91-99 Oil cooler replacement

[nickheart]

Hello All,

I just spend the last 2 hours on the phone getting laughed at by wrecking yards in my area (Portland OR). I understand this part is easily destroyed by some lube shack.

I purchased a 97 gs-t Spyder from a Toyota dealership, and noticed a leak after the car was sitting for about 4 days (long wet weekends in Portland).

I'm now seeing that my coolant has oil in it. I know this is the classic case of the oil cooler being crushed by some kid at some lube shack

Anyhow, I'm sure there are some experienced 91-99 owners that have been though this and have some opinions as to what to do.

My local Mitsu dealer parts dept hung up on me, so i'll have to call them again for a price

NO wrecking yard seems to have this part (and if they did, there's a good chance I'll get there, look at the part, and find it's been crushed too)

I'm looking for advice if i should just buy the Mitsu part from the dealer, find a 89-90 setup and swap it in, or go with a kit (please recommend what kit i should get if the kit is the way to go).

Thanks!

 

[dsm-onster]

In my opinion, I would defiantely swap in the 90-91 unit. They can be had for relatively cheap and a good planned install (w/ all the nit pickies) can be easy. Also I've run mine behind my FMIC for years w/ no increase in oil breakdown. It's a good unit.

 

[nickheart]

This seems to be a good walk through for the swap

http://www.automotivearticles.com/123/Oil_Cooler_Install.shtml

DSM-onster, did you do this yourself? Any hints or gotcha's? *edit* Oh, you have a 90 dsm

Where should I source the part? Do you think trying the wrecking yards again, or is there a good factory replacement made by someone?

Thanks

 

[dsm-onster]

Yea, I already have '90. So i can only testify to how well the unit works.

I think a good unit (unbent fins, etc.) can be had at a bone yard. For cheap, cheap, cheap.

 

[flyinghighlm]

You can always go aftermarket and buy a universal fit oil cooler from Advance and places like that and run your own AN-4 lines and the sort, thats what I had to help a friend had to do on his 95Gst...

 

[nickheart]

You can always go aftermarket and buy a universal fit oil cooler from Advance and places like that and run your own AN-4 lines and the sort, thats what I had to help a friend had to do on his 95Gst...

I suppose this would still require tracking down a 89/90 Oil Filter housing eh?

 

[EZ91Talon]

You must just live in the wrong area (or I'm darn lucky)...after I got my 91 back from its engine replacement, I noticed the oil/water mixer was not connected to the cooling system at all, so I ran some new lines and (guess why the shop left it disconnected) voila! oil in the coolant! I spent about $15 on a DEEP 15/16" socket (couldn't locate the right metric size, 24mm?) and found at least five of these oil/water coolers at the local junkyard. I pulled one off, put my thumb over one of the nipples and blew real hard on the other nipple and I could hear hissing, gurgling, so I knew it was junk. The third one I removed (from a 2G Mitsu) looked clean and could hold my breath pressure so I paid the $10 for it, flushed it, installed it and torqued it (only 6-9 ft.lbs.) and it's been working fine for a year now. When you change the oil, do NOT use a filter wrench to install the filter, do it by hand ONLY, and you should be OK. The most difficult part of the process was trying to get the oil residue out of the coolant overflow tank. I know people don't like the mixer, but with your nearly stock set-up, it should be the quickest, easiest, least expensive fix for you. Just my two cents...Good luck.

 

[Raph]

Im getting a mocal oilcooler kit .. it has a M20 thread like what our cars use and there pretty cheap, less than 200 for everything .

 

[nickheart]

Folks, I'm looking at a Flex A Lite oil cooler, looks like it'll just bolt on and i just need to find a good place to put the radiator.

Anybody use the Flex A Lite oil cooler? http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/engine-oil-coolers.html part # 3951

Also, what should i do the the coolant lines that are no longer used? Should I just plug the leads? or reroute around where the old cooler was?

Thanks again folks, I couldn't keep my DSM running without y'all.

 

[MyÜberFastGSX]

I live in Vancouver, I have a couple 6 bolt and 7 bolt oil coolers. Hit me up if you want one. The 6 bolt ones will not fit on the 7 bolt block.