as found on eBay for example) generally don't have a thermostat... the good ones (including those found on older turbo Volvo engines which bolt right on to our engines) do.

jtanguay · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2008, 08:15:01 pm »

Quote from: "Vincent Waldon"

With the right sandwich plate there's no reason for flaps, temperature sensors etc... the plate only routes oil to the cooler when cooling is required.

The el-cheapo sandwich plates (as found on eBay for example) generally don't have a thermostat... the good ones (including those found on older turbo Volvo engines which bolt right on to our engines) do.

but do they restrict oil flow 100% when cold??? i thought they leaked a bit of oil