This is my first post here, I currently own a 2008 R56 Mini cooper s automatic that I am spending some cash to improve. My mods are in my signature.

I was just wondering about an oil cooler for the automatic? I have found this:


It looks a bit different from the other oil coolers I have looked at. What are the advantages of this design? Does anyone have any tips about what I should get for my car? I prefer bolt on, so I won't have to re-build anything in the bay.

 

Are you talking about a transmission cooler or an oil cooler?

I would only go for an oil cooler if your car is a dedicated track car, otherwise the stock cooler does a good job. It's not like the stock cooler is going to cause you to have 300 deg F oil temps on the track either. It just cools it down for increased protection.

 

I was actually looking at both. I'm really trying to extend the life of my car and make it handle spirited driving better. It has been tuned so I know the strain is heavier. It won't run track, maybe just the nürburgring and some cone races just for fun, but nothing serious. Still, the reputed short life span of the cooper S scares me, I am used to taking cars up to high miles and I don't want this car to be spent in just 3-4 years. I do drive a lot. I don't ride it like it was stolen or anything, but I do let it loose now and again.

Maybe just an automatic transmission cooler then? I want my cooper to last. I'm taking it to have the ATF replaced within a few weeks.

 

I was always under the impression that one could not add an external cooler for the automatics because the original cooler was internal on these transmissions. Giving you no access to tap into the cooler lines. maybe someone else could chime in here on this!