Anyone have a DEFINITE answer on an oil cooler and which one to go with?

I live in Phoenix and I do not need to get an oil thermostat to know that my car is running hot.

It would be nice however to have the thermostat but then again if I knew the actual oil temp I'd take a bus.

Ignorance is bliss (at times)

 

I can't say. I haven't done any research on oil thermostats because, as I stated, I haven't found the need for one. The one's I've seen at Pegasus open at 180F (I'm not sure if this is starting to open or fully open). On racecars, this is fine as they just want to get the oil warm and then it'll run open during the entire race as the oil stays in the 220F range. They can control max temps by adding or removing baffles or tape over the cooler. On a street car, oil temps will swing a lot more (especially in winter). It'll probably be hard to find one that opens above 200F. As for placement, you would want it as close to the adapter plate as possible.

DMBFan2, get an adapter for the oil drain plug and put an oil temp gauge in. You might be surprised...


edit... on second look, try THIS one.

 

There are several oil cooler kits that I am aware of and they all keep the MINI oil filter housing, but how does that keep all of the factory oil warm up?

The OEM oil temperature conditioner is removed with the addition of an aftermarket adapter plate, which routes oil to and from the oil cooler itself. This small heat exchanger (i.e. oil temp conditioner)warms up the engine oil quickly, pulls some heat out of the oil at operating temps, and may also help keep the oil from getting too cool in a low ambient environment. An additional oil cooler is awesome for the track, but may have a tendancy for slower proper oil temp ramp in cold weather, and maybe even lower than optimal operating oil temps after the engine is supposedly warmed up.

So, how does keeping the OEM oil filter housing eliminate the need for a t-stat when the reason to add a t-stat is because the coolant/oil heat exchanger was removed and an external cooler added.

Maybe I am not understanding your kit properly. So, please help us understand, not trying to wail on you, just trying to understand your kit/adapter plate set-up.

Regardless, the possibility of oil temps that are too low would be more of an issue in very cold climates.

If you get an oil cooler kit, then maybe should also get an oil temp gauge. It will let you know if you need a t-stat, I bet most of us will not.

 

During normal driving my oil temp rund between 80-100 degrees C, and when playing in the twisties 120- 130 C. While water temp is between 195 - 206 degrees F.

 

Close enough, and I agree with your position on the need for a t-stat. Thanks for the clarity on your kit. It does not have a t-stat simply because it does not need one, not because it retains the OEM filter housing, got it.

One thing for us to be careful of in oil cooler selection is the design of the heat exchanger itself. Meaning that you do not neccessarily want to get the biggest and most efficient design, as if you cool the oil too much, you may indeed need to get a t-stat. I was originally thinking of a large Setrab cooler or maybe even a modified MINI CVT cooler, but they may actually be too efficient for a daily driver with some track duty, I am sure it would be fine for a track only car though. For example, the Sneed kit was developed and obviously tested with the components supplied, and works well as is, if you change the heat exchanger to something different you may be killing the cold weather to warm weather balance, unless you add a t-stat.

 

So to clarify.........the Sneed cooler kit does remove the OEM oil heat exchanger. But they don't feel that the MINI needs a t-stat with a properly sized cooler.

 

Agree with that, adding complexity adds reliability risk.

 

Not to cause problems but why is it necessary to have hot oil with a good syn oil? My understanding is one of the important benefits of a syn oil is good flow at low temp. Granted I would not want my oil cooled to a very low temp and be causing the car to go very rich keeping it warm but otherwise how is a lower temp bad?
(Please take these questions with the respect intended)

 

Even though synthetic oil has a larger temperature operating range it still changes in viscosity over temp. While I am no expert, from what I have read at temps too low you just do not get the proper lubrication or even engine performance.

'Too low' however, is debatable, I think all would say <180F is too low and many would say <200F. I have also read where 220F is stated as the Synthetic oil sweet spot, whereas Sneed posted above that their data suggests 200F is optimal.

Any experts want to chime in?

 

Of the many, many guys I know that race everything from sports cars, bikes, to big blocks all state that they see 100C as the target for optimal temps while on track.

 

OK...so somewhere between 200F and 220F is optimal. But doesn't the type of oil used determine what is "optimal"? (sorry to those with OCD...I know a 20 degree difference might drive you crazy and there is an exact "optimal" temp. but lets keep it simple for now....we'll get into technicalities later..)

Lets start at the beginning:

Installing a temperature gauge without drilling, tapping and using chewing gum to mount the gauge. Anyone know where to find a GOOD (reliable) gauge and how to install it correctly?

Next should be the type of oil used:
Any suggestions? I am using Royal Purple. Anyone using something better? If so, what is it?

How about an oil cooler?:
What is a good oil cooler (if needed when the range goes beyond 220F)? Does it come in a kit or are there additional parts needed to install? Maybe something that the company forgot to add or something that makes installation a breeze. As far as oil coolers go, how much of a temperature difference in temperature does one make? Does it drop the temp. significantly or just a few degrees?

I know this is too simplistic of an approach but with the amount of posts about what is right and what is wrong its hard to make sense of anything. Everyone knows something a little different. A basic approach would be a good place to start, then after everyone agrees (or gets close to agreeing on a subject - which is more plausible) then we should move on to the technicalities - 1 step at a time. Maybe if someone comes up with numbers or a "fact" they should back it up with a reliable source in order to discourage a topic going astray.

What'dya think? Any takers?

 

Well to answer the first question.......the OEM gauge replaces the drain plug with a sending unit. This is actually the best place to get a temp from.

 

Bring up again!

 

Mini Madness has oil cooler system for MCS.

 

^ Welcome to 5+ years ago

 

I know this is an old thread, I actually cant find any new threads on this topic... I want an oil cooler seup, I run hot and summer is rapidly approaching. I cant seem to find many options for cooler kits, just madness an M7, I know RMW makes an adapter plate also. I'm just looking for more options and it seems there used to be a moss setup and some others that have disappeared over the years...

I guess i'm looking for, who is running an oil cooler? which one are you running? what climate and what temps are you seeing from it?

lastly, are there any that will maintain the heat exchanger or do they all replace that piece?

 

We, Sneed Speed http://www.sneed4speed.com/mini-cooper/ have made oil coolers since 2004 and tested them on the track and street. All MINI oil cooler kits are going to replace the stock heat exchanger because there isn't another good place on the engine to get the oil in and out of the motor. Plus the stock exchanger will start to leak over time because of its stack plate design.
For MINIs seeing any amount of track use they need an aftermarket oil cooler. Your oil and water temps should be no more than 20F apart at operating temp. water 200 oil 180-220. MINIs on track without coolers will run over 280F which is way to high. All our readings were taken in the oil pan. In the winter the oil will still warm up even on the street to 180-190F. If you live somewhere very cold a piece of cardboard or duct tape in front of the cooler will help it warm up faster. If you are on track in the winter you'll still need the cooler because oil temp still run over 260F even at 32F ambient temp

 

Most folks in my area have found that changing the oil after a track day is a good thing...folks with oil coolers simply found the oil stayed too cool most of the year....
If it not broke, don't fix it.
Sure a mini run very hard and at high rpms see oil temps spikes...but likely from reduced water flow due to water pump caviation (espically with a pulley). So simply lowing oil temps with a cooler does not fix a problem.percirved....it is a symptom. Simply put, the water pump is dpun too fast, and waterflow drops...resuling in low water flow...and the stock oil cooler needs water....

 

Correct the stock cooler uses water to cool the oil. We have not seen any issues with water pump caviation. We were not measuring oil temp spikes, all temp were take in the pan and over several years of track and street use. My MINI did 48 track days and 15,000 street miles in 2009, testing all our products.
You should always change your oil after a track weekend with or with out the oil cooler. The oil cooler is not there to increase oil change intervials. Its there to reduce oil break down at high temp and stabilize internal engine temp.

 

I have used and seen several over the years. if you find an old moss mini oil cooler sandwich plate stay very far away from them. over time they have a tendance to start leaking oil under hard driving and even sometimes fail. mine failed luckly right after and engine rebuild when i had the tires off and doing a system check. started pissing oil when the engine was rev'd. i have since moved to a plate style oil cooler by mini madness. Very good support from them on their products. My mini sees the track 1 to 3 times a month and alway high oil temps when running but nothing as high as when i was running no oil cooler. im also in a very hot climate so already im behind the power curve. I change my oil every 3000 miles or after every track day as it is still my daily driver.