blocked 90 oil cooler - life expectancy?

[500orbust]

I have searched 10 pages of posts with "oil cooler" in the search bar, but couldnt find the answer. Has anyone actually trashed a motor due to blocking the oil cooler lines instead of looping them together to bypass an oil cooler? If so, how many miles did it take? Im wondering because I recently bought a car and didnt notice that until I started to work on getting it running again. The last owner swears he didnt have any problems, and he drove it 45 miles daily. Maybe Ill drop the oil pan and look for metal before I start it.

 

[95AWD_TSI_TALON]

IIRC the only path for the oil in the oil housing is THRU those two ports. First signs of oil starvation will show in the head, usually caused by the valve guides getting too hot an seizing the valves open! to get wacked by the pistons.
Matt

 

[tqmx1]

Blocking the lines is a MAJOR NO NO!! It needs a bypass hose. Between the two hoses is a tempture controlled valve (varatherm) When the oil is cold the varatherm opens and bypasses the cooler as the oil warms up to opperating temp (aprox 180F or 85C) the valve closes putting all the oil through the cooler. The bugaboo is the Varatherm will bypass about 10% of the oil when closed (not enough for the engine to live on) and the rest has to exit the oil pressure relife valve witch is not big enough to handle the pump volume over causing the postive displacement pump to try to hydraulic lock and putting excessive load on the timing belt.

If the oil filter (that came with the car) is still on it remove it and cut it open to see if it made metal. If no run it and keep close tabbs on it. If yes the well you get the picture.

As for the adaptor if you are planning on running a external cooler leave it on. If not grabb one off a 6bolt nonturbo and bolt it on.

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Problem is, if the previous owner changed the oil right before selling it, the shavings of metal may have just been removed...

 

[tqmx1]

Well if that's the case you will have to run it for a few hunderd miles or less. If it's coming apart it will let you know. When one starts to fail it has put metal into every nook and cranny in the engine and the fresh oil will warsh it out and right into the filter.

 

[SBR Joe]

i have seen this on many occasions with cars making big power and no problems. I have also done it myself once to my last 90...drove it for over a year and no issues.


Joe

 

[Defiant]

When a DSM has oil flow interruption, the lifters and valvetrain make a racket like a paint bucket full of marbles. It's not likely he drove with a short oil supply. It's very unlikely he drove with the oil cooler blocked off. It'd last about six blocks.

 

[SBR Joe]

Mine just had 2 oil galley plugs blocking off the in and out holes....it was fine. Marko that used to work here had just 2 bolts with a crush washer on each blockin his off....went high 11's and was fine.


joe

 

[tqmx1]

I know your a big time parts man for these things but have you taken apart a 90 oil filter adapter and looked at its plumbing? Ya it will work fine as long as the oil temp stays below aprox. 190F but above that the varatherm starts to open restricting oil flow to the engine and above 212F the valve opens witch plugs a passage between the in and the out line to the cooler cutting off the flow.

The best cheapest and easiest way to fix the problem (and eliminate a ticking time bomb) is go with a NT oil filter adapter. Along with nothing to go wrong you save a few OZ in weight eliminating the varatherm valve

And also for those in frost bite falls if for some strange reason the oil ever got to a point where the varatherm opened the oil cooler does not have a noncongeling feature so you would try to be pushing a frozen chunk of congealed oil (that does not flow for $hit) and starve the engine for oil that way.

 

[sbiggi]

Just pull the gutts of the valve. Then block off the two oil line holes.

 

[SBR Joe]

I know your a big time parts man for these things but have you taken apart a 90 oil filter adaptor and looked at its plumbing? Ya it will work fine as long as the oil temp stays below aprox. 190F but above that the varatherm starts to open restricting oil flow to the engine and above 212F the valve opens witch plugs a passage between the in and the out line to the cooler cutting off the flow.

The best cheepest and easyst way to fix the problem (and elmanate a ticking time bomb) is go with a NT oil filter adaptor. Along with nothing to go wrong you save a few OZ in weight elemating the varatherm valve

And also for those in frost bite falls if for some strange reason the oil ever got to a point where the varatherm opened the oil cooler does not have a noncongeling feature so you would try to be pushing a frozen chunk of congiled oil (that does not flow for $hit) and starve the engine for oil that way.

I dont know, i never had any problems. I did end up going with a N/T housing when i did the swap into my 2g just to "de rig" it, but there was no problems when i had that way and it was a dd car.

Joe

 

[Matrixhunter]

Just make a proper external oil cooler setup, an fittings- braided lines and a B&M oil cooler and drive knowing your oil is being properly cooled.

 

[project_tsi]

The forward facing oil filter housing had no provisions for an external cooler, and they also weren't water cooled.

Its really not needed but I prefer to run one.