Thermostatic oil coolers and pressure drop

[Tony B]

those pipes will get enough airflow Rusty - leave it like that?

so is the cooler restricted?

[DJ.]

That's good news:)
Lucky you noticed the drop in pressure, it would be terrible to ruin your new engine!

[russtik]

That's good news:)
Lucky you noticed the drop in pressure, it would be terrible to ruin your new engine!

Wouldn’t it just Dunc. It was thanks to a 20psi warning switch/lamp I’d installed that allowed me to catch it initially, which is fine at low RPM but I noticed revving the engine was having little to no effect on oil pressure. That led to this investigation.

What are the chances that the company that supplied the Mocal rad are going to show any interest in my discovery and offer to replace it? Hmm...

[b33fy]

Advanced Automotive are a good company and will replace faulty goods no bother, though I would suspect there is nothing wrong with the cooler. I think it’s just too small for what you are using it for Russ.

A 13 row cooler would be ok for 150/200bhp road use. Any other applications then bigger is better. The cooler does act as a restrictor, less rows and longer rows cause restrictions, so shorter and more rows are generally better, though longer rows do cool better. All a bit of a compromise tbh.

I would use a 13 row cooler for a gearbox or diff cooling and look to use a 19 row or bigger for an engine. The thermostat will stop the oil over cooling if working correctly.

I would also use the biggest fittings / hose you can, 1/2bsp on smaller applications 5/8bsp on bigger ones.

Some hose fittings are designed to be “push on”, regardless, use a hose clip as a back up.

Lastly the cooler needs to be rubber mounted other wise you”ll end up with fractures and leaks around the cooler.

Don’t ask why I know this, let’s just say Dick has built up a nice collection of nearly new coolers, fittings and hoses. I currently run a 235x19 row 5/8bsp cooler and sandwich plate (no thermostat) on the rover lump with no issues.

Hope this helps Russ all the best with it.