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Looking for an oil cooler kit
- Thread starter losmorob
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bill_young
Jedi Warrior
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You have a couple of options. First is the oil cooler. You can try sourcing it from other suppliers such as Pegasus Racing, their 13 row cooler is $134 or you can use an old MGB cooler. A lot of people won't consider a used cooler, but my take is that if you flush it well and install it so that the oil returning to the engine from the cooler then passes through the filter any particles will be caught by the filter. I've had mine installed in this way for 10 years without any problems.
As for the fittings and hoses, remove your existing fittings from the engine and take them to your local hydraulic supply shop, they should be able to fix you up with adaptors and JIC fittings with low pressure hydraulic hose at a very reasonable price. The low pressure hose is designed for a push on barbed fitting and won't blow off at the pressures you see in an engine oil system and are much less expensive than the AN fittings and braided hose. You may have to have the fittings for the cooler itself crimped on at their shop as those fittings may not be available in the barbed design, still no problem. I bought about 6 feet of hose and had the cooler fittings crimped on both ends, then I installed it in the car and cut the hose to length in the middle and used the slip on fittings there. I highly recommend fitting a thermostat in the system as well. You can get a good thermostat that uses JIC fittings or adaptors for around $80 or less depending on where you shop. You'll still have around $150 in the system even if you use an old B cooler, usually less than $30 at swap meets or such. That's about the cheapest way I know to get a good oil cooler system for your car. Takes some effort but worth it in my opinion.
As for the fittings and hoses, remove your existing fittings from the engine and take them to your local hydraulic supply shop, they should be able to fix you up with adaptors and JIC fittings with low pressure hydraulic hose at a very reasonable price. The low pressure hose is designed for a push on barbed fitting and won't blow off at the pressures you see in an engine oil system and are much less expensive than the AN fittings and braided hose. You may have to have the fittings for the cooler itself crimped on at their shop as those fittings may not be available in the barbed design, still no problem. I bought about 6 feet of hose and had the cooler fittings crimped on both ends, then I installed it in the car and cut the hose to length in the middle and used the slip on fittings there. I highly recommend fitting a thermostat in the system as well. You can get a good thermostat that uses JIC fittings or adaptors for around $80 or less depending on where you shop. You'll still have around $150 in the system even if you use an old B cooler, usually less than $30 at swap meets or such. That's about the cheapest way I know to get a good oil cooler system for your car. Takes some effort but worth it in my opinion.
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Summit has a number of engine oil coolers for under $100.
~Click Here~ to see some of them. As Bill says, you can use barb connectors to hook it up (my non-original MGB cooler has these).
Summit has barbed connectors somewhere in their catalog too, as well as appropriate line.
I was just looking at these yesterday. I didn't bother using an oil cooler on my 1500 engine, but I may try one on my new 1275 race motor.
~Click Here~ to see some of them. As Bill says, you can use barb connectors to hook it up (my non-original MGB cooler has these).
Summit has barbed connectors somewhere in their catalog too, as well as appropriate line.
I was just looking at these yesterday. I didn't bother using an oil cooler on my 1500 engine, but I may try one on my new 1275 race motor.
Pythias
Jedi Knight
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When I had my engine rebuilt the rebuilder would not allow me to use the oil cooler that I had been using. He (Paul A. of MorrisService 5 Speed) said that not only were they unnecessary, but considers them detrimental, because you can't really get the dirty oil out when you do your oil changes. I've driven my 1098 in 95 degree weather, stop and go traffic jambs and had no problem with overheating.
My .02¢
My .02¢
jvandyke
Luke Skywalker
Offline
I have an oil cooler on my 1098 and I heard the same thing, that they are not necessary. I don't know why the PO put it on there. Same reason he put a Weber on it? Mythological benefit? (my Weber and intake is over $150 on fleabay as we speak, maybe I should sell the oil cooler?)
OP
losmorob
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
It hits 110 degrees here in the summer and I'm planning on taking the Sprite in September on a 3-day, 800 mile car rally. Day one and two last year in my cool running B were searing hot days filled with mountain passes and back roads. Prep work for the Sprite. 
I see the kits online overseas and their pretty reasonable. I was just curious if somene was aware of a complete assembly available in the states for cheaper vs Moss or VB.
I see the kits online overseas and their pretty reasonable. I was just curious if somene was aware of a complete assembly available in the states for cheaper vs Moss or VB.
If you mount the cooler "upside down"(like the later model MGB's you should never have a problem with sediment collecting in the cooler, it will wash itself out.
I personally have the cooler (upside-gown) out of a 1978 Honda Accord on mine (used) and it seems to keep my oil pressure where it should be, at the bypass setting of 55 PSI, hot idle is 35 PSI.
I run 3/8" tranny cooler hose from JC Whitney from the (cut-up) steel line and it works great. By the way, 3/8" ID line is the size of the OD of the steel line so I am not restricting the flow whatsoever!!
BillM
I personally have the cooler (upside-gown) out of a 1978 Honda Accord on mine (used) and it seems to keep my oil pressure where it should be, at the bypass setting of 55 PSI, hot idle is 35 PSI.
I run 3/8" tranny cooler hose from JC Whitney from the (cut-up) steel line and it works great. By the way, 3/8" ID line is the size of the OD of the steel line so I am not restricting the flow whatsoever!!
BillM