7bolt external oil cooler bracket identification help?

[jabinya]

I picked up a 7bolt external oil cooler bracket and I am having trouble understanding how this is set up. I searched and looked at the tech articles, they helped a bit but left some questions unanswered.

In the first pic I believe the 1/8 npt port is where the OEM oil pressure light sensor goes. Next to it is the turbo oil feed line but I dont know the thread type or pitch. To the left with the "?" is a mystery to me.

In the second pic I think I have the feed and return ports correct. To the right is the oil pressure relief valve but Im not sure if is the same as the OEM on my vehicle now. From what I know these come off of Japanese Evos, so are the relief valves set at the same pressure? Towards the bottom the gold plug is a mystery also. Can I or should I leave this in?

In the third pic is the relief port. I read in the 1G tech article that this port should be enlarged so it can relieve pressure faster. Is this reccomended for 2Gs?

In the fourth and final pic the spot where the OEM oil pressure gauge sender is unthreaded and closed off. I suppose I could drill through and tap some threads so I can install the sender. Not sure though.

If i'm wrong on any of these points please call me on it. Any help would be apperciated.

I plan on doing a Tech article on this since I couldn't find one for a 2G.

 

[Turbocharged]

In the first picture the ? allen plug is unused on most applications. I sourced my turbo feed from that plug because the oil temperature is cooler because it gets oil returning from the cooler (I have a non-water cooled turbo).

The large brass plug in the second picture is the temperature control valve. It's a little like a thermostat for your oil.

In the last picture, the hole is for the pressure sending unit.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/jacob/articleimages/OilCooler/DSCF0053.jpg

 

[2-0turbo]

Your feed and return lines in the second picture don't matter. It takes care of itself. One will be feed and one is return (I think you've got them right anyway). But you are just sending it to a heat exchanger and back. It doesn't matter.

 

[jabinya]

Your feed and return lines in the second picture don't matter. It takes care of itself. One will be feed and one is return (I think you've got them right anyway). But you are just sending it to a heat exchanger and back. It doesn't matter.

From what I read it does matter. The feed is supposed to go into the bottom of the cooler and the return exits from the top. It keeps air bubbles from residing in the heat exchanger, reducing efficency.

Turbocharged, the pic you gave me confirms the feed, return ports. Thanks!

 

[jabinya]

The large brass plug in the second picture is the temperature control valve. It's a little like a thermostat for your oil. ]

So the temperature control valve prevents oil being sent to the cooler if oil temps are low?

 

[2-0turbo]

From what I read it does matter. The feed is supposed to go into the bottom of the cooler and the return exits from the top. It keeps air bubbles from residing in the heat exchanger, reducing efficency.

Turbocharged, the pic you gave me confirms the feed, return ports. Thanks!

Okay, that is a possibility. I'll give you that.

 

[92awddsm]

From what I read it does matter. The feed is supposed to go into the bottom of the cooler and the return exits from the top. It keeps air bubbles from residing in the heat exchanger, reducing efficency.

The 90 oil cooler has both inlet and outlet on the bottom so, it doesnt matter.

 

[Turbocharged]

So the temperature control valve prevents oil being sent to the cooler if oil temps are low?

Yes. The valve expands as temperatures increase, causing oil to enter the cooler. At lower temperatures, the oil bypasses the cooler. The valve should measure 34.5mm at STP and 40mm at 100 degrees celcius. You shouldn't have to check these tolerances since the oil filter housing looks new.

 

[Turbocharged]

The 90 oil cooler has both inlet and outlet on the bottom so, it doesnt matter.

This is true in the stock configuration, however you can position the cooler clocked 90 degrees so that the inlets/outlets are on the bottom/top. It all depends on how you want your cooler to sit.

 

[jabinya]

The 90 oil cooler has both inlet and outlet on the bottom so, it doesnt matter.

This is a quote from mavisky's Tech Article on the 1G oil cooler install,

"At this point you're going to want to start mocking up just how you intend to mount the oil cooler. The factory cooler mounts with the feeds on the bottom, but almost noone I've talked to reccomends this setup. They all reccomend feeding from the top or the sides. If fed from the sides the feed line needs to be on bottom and the return line on top. This guarantees that no air bubbles will be trapped in the cooler rendering it less effective."

 

[tsunari]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203393

 

[jabinya]

Awesome Thats exactly what I was looking for!

Guess I didnt search long enough, "oil cooler" came up with 500 results. There is so much info in the site its amazing. The moderators should sell a DVD-r of the forums complete history.

I'm ordering the feed & return fittings from MachV
http://www.machv.com/exoilcoolfil.html

I also have a aftermarket oil temp gauge. I remember the thread pitch offhand, but I'm thinking of maybe putting it in the spot where I thought was the turbo oil feed line.

 

[tsunari]

Glad it helped. . . just one more quick note though. The smaller holes on the Oil Filter Brackets are 1/8" BSPT . . . not NPT. They are both VERY close to each other, but NPT has something like 16 threads per inch where BSPT has 17 I think.

Seems as though most people simply force the NPT fitting into the BSPT hole and call it good, but just know that it wont be a perfect seal and you COULD spring a leak. But that's nothing a bit of Ultra Grey RTV on the threads couldn't cure I'm sure.

 

[jabinya]

Whoa. Thank god I checked back on this post. I was just about to start installing all this. Looks like it time for more shopping! Thanks again tsunari!

What kind of oil temps are you seeing now?

Mine in 80 degree weather;
Stop n go traffic - 220-230F
Stop n go traffic with both radiator fans on - 210-220F
Highway 60mph - 240F
Highway 80mph - 245F

 

[tsunari]

Whoa. Thank god I checked back on this post. I was just about to start installing all this. Looks like it time for more shopping! Thanks again tsunari!

What kind of oil temps are you seeing now?

Mine in 80 degree weather;
Stop n go traffic - 220-230F
Stop n go traffic with both radiator fans on - 210-220F
Highway 60mph - 240F
Highway 80mph - 245F

Unfortunately . . . of all the gauges I have, oil temp is one I do not have yet :-( I opted to get a coolant temp gauge instead - It's something I definitely want to get though.

I'm curious to see how hot the oil is getting and if perhaps I could benefit from a fan mounted on the backside of the cooler or if one would even be needed at all.

Have fun with the install

 

[92awddsm]

What kind of oil temps are you seeing now?

Mine in 80 degree weather;
Stop n go traffic - 220-230F
Stop n go traffic with both radiator fans on - 210-220F
Highway 60mph - 240F
Highway 80mph - 245F

I was seeing 190-200* normal driving on days 90+
210-220* highway driving

With the stock 90 oil cooler installed, I now see 165-180* normal driving
175-190 highway driving
I have yet to see 200+ oil temps and I have had the cooler on for over a year

 

[tsunari]

Anyone have ducting going to their oil cooler so air is forced through it and doesn't escape around it? Or any need for an electric fan?

Also, where did you guys tap for the temp sensor?

 

[92awddsm]

Anyone have ducting going to their oil cooler so air is forced through it and doesn't escape around it? Or any need for an electric fan?

Also, where did you guys tap for the temp sensor?

My cooler isnt ducted. It sits between the radiator and fmic on the driver side. It is mounted beside my pusher fan. I did make a flat aluminum pan that covers the open area from the bottom of the bumper to the radiator support.

As far as the temp location, I have mine tapped into the back of the oil pan. I purchased http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BMM%2D80250&N=4294925134+400004+4294847067+115&autoview=sku

I then istalled it in the rear of the oil pan which gave me a good place to mount the 1/8" npt sending unit. I chose the pan because that is where the oil is hottest after it has been through the engine.

I also felt that mounting the sending unit in the oil filter housing might give some false readings. The port you would install it on is just a blind port which will hold a pocket of oil instead of the oil circulating across the probe. The probe really should either be submerged or tapped directly into a feed port where oil is constantly flowing over it.

 

[jabinya]

I also felt that mounting the sending unit in the oil filter housing might give some false readings. The port you would install it on is just a blind port which will hold a pocket of oil instead of the oil circulating across the probe. The probe really should either be submerged or tapped directly into a feed port where oil is constantly flowing over it.

That makes perfect sense. I have mine mounted to the oil filter bracket so Im not even sure I have been getting accurate readings. Youve convinced me I should relocate it.

 

[tsunari]

My cooler isnt ducted. It sits between the radiator and fmic on the driver side. It is mounted beside my pusher fan. I did make a flat aluminum pan that covers the open area from the bottom of the bumper to the radiator support.

As far as the temp location, I have mine tapped into the back of the oil pan. I purchased http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BMM%2D80250&N=4294925134+400004+4294847067+115&autoview=sku

I then istalled it in the rear of the oil pan which gave me a good place to mount the 1/8" npt sending unit. I chose the pan because that is where the oil is hottest after it has been through the engine.

I also felt that mounting the sending unit in the oil filter housing might give some false readings. The port you would install it on is just a blind port which will hold a pocket of oil instead of the oil circulating across the probe. The probe really should either be submerged or tapped directly into a feed port where oil is constantly flowing over it.

That's pretty slick . . . hadn't seen those around. Always thought I would have to get a bung welded/brazened onto my pan.

On a side-note, I think I may just get a 2nd sensor & harness . . . then hook it up to a switch so I can use one gauge for both Coolant and Oil temp. They should both run fairly close together I would think . . . I'm just pretty much out of room for another gauge