TPIS Oil Cooler Install Review
04-14-2007, 05:46 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TPIS Oil Cooler Install Review
I just got done installing a TPIS oil cooler on my 02Z06. All of the following is included in the box from TPIS:
Earl's Oil Cooler - The core is 5.5"x11.5"x2" - 10 adaptors
Oil Cooler Mounting Bracket - Made from Aluminum
Oil Cooler Adaptor - Aluminum
Adaptors to go from the Adaptor to AN Lines - Steel - Made by Eaton
-10 AN Braided Lines - 1 approx 6', 1 approx 5', Aeroquip 90 degree fittings installed on both ends, one end of each is a swivel fitting
GM Gasket for oil cooler adaptor
Bolts for mounting oil cooler bracket to car
There are no instructions, so you have to make your own assumptions on line locations, and the cooler mounting. Fittings on the adaptor and the oil cooler need to be installed/tightened before you install (they did not do them before shipping to the customer).
All in all the install went pretty well, the lines took a little while to figure out how they would run, ultimately I went from the oil cooler adaptor between the motor mount and block, between the rack and the engine cradle, up under the fans on the drivers side, then to the cooler itself. I did have to notch the corner of the air dam a little to give the lines some space and still allow the air dam to twist on the mounts.
The mounting bracket requires drilling 3 holes for mounting on the little brace that holds the air dam in place (this was a little bit of a pain due to not having a small drill to drill the holes with).
I have LG Longtubes on the car and have a ton of room between the adaptor/lines and the headers.
I made a little cover to go over the cooler when I'm not on track to help the oil temps warm up a little faster (I don't have a oil temp thermostat). Just need a couple of bolts to bolt it in to place. Should work out pretty well.
All in all, so far I'm satisfied with the kit being it was $499. I have a track day next weekend, so hopefully I'll have some good results to report after the weekend.
Looking at prices on things, you could probably piece the same kit together for around $400 or so not including making the mounting bracket. So you're paying around $100 to have the bracket made for you, and the ends placed on the braided lines.
For a couple of pictures of the install, go here...
http://www.casadenico.com/gallery/ma...2_itemId=11466
Earl's Oil Cooler - The core is 5.5"x11.5"x2" - 10 adaptors
Oil Cooler Mounting Bracket - Made from Aluminum
Oil Cooler Adaptor - Aluminum
Adaptors to go from the Adaptor to AN Lines - Steel - Made by Eaton
-10 AN Braided Lines - 1 approx 6', 1 approx 5', Aeroquip 90 degree fittings installed on both ends, one end of each is a swivel fitting
GM Gasket for oil cooler adaptor
Bolts for mounting oil cooler bracket to car
There are no instructions, so you have to make your own assumptions on line locations, and the cooler mounting. Fittings on the adaptor and the oil cooler need to be installed/tightened before you install (they did not do them before shipping to the customer).
All in all the install went pretty well, the lines took a little while to figure out how they would run, ultimately I went from the oil cooler adaptor between the motor mount and block, between the rack and the engine cradle, up under the fans on the drivers side, then to the cooler itself. I did have to notch the corner of the air dam a little to give the lines some space and still allow the air dam to twist on the mounts.
The mounting bracket requires drilling 3 holes for mounting on the little brace that holds the air dam in place (this was a little bit of a pain due to not having a small drill to drill the holes with).
I have LG Longtubes on the car and have a ton of room between the adaptor/lines and the headers.
I made a little cover to go over the cooler when I'm not on track to help the oil temps warm up a little faster (I don't have a oil temp thermostat). Just need a couple of bolts to bolt it in to place. Should work out pretty well.
All in all, so far I'm satisfied with the kit being it was $499. I have a track day next weekend, so hopefully I'll have some good results to report after the weekend.
Looking at prices on things, you could probably piece the same kit together for around $400 or so not including making the mounting bracket. So you're paying around $100 to have the bracket made for you, and the ends placed on the braided lines.
For a couple of pictures of the install, go here...
http://www.casadenico.com/gallery/ma...2_itemId=11466
Last edited by tchapma1; 04-23-2007 at 11:50 AM.
04-14-2007, 09:43 PM
#2
nice. Good pics. I'm doing the same but I'm using an in tank cooler made into my Ron Davis radiator. That should keep the oil from being too cool, and having to run a thermostat.
04-23-2007, 07:34 AM
#3
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just as an update to this. This weekend I tracked the car for the first time. I observed oil temps around 260 for a max for the weekend. Previously I was hovering around the 300 mark. The car also has a larger cam this year than previously.
All in all the cooler appears to work very well. I definitely recommend building a shield/cover for the cooler for every day street use. Without it on the car, oil temps do not get very high at all. With the shield on, I saw oil temps reach the 190-200 mark under normal street/highway driving.
All in all the cooler appears to work very well. I definitely recommend building a shield/cover for the cooler for every day street use. Without it on the car, oil temps do not get very high at all. With the shield on, I saw oil temps reach the 190-200 mark under normal street/highway driving.
04-23-2007, 09:04 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
For some reason I couldn't look at your pics, but your install sounds very similar to mine, except I used -8 lines and a thermostat. Even with the t'stat I still built up a cover to get the engine to come up to temps faster.
I saw about the same temperature drop on the track as well, about 35 degrees. Also the temperature recovery on a cool down lap was much quicker, as well.
Glad it went well for you!
Have a good one,
Mike
I saw about the same temperature drop on the track as well, about 35 degrees. Also the temperature recovery on a cool down lap was much quicker, as well.
Glad it went well for you!
Have a good one,
Mike
04-23-2007, 11:52 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For some reason I couldn't look at your pics, but your install sounds very similar to mine, except I used -8 lines and a thermostat. Even with the t'stat I still built up a cover to get the engine to come up to temps faster.
I saw about the same temperature drop on the track as well, about 35 degrees. Also the temperature recovery on a cool down lap was much quicker, as well.
Glad it went well for you!
Have a good one,
Mike
I saw about the same temperature drop on the track as well, about 35 degrees. Also the temperature recovery on a cool down lap was much quicker, as well.
Glad it went well for you!
Have a good one,
Mike
You're definitely right about the recovery time, cool down laps took the temps from the 250-260 range down to around 225-235. The only downside I saw was that I actually had to run the car longer before a session to start to get oil temps up.
Not a bad problem to have.
04-23-2007, 01:07 PM
#6
Melting Slicks
Your results sound just right. I have the DRM kit and get the same results. The parts are about identical other than the maker of the oil cooler. I made a cover also for the same reason.
My lines route in the bottom corner of the radiator. There is hole down there that they will pass through. Other than that I believe we used the same routing. Once you look at it there really aren't that many options for routing to protect the lines.
My lines route in the bottom corner of the radiator. There is hole down there that they will pass through. Other than that I believe we used the same routing. Once you look at it there really aren't that many options for routing to protect the lines.
