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Oil Coolers-anyone use them?

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77MidgetMkIV

77MidgetMkIV

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Hello all,

I am thinking of installing an oil cooler on my Midget, and am soliciting opinions from anyone who has tried one or has one. Also, where did you purchase your parts from? My car is a 1977 midget 1500

thx in advance
 
Can't help you with any of the details on where to source parts or how to install but I'm sure someone will be along who will tell you that these motors benefit greatly from an oil cooler. I want to put one on my 76 1500. Once you get the details ironed out please let us know how you did it. I know there needs to be a thermostat in the system as you don't want the oil to cool too much.
JC
 
I added an oil cooler to my '73. Since the engines are different, and I'm not too familiar with the 1500, the install might be different. The 1275 has an oil line that goes from the block to the oil filter adapter. I removed this and installed 8AN fittings with aeroquip style hoses. The block fitting is a banjo style so this was a custom fitting. I mounted a thermostat on the inner fender (perma-cool 1060, https://www.perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page14.html,
https://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=3534&prmenbr=361) then ran oil lines from the thermostat to a cooler behind the grill. I bought a generic cooler, but they sell some nice low profile units like you see in Moss. Some people cut a hole in the lower valance and mount it there so air flow to the radiator isn’t obstructed, but I haven’t done that yet. My temp gauge has actually gone down a bit. With the cooling problems I’ve heard about with the 1500’s that may be more of an issue. When I first put it in I was in a rush and mounted the thermostat to the filer housing, but it broke the nipple due to vibration. I tested it without the thermostat and the pressure drop was too great when the oil was cold. Oil pressure would actually decrease when I rev’d the engine. That is when I mounted it on the inner fender. It’s been in for a while and no issue since I remotely mounted the thermostat. The engine needs bearings and I picked up 10 psi oil pressure at idle warm.

There are sandwich adapters that can be added between the oil filter and the block, both with and without thermostats. The ones without thermostats are really meant for remote filter installations, but will work with an external thermostat. Either way you need the thermostat somewhere.
 
Yeah, the 1500 oil filter adapter is right on the block. You need to buy a sandwich plate that then goes between the block and the filter, and route the hoses off of that to your cooler. I found a place that has them https://www.batinc.net/mocal.htm and teglerizer has a page about an install https://www.teglerizer.com/triumphstuff/75w_oilcooler.htm so that is what I am studying right now. I don't think that the part number that is on Teglerizer is current, as the adapter with the thermostat built in is part number SP1T, with differentiation depending on what thread size you order.
They also sell a complete kit, which includes everything except the cooler core itself, though they offer those in addition to the adapter kits.
 
clarification: the part numbers from Teglerizer's site are from https://www.thinkauto.com/ Thinkauto is located in England and British American Transfer is located in Sarasota, FL. You actually get a better explanation of the parts needed at ThinkAuto.
 
I installed one from day 1 (ofr my ownership of the car) and have had great success in driving it in 95 degree days and on the highway.

Bought items from the same guy who did my engine, so can't help with specific parts - but above sounds correct.

Afeter I realized my old engine was shot and needed to replace it. I posted many items here and the few items that consistently came to the top were: Oil Cooler, Petronix Ignition, Switch from Positive Earth to Neg Ground so you can use an alternator (which the last one I assume you have based on the age of your car).

Good luck -

George
 
I plan on doing a Q&D (quick and dirty) install on my bugeye. Living in South Florida I have already taken out my heater. I plan on routing the old heater intake hose to a galvanized houshold floor register, the bottom is round and about the same size diameter as the intake hose, and forms a rectangle at the other end, about 5"X7". Directly at the end of the register I will mout an oil cooler of a 1980's Ford Bronco,used, about 5"X7" on the right front fender well. This should supply fresh air to the cooler and I will not have to do anything funky to the car, or mount it behind the radiator as other kits will have you do. I have all the parts, just need a day to try it out. This probably won't work for anyone else who uses their heater, but I never used mine anyway. Total cost about $25.
 
I have been racing my 1500 for years without a cooler. One of my buddies uses one in his 1275 car, but two other 1275 cars I race with have no coolers either.
Maybe if we were racing Nationals we'd use them....frankly, my oil never really gets that hot even with an average RPM of about 5000 to 5500.
For what it's worth, I change my oil and filter after every event (never more than 3 hours of running time).
I am planning on adding a trans cooler to my tow vehicle.
 
Just installed one in my 1978. I purchased the entire kit as it just made life easier and it also included the thermostat since I live in the north country and things can get cold here.

The 1500 still has the holes for mounting the oil cooler in its body like the 1275 so I used those. According to the directions the cooler should be within 1/4" from the radiator to avoid air turbulance but on the 1275 and 1500 the mounting holes are much further away. I thought I would try using the original holes first but it really isn't difficult to mount in right next to the radiator either. There are two holes just above where the heater duct goes through to pull in fresh air that you pass the oil lines through.

The one problem I did encounter was no matter how I moved the oil hoses around to get them connected to the oil cooler they would collapse. Fixed it by going to a farm store near by and purchasing two 90 degree elbows for about $6 each.

So does the car run cooler? Somewhat but I am also having clutch water pump problems so I am replacing that with a clutchless one now. This is more to my liking as I have tried to mirror the English version with 2 SU carbs, etc anyways and they did not run with a clutched fan. Take a look at the "Euro Moss site" if you get a chance as there is a lot more information and parts available for the 1500 then what's over in the USA. It's at https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/MossUK/

Good luck.
 
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