Falcon

Which one is best. I'm seriously considering some sort of oil cooling and see DRM offers the seperate cooler and the oil cooler/radiator combo and wondered which ones you guys liked.

The seperate cooler looks like a simpler install, does anyone know how/where it attaches to the engine? I'd guess there's some sort of adaptor at the oil filter.

Any comments/ideas?

trumper Z06

Jody, Jody, Jody... I'm expecting another case of BEER!!!


Bill Johnson, Brad, and I all have the Rippie combination larger radiator/oil cooler which works great!!! If you liked the Wilwood " H "pads, you'll LUV this radiator/oil cooler combo!!!

Falcon

I thought that's what you had.

After hearing of some leak issues, how secure are these things? Where does the line go into the block, at the oil filter?

BTW, where you been, haven't seen many posts from you lately?

trumper Z06

All this free beer has helped introduce me to a WHOLE new group of people..... at the local AA meetings!

Hi, My name is Trumper, Jody is a friend of mine..... Nuf said!

The oil lines connect at the block/oil filter as I recall. My tuner by-passed the spin on filter and installed a racing filter in line! Bill & Brad use the stock filter along with the new cooler hook-up!

AU N EGL

I have the seperate trans cooler, the GM T1 kit, oil cooler and accu-sump.

Phoenix Performance did the install.

I was thinking about a bigger radiator, but did not have any cooling problems last summer at VIR, You know that 110 degree day

0Randy@DRM

Falcon,
I would go with the combination unit because, the water helps cool the oil and it helps warm it up on cold days. The radiator with engine oil cooler seems to work out the best overall. I can send you over the install pics and write up that Bill Johnston did for us. If you guys see Bill tell him thanks again for the write up.

Randy

Falcon

Oh, do I ever remember the heat that day. I've still got cotton fibers from my underwear embedded in my azz from that weekend. When I took my pants off that evening my underwear was gone, I think it dissolved! :o

aggie_corvette

Ive got the DRM rad/oil cooler combo. The combo unit is allot more space efficient than having 2 seperate units. Therefore more street cars have the combo.

One of the main reasons there are 2 options is b/c in SCCA T-1 they are only allowed to run a seperate oil cooler and larger radiator not a combo unit. SCCA gradually let the T-1 guys have more cooling one step at a time thus the regs specify individual units.

If you know you need more cooling for both then get the combo unit. I know several street/track cars who only got one or the other first and eventually got both. Thus spending more money than if they just got the combo to begin with.

Either way both are easy to install in an afternoon.

Good luck
Will

LG Motorsports

This is a small photo of our LG Super Cool radiator with internal Oil cooler. This rad was used successfully in the World challenge series by some Corvette C5 race cars.

You can go to www.lgmotorsports.com under C5 Cooling to see the specifics.

thanks
Lou G

leaftye

I haven't heard of any leak issues. The fittings are pretty solid, and Carroll Smith holds them in very high regards. If you somehow have anything but Earl's or Aeroquip, I'd worry, but otherwise you're fine. They can be plumbed in a couple of ways. Mine uses a block that replaces the cover to the side of the oil filter. The oil lines run into the block. Other kits may use a spin on adapter to replace the oil filter, but there isn't much run down there, so I much prefer the style I have. Anyway, the block portion is aluminum like the fittings, so unless it's grooved or manufactured incorrectly, I can't see how the parts could be faulted for leaking, but it could be installed loosely. Anyway, if you want to know more, check out the 2nd to last chapter in Carroll Smith Fasteners....Plumbing handbook.

trumper Z06

My little ole stocker... being a daily driver, the radiator helps to heat the oil on cold days !!! For you racers with a dedicated Track Car, this isn't an issue!

No leaks here, and as far as I know, Brad & Bill haven't had any leakage either!

dmtnt

I have the LG combo unit and am very pleased with it. Installs where the oil temp sensor is above the filter. No leaks. I also heat-wrapped the lines where they pass near the headers.

cire96

It depends on use and the climate. But if you want maximum oil cooling, go with a seperate air to oil unit.

I have the Doug Rippie air to oil cooler. It works great in the hot months (and wonderfully on the track), BUT as previously mentioned, it's not the ticket for cold weather driving.

My oil temperature will fall to 100 F on cold winter days on the freeway! For that reason, I'm installing a shield for the unit for winter driving use!
Cire

VetteDrmr

Check out this Word document that I put together detailing how I installed a PermaCool cooler on a Z06. For various and sundry reasons my customer decided he didn't want it after I installed it and checked it out, so it's now installed on my '00 FRC.

I've both autocrossed and tracked this setup, and I get a fairly consistent temperature drop of about 30 degrees, and the engine cools down much more quickly than before.

http://webpages.charter.net/VetteDrm...stallation.doc

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

Bill Dearborn

I have the DRM unit with remote oil filter, and combo rad/oil cooler. This combination is very good at cooling everything, however, it does not help warm up the oil very much in cool weather. The Ron Davis Racing radiator which is part of the setup removes a lot of heat from the coolant before it gets to the oil cooler so the coolant around the oil cooler is pretty cool. When the temperature drops below 50 it is very hard to get the oil temp above 150 when driving around town or on the highway. Last week when I took the car to work for a couple of days the oil temp was running 139. With the temps down in the 20s and 30s it will be even hard to get it above 120. I currently have the car up on the lift to install a thermostatic bypass valve I picked up from Summit Racing. This valve diverts up to 90% of the oil around the cooler if the oil temp is less than 180.

Bill

Cisitalia

Jody,

The combo unit is the way to go as most people can confirm that. I did much research on this as well as others. I have a slight line leak that was the result of a fitting that was leaking at the made up connection. Not typical at all. Even so I am replacing the lines with crimped on custom lines/connections.

I worked with Bill Johnston with two installs and our experience led to Bill's write-up with my review and comments. This procedure has received many accolades by individuals performing the do-it-yourself install. It includes pictures provided by DRM and the technical procedure by Bill and my input. I personally have been asked to email the procedure about ten times to various individuals that were interested in what it takes to install or people who were in the process of installation. I have emailed it to your for your review, after this post.

Jody this is a no brainer. You got Bill and I just a few miles away that can supervise for a small fee of cheap beer in return It does not get any better than that.

Or better yet let More Performance do the install and they will give you those "fancy" custom oil lines that they "brain washed" me into getting.

Falcon

Oh, you can bet your azz, I wouldn't attempt this venture without y'all's input and help. I've even got a lift so we won't have to lay on our backs. And yea, I'll buy us some expensive beer......when we're finished.

That was the leak I was referring to. What was different about their fittings?


PS. Got the DVD's. Thanks, they're Hollywood quality!

Cisitalia

Yes Bill and I did both of our installations on our back with jack stands. Boy that sucks. A lift would be most beneficial Ok I am game for expensive beer "after" the project and the cheap beer while we are doing the job. Can't supervision drink beer while you are working? Or do you expect us to get our hands dirty? I know the answer, thank you - not.

The kit you get from DRM does not have the fittings mated to the SS braided oil lines. One must make-up the fittings to the lines, which sounds simple, but can be a problem. Well one of mine that were made up, generated a small "weep" leak. So I have to get it fixed. Typically it is never a problem, with a very low probability of a leak. Keep in mine it took a few months of track and street use for me to detect the oil leak problem.

Hey Randy, can you professionally make-up the fittings on the oil lines prior to sending out the kit? Or maybe you have not had any such occurances other than mine? I don't think this is a problem in general.

Please take note in the procedure about not cross-threading the fitting. That was put into the procedure because of me, I was very carefull, but still "buggered" up a fitting and had to get a new one.

So you are happy with my DVD of the CMP event. Yes the video is of high quality and the action was pretty good. The last run with Rob riding shot gun was great. Boy can he talk though, took some extra concentration.

Cisitalia

Falcon's Quote:

"That was the leak I was referring to. What was different about their fittings?"

Let's talk, I do think that custom crimped on fittings is the way to go. We can talk care of this issue easily. A few extra bucks, but worth it.

Jody, my email bounced - it was 5 MB and your email server did not like that size. I stand firm waiting further directions.

dmtnt

FYI, the LG kit comes with the lines and fittings pre-made. All I had to do was attach the -AN fittings to the included adapter block above the oil filter and to the radiator.

Assembling braided lines is no fun, I had to do it when I plumbed in my Accusump, but here is a link that I found very helpful -> http://www.home.earthlink.net/~kcroussin/id17.html