Duratec Oil Coolers

[a.moore]

At a track day earlier this year, it was 45 degrees out and oil temp were creeping into the 230s. It was mid/upper 70s yesterday and the gauge was maxed out at 250 (I don't want to know what it actually was). I'm pretty sure the engine is telling me its time to install an oil cooler.

 

I've found a few Focus kits for

 

What set-ups are you guys running?

[Kitcat]

How do you know what the oil temp was? My se7ens have all had oil pressure guages, and water temp guages, but never a oil temp guage.

 

My X-Flow had a small oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

[slomove]

At a track day earlier this year, it was 45 degrees out and oil temp were creeping into the 230s. It was mid/upper 70s yesterday and the gauge was maxed out at 250 (I don't want to know what it actually was). I'm pretty sure the engine is telling me its time to install an oil cooler.

 

I've found a few Focus kits for

 

What set-ups are you guys running?

 

If you do the plumbing already, why not remote mount the oil filter. Not really more work, you get the filter out of the tight spot and can mount it where you can change without much mess. Something like that. Just need to route through the cooler.

[xcarguy]

At a track day earlier this year, it was 45 degrees out and oil temp were creeping into the 230s. It was mid/upper 70s yesterday and the gauge was maxed out at 250 . . .

 

What did your water temp read in relation to your oil temp?

[xcarguy]

How do you know what the oil temp was? My se7ens have all had oil pressure guages, and water temp guages, but never a oil temp guage.

 

While not a Duratec or X-flow, my car does have an oil temp gauge in addition to the oil pressure and water temp gauges. Oil temp is picked up from RH side of the oil pan.

In the last track day video I posted, oil temp is displayed at around 150-160 near the beginning of the session and peaks out at around 210 (no oil cooler) by the end of the session while water temp starts out at around 180 and ends up in the 230 range. The track day was run on June 1 in Cresson , TX and the outside temp during the run was 88 degrees F.

In the video, you can't see the oil pressure gauge (hidden by steering wheel) but you can see the water temp to the left of the tach (looking through the steering wheel) and you can see the oil temp gauge to the right of the steering wheel.

[a.moore]

How do you know what the oil temp was?

 

Mine is a Locost so there isn't really a "stock". Since the engine didn't have an oil cooler, I wanted the gauge so I could watch things. Not surprisingly I haven't noticed the oil temperature climbing much beyond 210 up until this point.

 

 

What did your water temp read in relation to your oil temp?

 

It was right around 180 the entire day. The radiator isn't huge but apparently its enough.

 

 

If you do the plumbing already, why not remote mount the oil filter. Not really more work, you get the filter out of the tight spot and can mount it where you can change without much mess. Something like that. Just need to route through the cooler.

 

That seems to be the best option at this point. I was hoping something else existed since I've had hit or miss luck with those fittings - back in my FSAE days we had a few remote brackets cause oil pressure loss. I'm not sure if it was due to the bike engine's small oil pump, the huge oil filter for a 5.0 Mustang, or the actual cast fitting, but certain brands were 10-15 psi lower than others. I forget which ones were good and which ones weren't. I guess I'll have to roll the dice and watch the gauge.

 

Thanks guys.

Edited June 16, 2013 by a.moore

[Croc]

I use a Cosworth oil cooler that really operates more like a laminova. Link here:

 

http://duratec.wikispaces.com/modification-CosworthOilCooler

 

It does have a positive effect to lower oil temp but still I note that oil temps are still far higher than my water temp - I max out on a 30 minute track session on my dash gauge.

 

My next step is to look at a Mocal oil cooler mounted low in front of the radiator. I have one on the Mustang and it keeps the oil temps in a nice range.

[slomove]

I use a Cosworth oil cooler that really operates more like a laminova. Link here:

 

http://duratec.wikispaces.com/modification-CosworthOilCooler

 

It does have a positive effect to lower oil temp but still I note that oil temps are still far higher than my water temp - I max out on a 30 minute track session on my dash gauge.

 

My next step is to look at a Mocal oil cooler mounted low in front of the radiator. I have one on the Mustang and it keeps the oil temps in a nice range.

 

That thing looks awfully small. The heat transfer surfaces are probably not sufficient. I installed an actual Laminova exchanger some 8 years ago and that works pretty good. I don't go the the track lately but when I did it kept the temperatures reasonable. For a high power Duratec you may even go one size bigger (i.e. longer) and the radiator must be up to the additional heat load. I still have the remote filter but moved it under the intake for less messy changes. The ugly blue hoses are the push-on Aeroquip ones. Super-easy to install and works very well but the color.....

 

Edited June 16, 2013 by slomove

[a.moore]

I use a Cosworth oil cooler that really operates more like a laminova....but still I note that oil temps are still far higher than my water temp

 

So I take it you would go with something like this instead?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ear-41010erl

 

 

Did you have to up size the radiator at all slomove?

[Kitcat]

I bought a professionally built Caterham designed for endurance racing. It has an oil cooler mounted behind the radiator, in the space before the engine. Roughly 6"x1"x2". Also have a remote oil filter. I will try to attach a photo or 2.

[Croc]

So I take it you would go with something like this instead?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ear-41010erl

 

 

Thats the idea. I would go for a Mocal branded one. Interestingly Cosworth has looked at my data log of temps and says that they are within operating range and I should not worry. Still feels too high.

[a.moore]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

The Mocals look like really nice units (and everyone seems to like them) but they're out of this project's price range. The cooler is almost as much as my engine.

 

I finally got around to getting the cooler and remote filter bracket installed. The rest of my plumbing should be here tomorrow or Friday. I'll finish the adapter plate and get it buttoned up this weekend.

 

I'm booked to do a track day at Pitt Race (aka BeaveRun) on Tuesday. They're calling for mid 70s and sunny so that should be a good test (crosses fingers).

Edited August 8, 2013 by a.moore