1G Water oil cooler delete/replace

[GSLENK]

I am replacing an engine and need some advice on what to do about the OEM oil cooler sandwich plate thing. I would love to delete it (cut off thread portion of the ofh/oil filter bolt) and be done with it. (90's style housing, no cooling).

My engine threw a rod, and there were metal chunks of all sizes in the oil pan. I am assembling the external parts of the new engine and I realized that the oil cooler may have chunks in it. OEM replacement is $350+ and I am unsure if it is even available.

I am aware that the "oil cooler" also acts as an oil heater. Also keeps stable oil temperatures.

Delete Pros:
More space. One less stupid ugly coolant line. No chance of loosening/crushing/etc/mix oil-water...

Delete Cons:
Oil will take longer to heat up (water heats up faster)
Oil may overheat?

I run valvoline VR1 racing synthetic 10w30 in the winter, 20w50 in the winter. (I do not recall if the 20w50 is synthetic or not or if it is a blend)

I change it pretty religiously (always well under 3k miles, more like 2000-2500 miles) and I have tons of oil on hand I buy in bulk at sales.

If I do delete it, I will likely not be adding an air/oil cooler setup. (requires 90 OFH to do correctly)

Can the OEM water/oil cooler be cleaned? Should I be worried about contamination?

 

[eSpyder407]

Too much risk keeping the old cooler, I don't think it possible to clean them completely.

I replaced mine with one the sandwich oil/air coolers. I don't have too many miles on it to give a solid review, but could not use the stock bolt that secures it to the oil filter housing... Had to get this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/401101309111

 

[tmoney20g]

If I do delete it, I will likely not be adding an air/oil cooler setup. (requires 90 OFH to do correctly)

Incorrect. You can run the forward-facing oil cooler with an aftermarket sandwich like the derale unit, as I plan on doing

Can the OEM water/oil cooler be cleaned? Should I be worried about contamination?

Yes, it can be cleaned. The passageways are big enough to run diesel thru them and that should do a good enough job at cleaning it out. However, they can be "crushed" if the big nut was ever over-tightened and cause leaks or cross-contamination of oil/water.

 

[GSLENK]

I haven't spent much time looking into the aftermarket sandwich route. But from what I gather, there needs to be some sort of bypass, and by the time you add all that up, it exceeds the cost of a new 90 OFH. Any leads on a good one so I can compare price options?

Ill try cleaning it out. If I feel comfortable, I'll keep it. But I do so much desire to remove the ugly zig zag hard line that goes from the t-stat to the OFH.

I guess there are enough things heating the oil that I don't need to worry about the "oil warmer functionality" of a water cooled housing.

 

[tmoney20g]

Thermostatic valve? The derale has that feature built-in.

 

[slowwhite]

I just finished installing forward facing oil filter housing combined with the Mishimoto universal 25 row Oil coolerkit. (I have abs so I had to mount the cooler on the passenger side)

But fit perfectly just had to clock the sandwich plate and swap out the 2 straight AN fittings for 2x90 fittings (10an)
I have picts in my build if interested.

Hardest part was fabbing up my own mounts. But even then it was easy and I just used bolt holes already on the car from the factory so I didn't even have to drill or tap anything

FFOFH - $45 new
25 row kit - $364
2x10an 90 fittings - $32
Plus $7 shipping/handling

 

[GSLENK]

I deleted it. Now I am going to look into a sandwich adapter or just go 1990 ofh. Haven't decided yet. On the up side, my hogged out ofh has 30psi on the first stable idle cold start of the rebuilt engine.

If oil pressure stays in line, I will probably opt for the sandwich adapter route.

 

[GSLENK]

Update... Took a risk based on the frequent advice that appearantly "only a track car" needs the oil heat exchanger. By the time my engine is warm oil temps begin to budge off of the minimum (forget what that is, around 100 degrees?) By the time I drive 5 minutes, I am close to 150+ degrees F. Took an hour plus trip (extended 90 mph cruise) got to 210+. Never touched or went over 220. Looks like the gamble paid off. Oil temps are measured at the pan. My 15 minute commute puts me over 180 easily. take 20-30 of normal driving to get close to 200.

I might consider a cooler when the summer rolls around again, but my long trip results were on a 85 degree day.

 

[bigbird94]

I have an oem 90' engine in my cat with the original ofh. I just deleted the lines with the stm kit. I haven't had any issues in 3+ years & 15k miles on an e316g