How much more engine oil after oil cooler?

[NJUL9925]

I purchased my car with the cooler on, I believe its a 10 row and seller told me just use an extra quart of oil. What are you guys with coolers installed adding on top of the 5 quarts and how did you go about figuring out the amount ?

thanks

[DarkPira7e]

You figure the amount out by buying extra oil, fill until you check the level and it's on the dipstick

[soundman98]

i usually put 5.5 quarts in to my all-oem car...

[KillerBMotorsport]

Fill with regular amount. Start car. Stop Car and let sit for 5 minutes. Recheck level.

The oiling system will suspend the oil in the cooler, assuming you have a proper OEM spec oil filter with the correct backflow prevention valve. So once you start the car, oil will be in the entire lubrication system, including the remote oil cooler you have. The level in the pan will drop because of this, so you can add more oil until the full mark is reached.

OR, calculate how much to add based on the oil cooler's capacity, line size, and length.

Either way will get you where you want to be.

[Matt93SE]

recheck the level and top off until it's full the first time after install. After that, the oil cooler shouldn't be draining itself empty when you change your oil because it doesn't just magically all siphon out and leave the system completely dry.

Subsequent changes, you should refill with basically the factory amount of oil and check level to make sure. And yeah, that means you have an extra quart of oil stuck in your engine between changes. Trust me, it won't kill ya.

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by Matt93SE

After that, the oil cooler shouldn't be draining itself empty when you change your oil because it doesn't just magically all siphon out and leave the system completely dry.

That depends on location and design. If it's low, it may hold oil. AMG has a drain valve on their oil coolers to accommodate this. Some designs are such that pulling the oil filter will let the oil cooler syphon out, but the FA is definitely not one.

Since we do oil changes HOT, we use a Tee and drain valve. Or if the heat exchanger has an extra port, just add a drain valve to the low side.

[Matt93SE]

Originally Posted by KillerBMotorsport

That depends on location and design. If it's low, it may hold oil. AMG has a drain valve on their oil coolers to accommodate this. Some designs are such that pulling the oil filter will let the oil cooler syphon out, but the FA is definitely not one.

Since we do oil changes HOT, we use a Tee and drain valve. Or if the heat exchanger has an extra port, just add a drain valve to the low side.

Yes, my comments are generic to the typical 86 cooler setup with a low-mounted cooler and top-feed hoses. Since the cooler is a fairly low point in the system, it does retain oil unless you make an effort to drain it out. depending on the adapter, it could let the oil siphon out when the filter is pulled, but some do not.
I know for certain when I unhooked my (JR) oil cooler to do some other work, I already had the oil filter off and it would have siphoned out, but noooo I got a big dang mess all over my splitter! maybe the thermostat was closed on the adapter plate guy, preventing it from siphoning?

[KillerBMotorsport]

Originally Posted by Matt93SE

maybe the thermostat was closed on the adapter plate guy, preventing it from siphoning?

That shouldn't be able to happen. The thermostat should never be able to fully close. This is to prevent shocking a hot engine with cold oil.

[Matt93SE]

Originally Posted by KillerBMotorsport

That shouldn't be able to happen. The thermostat should never be able to fully close. This is to prevent shocking a hot engine with cold oil.

:shrug: can't explain it all, just reporting what I've encountered.

[WNDSRFR]

Originally Posted by soundman98

i usually put 4.5 quarts in to my all-oem car...

Your engine must be smaller than mine. Mine takes 5 1/2 quarts every time. It's not completely oem bit still....

[soundman98]

you're right, it's 5.5 quarts. kept thinking that i only used part of a 5quart jug, but i used all of it plus a half...