Does one change the oil in an oil cooler?

[Tor]

Originally Posted by justatroll

You fill the "pressure vessel" (c o o ker) with new oil and hook it to the cooler line.
Then pressurize with air to about 20 PSI & open the ball valve.

It will push new oil into the cooler and push the old out.

It is a little more important for my racecar because I have >20 feet of 12 AN hose and two coolers on a mid engine for about 3-4 extra quarts on a 5 quart engine.

Is there a hose under the lid, going into the fresh oil?

With only 20 psi, is a pressure cooker really necessary? Or was it just what you had available and handy when making it?

Something similar must be possible with a simple plastic bottle, a pickup line through a fitting and pressure being supplied through a nipple by a spare tire for us without an air compressor. Especially for smaller quantities.

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by Tor

Is there a hose under the lid, going into the fresh oil?

With only 20 psi, is a pressure cooker really necessary? Or was it just what you had available and handy when making it?

Something similar must be possible with a simple plastic bottle, a pickup line through a fitting and pressure being supplied through a nipple by a spare tire for us without an air compressor. Especially for smaller quantities.

"Is there a hose under the lid, going into the fresh oil?"
Yes, it curves into the "corner" of the pot.

You could try putting 20 PSI into a plastic bottle full of oil if you like.
Please record for posterity.

[Tor]

Originally Posted by justatroll

"Is there a hose under the lid, going into the fresh oil?"
Yes, it curves into the "corner" of the pot.

You could try putting 20 PSI into a plastic bottle full of oil if you like.
Please record for posterity.

There is a company making a kit for brake bleeding doing just that:
http://www.gunson.co.uk/items/pdf/Pr...uctions_GB.pdf

10-20 PSI from a spare is feeding a plastic bottle. I would take the chance on a homemade solution with a thicker plastic bottle (Euro 1 l. Cocacola bottles as an example are really rigid).

Or I might get that kit for brake bleeding and modify it so I can connect to my AN10 fitting. It's just to flush a small 13 row cooler. Probably it's way overkill and would be easier just to leave it. Though I think I'd sleep better knowing ALL my oil has been changed.

It is a little more important for my racecar because I have >20 feet of 12 AN hose and two coolers on a mid engine for about 3-4 extra quarts on a 5 quart engine.

By the way, of curiosity what car is that?

[churchx]

Using spare as compressed air tank - clever idea. Makes kit so much simpler/cheaper yet still mobile.

[ZionsWrath]

How much difference does it really make if you change it?

Have a more frequent change if you don't, less frequent if you do.

Does anyone actually flush out their cooler? Never heard of it. Any OEM cars with oil coolers have service recommendations or anything?

[churchx]

Still it would be nice to have oil cooling kits designed to ease complete flush. If for nothing else, then at least for peace of mind .. some customers may value that.

[COO86L]

Setrab/Perrin instructions stated you don't need to worry about the old oil in cooler/lines. You'll never get all the old oil out unless you fill, run, drain, fill run drain, fill etc etc.
I service every 7500 because E85, hard driving and when I have nothing to do it's an easy $40 and keeps me happy

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by justatroll

It is a little more important for my racecar because I have >20 feet of 12 AN hose and two coolers on a mid engine for about 3-4 extra quarts on a 5 quart engine.

Originally Posted by Tor

By the way, of curiosity what car is that?

Porsche 914:

[FRS Justin]

I use compressed air and blow out as much oil as possible then fill the cooler and lines back up. It might be over kill but I like knowing the oil has a fresh extra quart in the system

[steve99]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

I would like people's opinion on changing the oil when an oil cooler is fitted. I have done a little bit of Googling but I haven't read anything that is definitive. I agree with a couple of contrary opinions.
I have read that
1/ The hose couplings on a cooler are not designed for many cycles of remove/replace. (That makes sense)
2/ If one does drain the oil from the cooler it means the engine will start with out oil as the air in the cooler is replaced by oil unless one fills the oil cooler first. (This makes sense too)
3/ If one does not drain the oil from the cooler then when an oil change is carried out the new oil is immediately contaminated by the remaining old oil in the cooler.( Yep, that rings true).
4/ That the amount of dirty oil is negligible compared to the total volume of new oil. ( I would prefer 100% fresh oil, not 90% new oil).

People's thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.

If your not boosted and not a super serious track warrior then you could avoid this issue by using the forester/wrx OEM heat exchanger cooler. and not have high pressure oil lines that may fail/leak or worry about a rock or something damaging oil radiator.


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73684


their fine for NA cars hard street use and light track work.

[Tor]

Originally Posted by justatroll

Porsche 914:

Nice! 914/4 or 914/6?

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by Tor

Nice! 914/4 or 914/6?

Just a 4.


Otherwise known as a NARP. (not a real Porsche)
However, it can keep up with my BRZ as long as the BRZ has street tires and the 914 has hoosiers :-)


My brother's TR4 is faster than my BRZ but he has spent tens of thousands of dollars over the last 10 years figuring out how to squeeze every last bit of performance from that tractor motor.

[ryoma]

Originally Posted by Tor

There is a company making a kit for brake bleeding doing just that:
http://www.gunson.co.uk/items/pdf/Pr...uctions_GB.pdf

10-20 PSI from a spare is feeding a plastic bottle. I would take the chance on a homemade solution with a thicker plastic bottle (Euro 1 l. Cocacola bottles as an example are really rigid).

Or I might get that kit for brake bleeding and modify it so I can connect to my AN10 fitting. It's just to flush a small 13 row cooler. Probably it's way overkill and would be easier just to leave it. Though I think I'd sleep better knowing ALL my oil has been changed.


By the way, of curiosity what car is that?

I use this bleeder to bleed my brakes. you can probably modify it to clear your oil lines too.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motive-Products-107-System-Bleeder/dp/B00CJ5DZE2"]Amazon.com: Motive Products 107 Brake System Power Bleeder: Automotive[/ame]

it holds 15 PSI easy (that's the pressure I use to bleed my brakes). I bought it for $30 a few years ago... at the current price I am not sure if it's worth it lol.

[Spartarus]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

How much difference does it really make if you change it?

Have a more frequent change if you don't, less frequent if you do.

Does anyone actually flush out their cooler? Never heard of it. Any OEM cars with oil coolers have service recommendations or anything?

OEM cars with air oil heat exchangers just have shorter oil change intervals. Nothing creative.