Perrin Oil Cooler - Impressions, Pics, and Data
 

I got the new black core and no issues yet. Feel free to check my build thread for more details/photos of the install etc.

http://i.imgur.com/ss40JBb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Q4KtseE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tDgwCNT.jpg

Impressions:
I'm very impressed with the Perrin Oil Cooler. I was cruising out to the E85 station this evening and wanted to compare apples to apples:

Both were about the same ambient temps ~86F and approx 30 minutes into a highway cruise:

Pre Oil Cooler:
http://i.imgur.com/frr7ro6.png

Post Oil Cooler:
http://i.imgur.com/RjWyyR9.png

I hit a little stop and go from some stop lights once I got off the highway. Sitting at the lights the oil would creep up to 190F but about 45sec after I was moving about 45-50MPH it went right back to 180F. I am very pleased with the preliminary results. The true test will come at VIR during my two-day track daze (pun intended). Those happen next Mon & Tues.

Look - bottom line is if you track your car or are heavy on it get an oil cooler. The Mishimoto one looks nice too. Also FA20Club, Full Blown, Robispec, and HKS make kits. I'm sure they all function about the same. Do some research to find what fits your needs best.

I hit 265-270F oil temps on the track before the supercharger install!
Here is a log from one session (pre-oil cooler and supercharger):
http://i.imgur.com/YZli8qY.png

I see about the same with my Perrin oil cooler. I hit about 225 at the track last time with it, so it's definitely doing it's job.

how often would you need to track the car to justify an oil cooler? Overall opinions wanted...

would you need to run a different weight oil? since your vehicle is now running lower oil temps, my understanding is that oil is designed to be a certain viscosity at a vehicles operating temp... if you lower the temp of the oil you are changing its viscosity? im confused...

There's already multiple threads with lots more data/answers here: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29965

and


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26424

I'd recommend switching to a 30 weight oil. @Dave-ROR measured oil pressures at the block and found them to be uncomfortably low when running 20 weight with an oil cooler. Switching to a 30 weight brought the pressures back up to comfortable levels. The manual also states that it's okay to switch to a 30 weight for harsh conditions.

as in a 0w30, 5w30, 10w30? or anything that is 30 weight would do?

Depends on how much cold start protection you need.

Here's some more info for you: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

This should be stickied for real, awesome article!

What are you using to log the temps? Looks like a iPhone app, yes?

Was going to put one together myself then I realized this perrin kit can be had for only about $100 more. I'd get this just to avoid the hassle of putting one together myself, and if anything goes wrong with it you'd have a number to call to bitch at somebody. lol Plus you get a cool Perrin sticker for your tool box or car.

Yeah, for me I thought I'd rather have a complete kit and instructions. Not hard to piece together but my BRZ is now my only car so I can't just run to the store to get something unless I phone a friend.

I'm using the Torque App (for Android)

Shucks... I wonder if they have an app like this for iOS that can also do logs.

DashCommand, no access to the oil temp PID yet though

When you change oil on a system with a cooler is there an added step to drain the oil trapped in the cooler?

Perrin said just make sure the engine oil is hot enough, but to still wait a few minutes for the oil to gravitate out of the filter so don't turn your car off and immediately pull the filter off. There isn't much oil in the cooler anyway so a little bit won't matter. Or just call them and ask to confirm.