Oil cooler

[Baz2004 0]

I’ve already got the kit just wondering if its worth the hassle for the sake of a 1-2 degree drop

[Rossco 0]

Im not sure myself, it hasnt appeared to do me any monster favours, i might have a look inside it and see if its got a thermostat, it could be on the bum like

[ReekieVR 0]

apparenly my standard oil cooler is leaking. Where is it and what does it consist of?

[Rossco 0]

Find your oil filter, big (should be) black thing, a wee bit bigger than a tin of coke, around front engine mount area and the thing its attached to is your oil cooler

[h100vw 0]

It's not under the oil filter on a VR. It does look the same as a 4 cylinder one thought, about 3inches square and 2 inches deep made from aluminium.

 

Gavin

[ReekieVR 0]

Thanks Ross & Gavin.

 

Will go and inspect.

[hallkbrdz 0]

Anyone got a mocal or other rad type oil cooler ?

 

How effective are they compared to the water cooled sandwich plate? What is the typical temp differences between an avg 13 row cooler and the standard water-cooled oil?

 

Yes, very effective - IF it has good airflow (natural or forced). Besides in front of the tires in the fender wells (which I don't care for), I couldn't find any clean air for the C, so I mounted it here with a fan and duct from below:

 

 

Bryan

[ZippyVR6 0]

Bringing this one up again as the air temp has started to go up.

 

I had some fun on sunday up against a z3, after about half an hout my oil temp was up to 124, Well it was 14 deg outside and it got me a thinking about the oil temp debate again.

 

I bought a mocal cooler back in the group buy but never got round to fitting it, Now Im thinking is it worth it? or do I just flush coolant, new oil and a new VAG oil cooler. My main concern id that if a mocal doesn't let the oil get warm enough then the oil aint doing what its supposed to and at big revs the pressure will be more than it should.

 

What do ya reckon? sell the mocal and just refit the origional stuff or Fit what Ive bought and stop worying?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Fit what you've bought and stop worrying ;-)

 

The mocal sandwich plate has an 80 degree thermostat in it, so the oil remains under the control of the standard cooling arrangments until 80 deg. Ideally you want the oil to be at around 100 degrees all the time, and bearing in mind the MFA reading is 10 degrees lower than actual sump temperature and that most Mocal installs show around 90-94 on a motorway cruise on the motorway, it's spot on.

 

The most I've ever had my oil up to with a mocal is 106 during a very hard summer thrash last year.

 

I'd rarther the oil was slightly too thick than too hot. You can get crank scrapers if you're worried about splash resistance....can liberate 10hp on some engines!

[ardandy 0]

I fit the mocal oil cooler radiator thingy to my VR a couple of months back.

 

It takes a little bit longer to get up to temp but not really noticeable.

 

Hottest its being was 110, sat in traffic barely moving for about 30mins. 2-3 minutes after the traffic got moving (40-50mph) and it dropped down to 98.

 

Usually sits between 94-98 depending on different variables. At the mo I have no fan on the radiator. If I get a switch and/or temp controlled one fitted, then even in traffic, oil temp should be on target.

 

Best thing I fit for ages! Do it asap, def before the hot weather comes in.

 

Just make sure nothings rubbing against a pipe or oil will go everywhere! My engine mount was nearly gone and the movement of the engine rubbed away at the pipe til it threw up oil over the engine bay!

[ZippyVR6 0]

Ah, Cheers for that, as per my sig, Vince rekons I need a new front mount asap. Im thinking I will go with the mocal. What about temps in the winter? can you cover it with a sock or something to lower its effectiveness?

[dinkus 10]

What about temps in the winter? can you cover it with a sock or something to lower its effectiveness?

 

No need:

 

The mocal sandwich plate has an 80 degree thermostat in it, so the oil remains under the control of the standard cooling arrangments until 80 deg.

[ardandy 0]

What about temps in the winter? can you cover it with a sock or something to lower its effectiveness?

 

I got it fit in February. Even at -3c or whatever it was at on some mornings, the oil soon gets up to temp.

 

Think about it like you do your water rad. When air passes through it, it cools, when your stood still, the fans need to blow over it to cool it. Even in winter your fans will come on when sat in traffic.

 

This is the same principle. Another good thing about them is that it will put less pressure on your water cooling system as the oil is being actively cooled now, rather than just the water doing the job. (I think)

 

The mocal sandwich plate has an 80 degree thermostat in it, so the oil remains under the control of the standard cooling arrangments until 80 deg.

 

Is this sandwich plate thingy the same as the radiator oil cooler (mocal) I have? I assume thats what ZippyVR6 is talking about? See pic.

[h100vw 0]

The sandwich plate is the bit where the oil comes out of the engine. Some have thermostats built in, others don't.

 

 

http://www.thinkauto.com/images/oilstats.jpg

 

Bottom lefthand one.

 

Gavin

[ZippyVR6 0]

Ah right, I understood the sandwich bit to be the Raditor itself. So What you are all saying is fit it and shut up :D

[ardandy 0]

Basically! Yes.

 

I guarantee you won't look back.

[Pickard1 0]

I just got my car back today from having the oil cooler fitted that I brought from the group buy.

Before I was getting 120 degrees easily on the drive home, today I couldnt get the oil over 90 even in traffic. I was woried that it might get hot in traffic with the oil rad not having a fan, but this didnt seem to be a problem. Deffinitely worth fitting, just for the piece of mind of not having to look at the oil temp every 2 mins when giving it some!! 8)

 

I think in the winter I might even have to put some tinfoil over it like the radiator on my dads old van.... :lol:

[imyhamid 0]

I also bought one in the group buy. I head back and forth from Manchester to Scotland every so often to visit the folks and i have been known to put the foot to the floor for a while on the journey. The oil temp stays down way down compared to before and i have even noticed the water temp staying down slightly. But in my honest opinion its the best mod you could do.

[Baz2004 0]

I have this on my 16V KR a couple of months now and it does make a slight difference but only 2-3 degrees. I didn’t really have high oil temp beforehand -106-108 max in traffic after giving it some.

 

It has been up to 104 a few times since fitting it in traffic mainly. I got a shock last week when my water light came on flashing I guess it was the stat opening at 80-90 It was prob the first time it opened since fitting the oil cooler. I had to pull into a petrol station and top the water + coolant up.

 

I had a fear when fitting the oil cooler of starving the engine of oil since the stat only opens at 80 - I overfilled it with oil hoping it would even out once the cooler was full. I seemed to have overestimated the levels a bit and my dip is max’d now even with the cooler full of oil!

 

I did notice a slight drop in torque also (16V) with the cooler fitted. The power seems to be more even and the engine runs a bit smoother but the craziness at 4000rpm is not the same.

 

It was a similar drop in torque as when I fitted the 50mm inlet manifold but its not as bad. It ideally suited in valvers where they get driven hard, high revs and abuse – track use is the best use for such an application IMO.

[ardandy 0]

Unless you own a VR6! Them extra 2 cyclinders make a huge difference sat in traffic to heat generated.