Forrester oil cooler with oil to air cooler question ?

[sroby]

I’m currently running the oem forrester oil cooler on my FRS. I ran all of the oem hard pipes. I wanting to know if any forum members are running an oil/air cooler in addition to the oem forrester. Which thermostatic plate with adapter bolt are their available. I’ve seen pics on one but couldn’t locate the info from the pic. I’m just trying to figure out what type if any adapter bolt would you use or recommend. I’m going turbo in the not to distant future. Trying to get all research and support mods lined up.
I don’t want to remove of the forrester set if possible. Any input would be appreciated. Thx in advance Steve

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by sroby

I’m currently running the oem forrester oil cooler on my FRS. I ran all of the oem hard pipes. I wanting to know if any forum members are running an oil/air cooler in addition to the oem forrester. Which thermostatic plate with adapter bolt are their available. I’ve seen pics on one but couldn’t locate the info from the pic. I’m just trying to figure out what type if any adapter bolt would you use or recommend. I’m going turbo in the not to distant future. Trying to get all research and support mods lined up.
I don’t want to remove of the forrester set if possible. Any input would be appreciated. Thx in advance Steve

The easiest thing to do is replace it, but that's no fun.

However, if you want to keep it on there, someone on here has a set up similar to what you're looking into. They took the WRX Mishimoto non-thermostatic oil cooler sandwhich, banjos, and adapter bolt and paired it with an oil cooler for our cars. The only problem is since the sandwich is non-thermostatic, oil flows all the time. My thought would be that the OEM Forester would act as the thermostat. And if you're in a southern state, during our summers, it will warm up pretty quickly. But over cooling could be an issue too.

An idea I had in mind was to find a custom length adapter bolt and then possibly 3D print or cut a spacer between the oem and the sandwich plate so that it fits. I know it's a lot of work, but it would be an interesting and unique solution. Hope that helps!

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

If you are going FI, then your temps will most likely require an air cooler, using both the stock forester type and a radiator kind of negates the effect even in a aftermarket FI situation. I feel like you're going to be overcooling your motor and the temperature of your oil will take a while to stabilize with both because you're countering the "warming" assist of the oem cooler.

[gpvecchi]

Can you buy all the Forester parts for a straight swap?

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by gpvecchi

Can you buy all the Forester parts for a straight swap?

Nope. You need a couple of custom parts and a lot of labor. It doesn't really worth it especially in colder climates. If I really wanted extra oil cooling capacity, then I would go for the HKS oil cooler which is actually more factory than the Forester parts. The HKS oil cooler has been used as stock part in the BRZ RA Racing cars. The Forester oil cooler has never been used by Subaru officially in our cars.

[tomm.brz]

i, instead, think that it s particularly indicated for a cold climate since the warming up of oil during cold start is the only thing is actually good at.
You could prove me wrong, but I saw anyway 120 C on a stock Gt86 on track with it
But i still prefer it to an actual oil cooler for a NA car, besides track days, it's just problematic for a daily car, at least the Forester's kit does something usefull

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by tomm.brz

i, instead, think that it s particularly indicated for a cold climate since the warming up of oil during cold start is the only thing is actually good at.

Yes it helps to raise the oil temperature faster which is important especially for a turbo engine. If you check all the related Forester parts, it contains a couple of metal tubes bolted on the engine walls. These parts are certainly not for cooling the oil!

[86MLR]

If I was ever to boost mine, which I'm not, I would look at the Jackson racing dual radiator.

Best of both worlds, helps bring up oil temps, and gives a good delta relationship with coolant temps.

I currently run the Forester OEM "heat exchanger", to the throttle body though, if I was to upgrade the Forester item would become redundant.

The Forester OEM heat exchanger is excellent for bring up your oil temp from cold, it really does nothing IRT cooling, it gets heat soaked eventually and contributes nothing, luckly the OEM radiator works well NA.

Off topic: why do they call the coolant heat exchangers radiators?

The Forester OEM thingie works more like a heat exchanger radiating coolant temp to the oil, whereas the cars "radiator" works via convection not thermal radiation.....

Should we call the Forester OEM heat exchanger a radiator?

And the radiator a heat sink?

Anyway, that's way to much thinking for 2225h, good night.

[Kodename47]

@sroby are you tracking the car at all? If not then you don't need to change.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

Nope. You need a couple of custom parts and a lot of labor. It doesn't really worth it especially in colder climates. If I really wanted extra oil cooling capacity, then I would go for the HKS oil cooler which is actually more factory than the Forester parts. The HKS oil cooler has been used as stock part in the BRZ RA Racing cars. The Forester oil cooler has never been used by Subaru officially in our cars.

All you need is the forester oil cooler sandwich plate, a hose cut in half, 4 clamps, and 20 minutes of time. I went a step extra and got 3 different hose sizes and 2 heater hose adapters to get perfect fitment. but a good enough clamp and some lube you could use 1 size hose. Either way super cheap quick and easy.

It has shown in numerous testing to get oil temps to normal operating temps about 15% quicker. Under hard driving keeps temps about 5% cooler and lowers temps back to normal operating temps during cool down laps about 10% quicker. Obviously not as good at keeping temps down as a real cooler, but for how cheap quick and easy it is. Perfect for a DD / spirited driving / or canyon runs and probably autox. Tracking may be a bit rough.

[nikitopo]

Originally Posted by 86TOYO2k17

All you need is the forester oil cooler sandwich plate, a hose cut in half, 4 clamps, and 20 minutes of time. I went a step extra and got 3 different hose sizes and 2 heater hose adapters to get perfect fitment. but a good enough clamp and some lube you could use 1 size hose. Either way super cheap quick and easy.

You are talking about the routing line used by NED oil cooler which connects to the throttle body. The original Forester oil cooler does not connect this way.

[gpvecchi]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

Nope. You need a couple of custom parts and a lot of labor. It doesn't really worth it especially in colder climates. If I really wanted extra oil cooling capacity, then I would go for the HKS oil cooler which is actually more factory than the Forester parts. The HKS oil cooler has been used as stock part in the BRZ RA Racing cars. The Forester oil cooler has never been used by Subaru officially in our cars.

Thanks but HKS is actually way more expensive, plus it needs removal of the front bumper.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

You are talking about the routing line used by NED oil cooler which connects to the throttle body. The original Forester oil cooler does not connect this way.

Yes you are correct if you want to do a forester conversion. Didn’t think it was a common thing to do the full conversion, but tons of ppl make their own or buy NED’s with the throttle body, assumed you where referencing that.

Not sure the pros and cons of using the actual forester kit with the water pipe hard line vs just buying the sandwhich plate, bolt and some good hoses, adaptors, and clamps on Amazon for cheap. But about 180$ + 20mins of time net some solid results. Good enough for the majority of non track enthusiasts.

[Kodename47]

Could another option be to add a decent water to oil exchanger into the existing setup. One of the guys here in the UK ran this setup with Cossie SC and found it worked well until he added a lower temp coolant thermostat and then it cooled the oil too much for daily driving so with stock thermostat would be quite a decent option.


He then reverted back to the NED cooler, so maybe the cheapest option is a lower coolant thermostat.....