91 or 92 style oil cooler?

[david9291]

Got a 1991 TSI AWD with a blown engine that came with a good engine to put in. My question is should I run the 91 style oil cooler or the 92 style cooler that is on the replacement engine.

 

[1990AWD]

'91 and '92 are the same cooler.

 

[Gizmo63T]

The difference is in 90' and 91'.

 

[sciondan]

what's the difference? just curious....

 

[Gizmo63T]

To quote:
"1989 & 1990 turbo DSM models had an air cooled oil cooler which mounted in front of the radiator.
It was connected with special hoses and I would consider it very reliable. On 1991 and later turbo cars, an engine coolant to oil heat exchanger type was used.
This oil cooler ran engine coolant and oil through a heat exchanger device to cool the oil. These oil coolers mount to the block and the oil filter screws onto the face of it.
It can come loose when you take the oil filter loose. If you tighten the mounting shaft too tight, the pressure can crush the inner radiator like fins of the cooler and cause the oil and water to mix."

I use air cooled oil cooler on my Colt.

 

[94allwheeldsm]

I Hate my oil cooler (sandwhich style) It ALWAYS came loose and made my oil filter back off Thats happened 3 times! So i always had to carry extra oil because i never knew when that POS would come off! So i used lock tight on the part that screws in the oil filter housing and I havent had a problem since...

Also NEVER over tighten the oil filter on that cooler or you will smash the fins inside and oil will be all through your coolent!

 

[david9291]

Thanks for clarification on the years, My last talon was a 92 with the oil to water cooler and the cars vin comes up as a 91 so it must be the build date that gives it the 90 style. So from what I'm reading people would prefer the oil to air cooler.

 

[1990AWD]

The air-oil cooler is better for performance, the only advantage of the water-oil cooler IMO is that it brings the oil up to operating temp faster but for most of us, that's not really a big issue.

If you want one, get yourself a '90 OFH and cooler setup and it bolts right up (only on a 6 bolt to be clear).

 

[david9291]

I'v already got both setups the 90 style on the damaged engine and the 91 style on the engine to go in. I guess I will be sticking with the oil to air cooler.

 

[sciondan]

Thanks for the explanation. When I got my 90 and saw the oil cooler I was pretty impressed by the set up for a stock platform. Just curious on how they could improve from that set up on later models.

 

[strokin4dr]

The 90 style cooler is great. If you want to improve it you could just go with a larger cooler itself.