What's the verdict on the need of oil cooler?

[mtimney]

I have an autox this weekend. I'll keep track of oil temps and post the results.

[mtimney]

I just got back from an SCCA autox. The laminova cooler worked perfectly. The oil peaked at 211-degrees(f) a couple of times and then went back down to 202 when I got back to the paddock.

Given this is the temp of the oil after it's been cooled by the radiator, I'm reasonably certain the oil is getting hot enough to boil off any water contamination.

Additionally, the coolant temp never went above 200....and it only hit this temp when I came back to get in line for another run and left the car running for a few minutes at a standstill.

I think this is a great setup for a DD and for autox.

[defylogik]

I was going to wait for data (car only has 500 miles on it) but i ended up putting the Mishimoto oil cooler kit on my FR-S.

I can't give any data at this point, but the kit is really nice quality.

I'm not a Mishimoto fan boy (their radiators seem to leak like sieves), but the quality on the cooler/lines/plate is just as good as Mocal. Actually the cooler looks almost identical to the Mocal one I had on my STi. Except for the sticker on top of course.

Install is fairly easy and clean, and i like the centered position. It doesn't have a thermostatic sandwich plate - so keep that in mind if you live in very cold climates. I prefer not having one... make it a lot easier to check the oil, since it doesn't change in the pan dramatically like it does with a thermostatic plate (my experience). I would have preferred to build my own custom fit kit, but the price of this one (and the great sandwich plate adapters) swayed me.

I'll definitely be logging the next time out with the car and will report back.

-Scott

[MotorboatinSonOfA]

I'm not sure if this has been asked in this topic already as I only found a short number of posts talking about autocross / auto-x in this topic but is an oil cooler absolutely necessary for autocrossing about 2x a month?

To give you more detail, for the competition (time recorded) runs, there would probably be about 3 or 4 runs with breaks in between each run (because you have to wait about 5 minutes for everyone in your run group to go after each one of your runs)

After about a 20-30 minute break in which no cars are running, there might be 4-6 extra runs but these wouldn't have more than about 2 minutes between each run.

[mtimney]

Originally Posted by MotorboatinSonOfA

I'm not sure if this has been asked in this topic already as I only found a short number of posts talking about autocross / auto-x in this topic but is an oil cooler absolutely necessary for autocrossing about 2x a month?

I don't think it is absolutely necessary. Adding one might protect your engine a little more, give you a tiny bit more power, and allow you to use oil a little longer, but you could get away without it for autocross given the oil temps I was getting before I added my cooler.

[WolfpackS2k]

I've got to be completely honest. I can't fathom any autox course putting a thermal strain on the FRZ. You're talking about roughly a minute on course and less than that at full throttle.

A 20 min road course session that consists of keeping the revs about 5k the entire time? Yes.

If I was just autox'ing I wouldn't bother.

[robispec]

whatever oil cooler you want you may like our take off plate.

drilled for sensors too


no thermostatic option available.

[Chad]

I'm going to be doing auto slalom about several times a year in the summer and I didn't think an oil cooler would be necessary?

My car is a DD and our winters are harsh. I would assume that it's bad to have an oil cooler in winter (ie sub -10C)?

[wootwoot]

Originally Posted by robispec

whatever oil cooler you want you may like our take off plate.

drilled for sensors too


no thermostatic option available.

Can someone explain to me what I am looking at here?

[orthojoe]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

I've got to be completely honest. I can't fathom any autox course putting a thermal strain on the FRZ. You're talking about roughly a minute on course and less than that at full throttle.

A 20 min road course session that consists of keeping the revs about 5k the entire time? Yes.

If I was just autox'ing I wouldn't bother.

Totally agree with you, but people are going to buy a cooler and throw it on anyway. Some will do it and not even autocross just 'because' or 'just in case'.

[SkullWorks]

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Can someone explain to me what I am looking at here?

you are looking at a "sandwich plate" that was actually designed to work in your engine bay, Robi and I both saw the need for a part that would work for everyone, and he bribed me with enough redbull to get some parts in time for his latest batch of oil cooler/radiators.

[mtimney]

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Can someone explain to me what I am looking at here?

You're seeing is an 'oil cooler sandwich plate'....a piece that fits between the engine and the oil filter so you can run oil out through lines to get to an oil cooler.

What's nice about this...at least I think it's this way...please chime in Robbie!!...is that it also serves as a spacer.' Most oil sandwich plates are more horizontal in design and will not fit on a BRZ/FRS without having a spacer between them and the car to get them high enough above the engine so the oil connectors will fit above the rim of the 'oil catch' that's under the filter. Spacers work, but they also allow for the possibility of leaking.

Additionally, many oil sandwich plates do not have a hole in them for a sensor...like an oil pressure or temp. sensor. This one does.

Nice design! I wish it had come out before I did my cooler.

[ATL BRZ]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

My cooler started leaking tonight.. the core itself. Need to look into it tomorrow. Fun times.

Did you get that fixed yet?

[Deep Six]

At Roebling this weekend with overcast skies and intermittent rain. Oil temps ran 260 to 270 without a cooler. I have the Robi special in the garage that will be installed before any more track weekends.