Installed/How-To: 2014 Forester XT OEM Oil Cooler(pics!)

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Mattia M.

Ho guys, I would like to mount this system in my car and would like to know if this fitting is correct! it's made of steel, and I think it's better than aluminum. confirm?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273563943419

Thank you.

Not quite sure where you are going to use these, but to answer your question, No, in these services steel is NOT better than aluminum.

[Mattia M.]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Not quite sure where you are going to use these, but to answer your question, No, in these services steel is NOT better than aluminum.

It should be mounted here, right?



Can I use this?

https://www.ebay.it/itm/M14x1-5-METR...bd4e%7Ciid%3A1

Any recommendations on the type of pipes to use, and also is thermal protection necessary, given the proximity to the exhaust headers?

Thank you.

[vsn]

Hello,

What is the difference if I connect the Oil Coooler to water below Air Intake and not as you did it here at first page of this thread? ... whats the difference? pross/cons...

What is the loop below Air Intake?

thank you.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by vsn

Hello,

What is the difference if I connect the Oil Coooler to water below Air Intake and not as you did it here at first page of this thread? ... whats the difference? pross/cons...

What is the loop below Air Intake?

thank you.

That loop is coolant, most people hook up the oem heat exchanger through there.

[vsn]

Originally Posted by 86TOYO2k17

That loop is coolant, most people hook up the oem heat exchanger through there.

Yes, I know there is a coolant... But what is difference if I use this loop and not setup figured at first page at this thread. Why someone do it more comlicated and dont use that loop.

So my question is about positives and negatives of each settings.

thank you.

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by vsn

Yes, I know there is a coolant... But what is difference if I use this loop and not setup figured at first page at this thread. Why someone do it more comlicated and dont use that loop.

So my question is about positives and negatives of each settings.

thank you.

Most do it because it's easier instead of having to exchange the other parts out. Taking off the bolt on the engine block at the bottom is kind of a pain. I stripped it so I couldn't use it. The throttle body route works fine if you're not going to track the car.

[vsn]

Originally Posted by weederr33

Most do it because it's easier instead of having to exchange the other parts out. Taking off the bolt on the engine block at the bottom is kind of a pain. I stripped it so I couldn't use it. The throttle body route works fine if you're not going to track the car.

Sorry, but what do you exactly mean with " Taking off the bolt on the engine block at the bottom is kind of a pain. " ? dont understand..

whats wrong If I use the coolant loop? I want to go to circuit few times at year (2x-3x) If I go now, I can go only two fast laps.. after this oil has 125 degress celsius.

thanks

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by vsn

Sorry, but what do you exactly mean with " Taking off the bolt on the engine block at the bottom is kind of a pain. " ? dont understand..

whats wrong If I use the coolant loop? I want to go to circuit few times at year (2x-3x) If I go now, I can go only two fast laps.. after this oil has 125 degress celsius.

thanks

There is a bolt at the bottom of the engine block you tap into for the Forester cooler CARNS posted in the OP. Nothing is wrong with the throttle body, just that people insist there is less flow to provide sufficient cooling. But if you're going to track the car, it's not going to be much help either. You may want to look into the Jackson Racing dual radiator oil cooler. But for autoX or a couple laps you should be ok.

[vsn]

ok, thank you ... If the exchanger will hold oil temp at normal for 10 minutes at track... its OK for me.

[Capt Spaulding]

Folks,

Looking at the service manual and the parts fiche, auto trans cars have what appears to be a return line from the transmission cooler that connects to the main engine discharge water pipe that crosses the top of the engine and ultimately feeds into the upper radiator hose. The connection appears to be just across the pipe from the bypass line back to the water pump. The port it connects through is blocked off by a blanking plate on MT cars and the ATs use a thermostat and housing. Has anyone tried running the return line for the oil cooler through that port? It would be a simple matter (I think) to buy the $12 housing and connect the return line there (without the thermostat).

TIA

[DaveB.inVa]

I thought I would share the method I used for the Forester oil cooler installation. It may help some especially with the hard pipe at the rear of the block.

Similar to what others have done, from the cooler outlet I used the factory 99078AB330 hose to the factory hard pipe. From the hard pipe to the block M14x1.5 to 1/2 barb fitting I used another 99078AB330 hose.

I read the entire thread and had seen a couple of comments regarding installation of the bypass pipe at the rear of the engine, it was difficult and the lines aren't angled correctly for the BRZ.

Previously, I had a tee in the upper radiator hose for a temp sensor. I thought I would replace the sensor tee with one having a port and run hose from there to the cooler inlet. The tee I used had a 3/8" NPT port and I used a 3/8" NPT to 3/8 barb 90 degree fitting and ran 3/8" heater hose from the barb fitting to the oil cooler. I have a Grimmspeed strut tower bar and attached the 3/8" heater hose to it.

I did have some concerns about the cooling system bleeding properly since that portion is above the bleed port, but everything purged correctly and there have been no issues. One could run the 3/8" hose lower but following the strut tower bar resulted in a shorter route and less chance for abrasion of the hose as it crossed the engine bay.

Previously I had a Blitz sandwich plate installed used for oil temp and just installed it over top of the oil cooler. There was plenty of clearance between the top of the filter and the hood. I actually saw this in an article somewhere so I wasn't concerned.

I also had a Koyorad metal filler neck with a port that I bought almost a year ago and never had installed it. I also installed it during this time and moved the coolant temp sensor there.

Both the Blitz plate and the Koyorad metal filler neck had ports that were 1/8" BSPT and my sensors were 1/8" NPT. To accommodate them I bored the ports out and tapped them to 1/4" NPT. ISSPRO makes a set of nice adapters that are more like bushings so i used one for the water neck. I wasn't aware of them when I did the same on the Blitz plate and used an adapter that doesn't allow as great of probe depth. There is still plenty of probe in the oil flow path so there isn't an issue.

Even though the cooler inlet is fed from the upper radiator hose, the outlet bypasses the thermostat and oil is warmed as soon as heat is available. Oil temps come up faster when idling and my peak oil temp so far has been about 205F. I wasn't pushing it, but the same road would previously give about 220F oil temps.

Total cost was $279.56.

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Folks,

Looking at the service manual and the parts fiche, auto trans cars have what appears to be a return line from the transmission cooler that connects to the main engine discharge water pipe that crosses the top of the engine and ultimately feeds into the upper radiator hose. The connection appears to be just across the pipe from the bypass line back to the water pump. The port it connects through is blocked off by a blanking plate on MT cars and the ATs use a thermostat and housing. Has anyone tried running the return line for the oil cooler through that port? It would be a simple matter (I think) to buy the $12 housing and connect the return line there (without the thermostat).

TIA

Yes. This is an alternative option and it was suggested by a well known rally racing tuner in Japan. I don't recall now the name.

[gpvecchi]

How to run the flexible hose in this case? Going down to the heater pipe is quite straight, if I understand, this should run around the engine to its back...

[nikitopo]

Found the part.

http://www.luck.co.jp/products/elspo...lingparts.html