while in the local salvage yard. I recently ran across an old ford crown vic police car, with a heavy duty oil cooler that resembles the B&M waffle type cooler only with 1/2 inch hydralic looking lines. I,m going to hard block my engine and from what I've read will need a oil cooler. Will this work. I dont think it will be there for long.
IMHO, I would not use "an old cooler". BUT, I agree that you should use one. I would use a NEW cooler though. Don't use a sandwich type adapter, use a remote filter. And definately use a thermostat to allow temps to warm up. Wander around this site in their catalog under oil, and get a couple of ideas. http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/ You also should not use hydraulic rubber hoses IMO, instead braided stainless and AN fittings. It could save you some grief later. Oil cooler, adapter, thermostat, filter mount, and hoses. Well worth the money in added oil pressure and piece of mind.:TU: :beer
I used to own a 91 Crown Vic Interceptor 351 HO with an oil cooler. I hit a deer (several deer) and cut the oil cooler in half. I took all that stuff off of the car and eventually sold it. I recently put the cooler apparatus on my truck, with a used cooler. I don't have a temp guage so I can't tell you how much it cooled my truck down. But, the idiot guage in the dash moves every time the thermostat opens. So it obviously cooled it some. I used the sandwich thing. I bought a new o-ring from the ford dealer for $1.50 or whatever. For a tow rig I think its definitely worth it. The new kits you buy from summit just use rubber hoses. Mine uses 1/2" Hydralic lines. Just think of the leaks you could have. I don't think a rubber hose and a stainless hose clamp can hold up to the pressure. If you can get all this stuff from the junkyard for $20 or $40 I think you're ahead. The lines alone will run that much.
Anyone else using 1/2" tubing? (Braided lines are used to make the engine to the remote adapter connection to allow the engine to flex)
Just my experiences and opinions; Using an old used cooler out of another car is kinda like wearing somebody elses dirty underwear.:gt: I bought a new cooler, both tranny and engine oil, and I STILL flushed them both out prior to final hookup for my own piece of mind. I originally used a combination of steel lines and hyd. hose (w/clamps) on the tranny cooler. I got SICK of blow-outs and clamp failures and now use AN fittings and braided hoses. Not one failure and NO LEAKS EVER! Well WORTH the investment!:grin: When I put the engine oil cooler in, I did it right the first time and havn't touched it since. As far as a thermostat for the engine oil, do you run your engine without a coolant thermostat? There is no way to regulate the temps without one. On a tranny cooler I don't care how cool the fluid gets, it cannot be overcooled. But,engine oil needs to be between 180-210 degrees for the internal clearances to be right. This temp. range also boils off condensation (read water) and other dilutions that might find their way into the oilling system. It took a little time and patience to get the balance right between over/under cooling, but now my engine runs between 180-210, no matter what. A little extra time and money the first time will save you the grief and expense I've been thru..ou:
I went back and read some of the old threads on hard blocking. One of the fastest guys with iron stage one heads sounds like he doesn't run a oil cooler at all. I might not be reading his post correctly. The reason I was looking to us the oil cooler in the first place was the oil heating problem. Sounds like the key to problem is with added oil capacity. Is there anyone runing blocks filled within 3 inches from the deck without an oil cooler?
Just my opinion, as I don't personally have experience with block filler. But are you running on the street? If yours is only a track car, I wouldn't worry about it. Street car, I would. Especially in warm climates.
