The actual cooler needs to fit OK. It does not have to be the same dimensions as the original, but can just be bolted into the general area somehow. In fact I have a theory that a cooler about half the width would do just as well AND allow far more air into the radiator! OEM my car had the bypass cooler (which was just a pipe with "hedgehog" splines on it to provide more surface area) and this allowed far more air through. When I rebuilt the newer type was all that was available, and this certainly reduced radiator cooling effectiveness compared with he old sort. An aftermarket cooler can just be bolted to the flat panel in front of the stack somehow. You would just need a couple f bits of steel to rest the condenser radiator on (or just gut the old cooler and use its end tanks for that purpose.
As to which kit to buy, the fittings on the end of the two steel oil cooler pipes from the engine are AN fittings, and are about 16 AN I think. If you measure their diameter carefully, Mocal will know. Just make sure the cooler will process the flow from that pipe diameter. IMO Mocal are the best and most knowledgeable people to go to.
Greg

 

Hi Greg

Cheers!

I will Check it out.

 

OB these fittings look like AN12 (3/4") or AN16 (1") fittings with a 37° flare, DON'T buy the wrong flare or they will leak.

 

Hi Warrjon

Cheers!

Sorry not to get back sooner but I've been getting an MOT on my Daily Driver.

Following on from Gregs advice, I'm also thinking of going for an Aftermarket Oil Cooler, about £75 instead of £250.

But is it best to get one with an Oil Pipe on each end or one with both Oil Pipes on one end, or doesn't it matter?

 

I would simplify the installation. The way Jaguar did it on RHD cars at least is run the oil cooler lines across then back around the sway bar seem like a torturous path.

Decide where the cooler is going, you can use a cardboard cutout to check fit, then get a cooler with inlet/outlet so the piping is as direct as possible.

 

I'd have both on the same side, if I were to choose, as the pipes would then be shortest. Instead of, as Warren correctly stated, going in an S shape to the other side of the car again, I'd have them both run to the drivers side (RHD).

You would like that also gain some space for maintance at the front fo the engine. I really got angy whilst trying to change the belts because one of the two hoses was always in the way...

 

Hi Daim

Its seems 'Bonkers' the way that they routed those Oil Cooler Pipes!

Just down by the under beam two of the metal Oil pipes are facing the same way (Towards the drivers side on a UK Car)

So would it make sense to connect two flexible Oil Pipes to those metal Oil pipes as already mentioned and then curve them up and around to

connect them to an Oil Cooler with both fittings on only one end.

(Is that what you meant Daim?)

Has anyone got a Photo of an After-Market Oil Cooler Installation?

 

That is exactly what I meant. I have no idea who's idea it was to route it back and forth... Waste of money and material... And also would be easier to service with the pipes on the same side...

 

I think it is a packaging problem It is not easy to get two pipes past the radiator on one side, also they needed to stand the condenser on something, and finally, the routing of the bypass system (which you two do not have I think) is less convoluted.
Greg

 

Yeah, we both have the fullflow system with two full pipes running all the side of the engine to the front under the engine and back again... Not fun at all if you ask me...

There should be a possibilty of running the hoses to the front. If they are all rubber (instead of a steel pipe) they should be less of an issue. IIRC I had, on the right of my radiator, enough space to poke my hand through... Not my wrist but my hand was a fair bit enough...

 

Hi Warrjon

Good idea!

Some years ago when the Oil Cooler broke on my Blue XJS 'The Ice Princess'

I bought an OEM Oil Cooler for about £250 (Ouch!) and had a couple of Flexible Oil Pipes made up, which from what I remember cost about £50.

Then I connected these Oil Pipes to the Outlets on either side of the Engine in place of the Originals, keeping them close to the Body Work and so well away from the heat.

These Oil Pipes were then fed through the gaps at the bottom on each side of the Radiator and then connected to each side of the 'New Oil Cooler'

Which had screw on fittings on each end.

The New Oil cooler was sat in front of the 'Broken One' with as much of a gap between the 'Old Oil Cooler' and the 'New Oil Cooler' as was possible.

The 'Old Oil Cooler' was left in Place, for no other reason other than something to Sit the Condenser Rad on.

As I remember Installation was a piece of Cake and certainly much easier than trying to do the impossible, of trying to get the Old Oil Pipes off the Oil Cooler.

Which after 7 days of trying, I eventually cut off.

Unfortunately 'The Ice Princess' is pretty much impossible to get to at the moment, so I cannot get a Photo of how I did it.

But when I was sorting out one of my Sheds, I 'THINK' I found a couple of identical Pipes, because I 'THINK' I had a Spare Set made up at the time.

It was quite a long time ago and so I cannot be sure, although they do look quite promising.

I'll try and get a Photo but Rain stopped play again!

The Only Big Mistake I made, was going with an OEM Oil Cooler (£250) instead of a much cheaper after-market one.

 

OB
Ask someone with a 3.6 litre car to post a photo of its oil cooler. I am almost sure it is about half the size of the V12 one and just bolted up to a panel somehow. It would be dead easy to weld up an open frame to stand the condenser on (like the OEM cooler but without any fins).
Greg.

 

Hi Greg

Interesting idea!

But I'll tell you what I have got and that's an OEM Oil Cooler out of my Parts Car!

Don't get too excited, as that Oil Cooker is Broken, which is why the P.O. put on an Oil By Pass Pipe, rather than to Shell out for a New one!

So based on your suggestion, what I could 'TRY' and do, is to get my Air Powered Saw and cut the Fins right out of it, to just leave an empty

frame to sit the Condenser Rad on.

Which would leave a big oblong hole for Air to pass right through, while at the same time having a perfect, 'No Weld Frame' to support the Condenser Rad.

With the 'New Oil Cooler' sat in front of that.

I know its a little bit 'out of the Box' but does that sound like a Plan?

 

Exactly that OB. get a Mocal about half the width and bolt it onto the valence. Job done.
Greg

 

Hi Greg

Wouldn't a Mocal Oil Cooler half the width of an OEM give me less Oil Cooling?

Just to Clarify, did you mean half the Thickness or half the Length or half the Height?

 

Talk to them, but I reckon a bit taller and half the length would be good. My bypass system takes 20C out of the oil temp, which is more than needed, probably. unless you really cane it, which I try to, I do not think you have nay danger of oil being too hot. Mine never went over 85C when I measured it, even on the hottest of hot day runs
Greg

 

You do not want the oil too cool, it needs to be above 95°C and stay with in the temp range of the oil. Ideal Temp is between 95-110°C

Reason for +95°C is to burn off contaminants especially water.

 

Hi Warrjon

That is very interesting, I've never heard of that before although it does make sense when you think about it.

What's the best way to measure the Oil Temp and what would happen if the Oil got too hot?

 

OB, Warren
Oil temps:
Warren, I think your range of temps is bit higher than it needs to be. According to some stuff I read, have forgotten the source, 80 to 100 is fine. Also the oil does not have to be at 95 throughout the engine, I believe. On the cams covers the temp measured is about 90-95 in my car. On the oil filter, the feed into the cams, the sump and the into the (bypass) oil cooler from the filter head 85. The cooler takes about 20C out of the oil temp (ie about 65 going back into the sump).
I reckon that is about dead right. TWR's A Scott in the book said keeping oil temps below 95 was essential to the engine lasting the race.


OB, I measured these temps with probes taped to the oil lines/housings, and with temperature strips, this summer, after at least half an hour's fast use in summer temperatures (say 27 ambient). Racetech temperature strips, they are pretty cheap, and show the maximum temp reached, so you know the hottest the oil gets.
Thermal Paint & Strips - Racetech
Greg

 

When oil gets too hot, it's viscosity gets too watery and it can't provide the stable surface in bearings and on the cylinder walls. Resulting in now lubrication and therefore wear and possible damage.