Saucee

Hey guys,

I have looked and looked and looked. I am trying to figure out exactly what I need to piece together an oil cooler system. I am planning on using B&M's largest radiator, what is getting me is the fittings. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I need an adapter to convert it to an AN fitting? Can you guys link me to where I can actually get this stuff? I think Summit Racing has all of the stuff but I'm not sure. Either way I appreciate it guys!! Any help getting me on the right track would be very gracious.

Best

Alex

RX-Ben

What is your intended use of the car?

taken19

Check Jegs or Summit for Earl's fittings. You should find everything you need there.

VetteDrmr

Send me a PM with your email addr. and I'll send you a writeup I did several years ago when I put one on my '00 hardtop.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

Saucee

It's a street car that sees the track about 12-15 times a year.
Sweet!!! I appreciate the help.
That would be too cool!! PM'ing you right now.



This is great stuff guys, greatly appreciated. On Sunday I cleaned out the radiator, there was a TON of stuff in there. I also flushed the coolant and threw in about 80% distilled water/20% Drexel and a bottle or water wetter. It definitely helped but I can provoke it and get the oil temps up there pretty easily.

waddisme

Recollections from doing mine:

Get some heat shield wrap, not only for protection from engine heat, but for wear as it is a tight fit to the front.

If you are tapping into oil temp sensor, get an adapter like ECS's vs Lingerfelters etc. The ECS has bolts and not the allen wrench bolts which are a B#$%H to start. N/A if you are tapping into galley on block.

Make sure to get all the same brand fittings as the wrench sizes are different for each. I have had zero issues with the Summit or Earl's brands I have.

Good luck with it.

yakisoba

The most intricate piece is the adapter block which bolts in above the oil filter. It should have a place for the sensor as well as two places for AN fittings. You will need to make the lines too, and running them takes some thought. Be sure you do your best to keep them away from heat. Also, pay attention to how you mount the thing, since mounting it in such a way that oil drains from it easily may not be optimal. Pretty sure the other folks here will cover everything.

RX-Ben

I do not even recommend Summit fittings to my competitors. Stick with a name brand for hose ends (Fragola is fine).

sleeperstyle

I just did this - the Ecs adapter is great, very easy install. Google how to put together an lines and make your own lines- I mounted mine to the front of the ac condenser since it was easy. DO NOT get the jegs an fittings- I had TWO leak on me and I had to take the whole cooler out to change them... It absolutely sucked get the earls fittings the first time.

Cost me a out 450$, my oil temps didn't get above 250* the next track day- before I was 290*.

Scooter70

This! I'm in the middle of replacing the lines on mine because the line sat too close to (touching) the fan motor and melted a hole in the rubber after years in service. Luckily I was just leaving my house to go to work when it finally sprung a leak and not on track.

Saucee

My reply to both of you, I was thinking about using the Mocal thermostat as the adapter so I don't have to worry about blocking it off or anything. Thoughts?

Yakisoba: So with the lines try to keep them as parallel as possible? In other words limit them going up to the cooler to keep the oil pressure from rising too slow?

Wadisme: Great tip on the heat shield wrap.
Thanks for the tip on location, seems like the easiest spot. I'm just going to go w/ all earls hardware as everything seems positive for them. Do you have issues getting up to temp? I was thinking about getting a thermostat adapter but that ecs piece looks really nice and is a lot less expensive.
Lucked out on that one! Could have been an absolute disaster on the track.



So let me just run this by you guys to make sure I have it correct. I am going to tap into the oil system with the adapter by the oil filter. Run the AN line from the adapter to the cooler, then right back to the adapter. To do so I need:

The adapter
4 AN fittings, 2 at the adapter, 2 at the cooler
The actual cooler
2 1/2 in NPT to AN adapters for the cooler
SS Braided Hose

Sound correct?!

Hat_Trick_Hokie

Subscribed. This is next on my list.

yakisoba

My comment on mounting was to address whether to mount the cooler with the fittings sideways, towards the ground or on top of the unit. Mine is on top. That means the oil will not drain from the cooler when I change oil. However, it also means there is oil in the cooler to be pressurized when I turn on the car. It works for me. You may want to fill up the cooler before you install it. Also, attach the lines to the adapter plate before you bolt it to the block. That way, you can noodle out the correct orientation for the lines. It's tight.
Last weird note: The power steering bracket on the early C5s had extra metal in it. The fit to run the lines past it is very tight. That bracket is just in the way. You can work the lines past it, or replace it, or cut it. Good luck with your build!

RX-Ben

You will need a t-stat. You can get an external one (Earl's) or get the Mocal adapter. I thought someone said that it didn't fit then I thought I saw someone actually using it.

Get a "real" cooler, like a Setrab. 25 row if your engine is stock.
-10 lines minimum. Get some heat shield for the lines (either the reflective stuff or the "firesleeve"). Earl's makes excellent fittings. Assembly is easy, just remember to use tons of (engine) oil on the hose area where the fitting nipple goes and on the hose end nipple itself. The Koul Tools tool is handy, though you can get by without one if you use a $20 electric 3" cutoff tool (harbor freight) to cut the lines as it does not upset the braiding.
You will need to mock up the setup to determine what angle fittings you need and the hose length (use hose that is good to 300deg, not the summit hose), but probably need a couple 90 deg fittings on the cooler (remember the fluid exit must be on top) and at least one 90 or 120 on the adapter.

mgarfias

I dont like those adapters, fittings are too small, and too many convolutions. I got an oil filter relocation adapter deal from canton and used that to relocate the oil filter, and ran -10 fittings everywhere instead of the -8 you'd use with one of them gizmos.

sleeperstyle

ecs adapter block uses 45 degree fittings, all -10 an. i mounted my cooler in front of the condensor, sideways so the lines come in the right side, "in" on the bottom and "out" on the top. i can use straight fittings or 45 degree fittings there. the cooler is a b&m unit that looked like a good buy from jegs- it was 110$ iirc.

it has been summer time, and it does take a little longer to get up to temp but i don't really worry about it and/or really beat on the car too bad on the street. when it gets colder out i have read you can insulate the cooler with reflective tape/ cardboard/ whatever to get the temps up faster.

i also left my lines long and looped them under the front frame rail/ rack area- so if i decide to mount it in the front license plate hole i have enough line.. the system takes much more oil now, 7-8 quarts last time i filled it.

i can not get to my fittings that mount to the cooler without removing the cooler (cant get a wrench in there). when i change the oil there will be some residual oil in the lines unless i take everything apart and drain the lines and the cooler= PITA. i can deal with this since i change the oil very very often- like after every 2 track days!

VetteDrmr

Email headed your way!

Supercharged111

A thermostat is a compromise (sacrifices total cooling capability) as is sticking it in front of the AC condenser, because then you have to get down and stick some ghetto *** piece of something in front of the cooler to keep it from overcooling on the street, then part of your radiator is blocked off on the street. Awesome. Stick it behind the license plate spot on your bumper like Pfadt did, I did and it's the best of both worlds. Oil still hits 200 degrees in the dead of winter.



Also, be sure to use the same brand hose as ends, some of the diameters vary very slightly and that was enough to set off my OCD.

tchapma1

Any more pictures of that install? How does air get in/out?

Hat_Trick_Hokie

+1 I was thinking the same "behind the plate" install, but I assumed it would be mounted vertically.