WGO

Can an '08 (LS3) Z51 oil cooler be added to a non-Z51 LS3?

Is it just a matter of getting the cooler, lines and fittings for the LS3 block?

Has anybody already done this?

Thanks,
Bill

Miaugi

I can't say for sure for the LS3 but it was a simple install on the LS2 so I would bet the LS3 is the same.

The oil lines unit bolts right onto the block above the oil filter where there is a plate that comes off (two bolts) and the oil line bolts right up. The other end of the lines is a slip fit into the oil cooler.

All in all an easy install and well worth the effort, espicially if you track the car.

WGO

Thank you for your response.

I was thinking that the Z51 oil cooler should probably be a 'bolt-on' type of thing for the LS3 block also.

Hopefully some '08 owner has done it. I wanted a lot of the Z51 parts, but my desire for the F55 shocks kept me from ordering it.

Thanks again,
Bill

TR-6060

[QUOTE=WGO;1565692445]Thank you for your response.

I was thinking that the Z51 oil cooler should probably be a 'bolt-on' type of thing for the LS3 block also.

Hopefully some '08 owner has done it. I wanted a lot of the Z51 parts, but my desire for the F55 shocks kept me from ordering it.
/QUOTE]

If you're going to purchase the '08 Z51 external oil cooler, you may want to go for the significantly larger Z06 oil cooler instead:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2027306

455HOGT37

If the Z51 cooler is as worthless as most people say it is, why not have a cooler that actually works (Z06) for the same effort?

WGO

TR-6060 & 455HOGT37

Probably a better idea. Is it possible that the Z06 cooler could keep the oil temperature too low? Especially during short trips in winter? I think you do want oil temperature to get high enough to drive out condensation, right?

Miaugi

I think there is a simple (but effective) thermostat built into where the lines bolt to the block to prevent exactly what you are describing from happening.

Maybe someone else can chime in to confirm (or deny) this.

Gramps

I recently installed a 160 degree stat in a non-Z-51. I watched the oil temps on a highway cruise in high 70s ambient temps. Oil temps stayed in the 200 to 210 degree range where previously the oil temps in cruise mode ran 220-230. For a very nominal investment, plug in a 160 stat and then watch your oil temps and re-evaluate your need for an oil cooler. I am making the assumption that with the F55 suspension for which you opted, that you were not trying to create a track car.

WGO

I just did a 10 mile cruise on the highway at a nice steady 75 mph. Just to see what the oil temp stabilized at during easy driving. (And the Corvette wanted some exercise.) Ambient temperature was 78 and the oil temperature stabilized at 230. I consider that too high for such easy driving.

You are correct, my Corvette is not destined to be a track car, more of a good weather daily driver. I love the F55 because I can stiffen it up for the twisty turnies on occasion. And I've got the Z51 sway-bars ordered to help with that. Otherwise, I've got my very faithful 2000 Jeep Wrangler for the bad weather.

The Corvette will probably see the drag-strip once in a while and once the break-in period is up, be allowed to exercise more strenuously.

If oil temps hit 230 during easy driving, I don't want to push them any higher during more aggressive driving (in a safe situation) or when ambient temps approach 100.

I am also afraid that a 160 stat would be too low during winter. If I could find a 180 stat for an LS3, I'd do that in an instant. Sorry, but 160 seems like a little too radical from the original design. Bur then again, this is my first Corvette, so what do I know? Nothing. That is why I am here.

TR-6060

I just took a quick look in the 2008 service manuals and while they describe the replacement of the oil cooler line sets, I did not see mention of the thermostat in the block fitting. However, I would think that there would be one there as well.

TR-6060

Based on your experiment, I would guess that the remote cooler would bring down your oil temps considerably. My '08 MZ6 Z51 oil temps typically run 195F - 210F under a variety of cruise conditions. The highest that I can recall seeing even in stop and go driving was the low 220s. I have not tracked the car so I cannot provide road course oil temps.

Modshack

A 160 stat in an LS3 will put your stabilized temps at 180-185. Perfect.

danl72

And no need for a tune either.

FredSM

Same experience here. Problem is, get in the throttle a bit and oil temps can still climb into the 230+ range. On the track, 260-280 easily. I too am looking for an oil cooler solution that also includes a TStat.

FM

455HOGT37

According to the parts breakdown, the oil cooler lines include a bypass valve (PN#25014694). Since I'm sure GM expected at least one Z06 to be driven in cold weather, this valve must be thermostatic. I've not seen one myself, but I think I read on the forum that the Z51 cooler is routed through the engine radiator. If so, that explains why a thermostat is not required... The engine coolant regulates temperature .

Also, I have seen 230+ oil temps with easy driving... Too hot for my tastes.

WHT

As far as I know, the stock Z06 lines do not have a thermostat (they do control pressure drop which the aftermarket lines don't).

There was a thread in the Z06 Forum about the larger cooler causing too low oil temperature under some conditions. One of the members was concerned about the time required to bring his engine to operating temps and engine wear. His solution was to install a new radiator with engine oil cooling.


EDIT:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...oil+thermostat

"Many of us believe that running cold oil into the LS-7 is not a good thing...not a terrible thing but not good either. I have been trying to find a cost effective way to heat the oil up without losing oil or coolant cooling capacity. To this end I have been conducting experiments. I built a temperature probe that I could move around under the hood while monitoring inside the vehicle and started collecting data. I settled on the oil return line to the engine from the cooler as the point of most interest. I was hoping to find a radiator that does a good job of heating the oil on cold days while at the same time increasing oil cooling capacity under hard driving conditions...win-win.

To help with the measurement of internal radiator oil cooler efficiency, I left the stock Z06 oil cooler in place and hooked the radiator internal cooler in series with its output as the return to the engine. This gives me a larger delta T to work with.

I initially swapped a Z51 radiator into my Z06. It was the least expensive radiator with internal oil cooler that I could find that was also an easy instalation. While the temperature of the oil returning to the engine did get 20 degrees hotter with the Z51 radiator than prior to the swap, I was hoping for more. Prior to the swap, I was seeing 40 above ambient. I've seen 60 above ambient post swap. But on 60 degree mornings, I still see 120 degree oil returning to the engine after 45 minutes of driving. 120 degree oil is too viscous. Oil pressure is high and flow is low. The efficiency of the Z51 radiator internal oil cooler was 20% or so. It's a three plate design made of stainless steel. Stainless is a poor heat conductor."

455HOGT37

If the ZO6 has no provision for thermostatic oil temperature control, what does the owners manual say is the appropriate measure to take for winter driving? I guess one could go "old school" and winterize the car every season with a simple restrictor plate that blocks most of the fins. This is frequently done on aircraft to ensure the oil stays warm enough in the winter. In any case, oil "too cold" is a lot easier problem to solve than oil "too hot"...

WGO

I think the root of the problem is that GM gave us a way to see what our oil temperatures were doing.

Now that we see how high they get, we have an itch we have to scratch.

I didn't have an oil temperature gauge in my 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra (sorry for swearing here). Even when I ran it hard, I never gave a thought to oil temperature. It was enough just to see water temperature not rise much above normal.

But now the itch is there and it is obvious several others have it also.

I am about to approach several companies about designing one. If I invest in the cost of research and development, do you think there would be enough market to make it worthwhile?

scottycards

I installed the Z06 oil cooler on my 2006 A6 non-Z51. Oil temps run right around 198* in city driving, and when I get on it, they will get to 220* or so.

Really hammering it, maybe I see 230-240*, never seen higher.

No t-stat on the lines. Temps in winter are cool here in CO- takes almost 10 miles to get to 160* on a 32* ambient day. To avoid condensation durning winter, just get into the throttle hard a few times once you reach 160*, and you'll be up there where condensation won't be a concern.

Good luck- I'm very happy with my Z06 cooler. I did a write up on it, so search is your friend.

455HOGT37

Following Scotty's lead, the Z06 oil cooler system is installed on my base model (LS3, non-Z51) 08 coupe and initial tests are very favorable. I drove it 70 miles on the freeway (and a little in-town), and where I would have expected 230, I saw 190. I did get the opportunity to hammer it (a little), but the temp never went over 199 the whole trip. It's obviously a very effective way to keep the oil temp under control. Since I have a huge ambient temperature swing from season to season (up to 100 degrees), I'll likely have to block part of the oil cooler when winter hits, but this will be easy to do at the winter oil change.