Oil cooler vs upgraded radiator.

[stascom]

Any idea what the performance difference between stock radiator + oil cooler vs just a bigger radiator is?

 

[golfhack]

I installed the Mishimoto oil cooler when it first came out. It really only seemed to make a small difference. The Mishimoto radiator really made a huge impact. I can drive as hard as I want in whatever weather and not have a worry. I don't track my car, but do drive it hard at times. If I had to do it again, I would just get the radiator.

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[stascom]

thanks for the feedback

 

[felopr]

oil cooler would only just cool the oil, your WATER temps are going to stay still high
and since you couldn't even check for what your real oil temps are (since the oil temps on the AP are inferred from water temps readings) unless you tap the pan and put a oil temp probe.
If your car is a daily driver, driving in the mountains or even auto crossing, imo a oil cooler is just a waste of money, You wouldn't hit high oil temps doing that (somewhere north of 250F+)
I would invest in a upgraded radiator imo and then look from there how your temps are reading IF you really need a oil cooler

 

[jeffreylyon]

I've been thinking about this for a while as I'm close to needing a solution for track days.

Oil Cooler:
Pros:
- reduced heat load on radiator
- increased oil capacity
- allows oil temp to be controlled separately from water temp

Cons:
- no guarantee that the reduced heat load on the radiator will be enough to control coolant temps
- more plumbing
- another heat exchanger competing for air flow

Radiator:
Pros:
- more heat rejection
- simple installation
- will have a direct effect on coolant temps

Cons:
- oil temp and water temp are still linked as the stock heat exchanger doesn't have a thermostat

 

[jeffreylyon]

oil cooler would only just cool the oil, your WATER temps are going to stay still high

No, the reduced heat load on the radiator may result in lower coolant temps, as long as the oil cooler doesn't block too much air flow from the radiator.

and since you couldn't even check for what your real oil temps are (since the oil temps on the AP are inferred from water temps readings) unless you tap the pan and put a oil temp probe.

Yikes! Don't drill and tap the pan! Get a sandwich plate for $15 on eBay.

I would invest in a upgraded radiator imo and then look from there how your temps are reading IF you really need a oil cooler

Agreed, even though I'd like to control oil temp separately from coolant temp, this the direction that I'm leaning.

 

[felopr]

No, the reduced heat load on the radiator may result in lower coolant temps, as long as the oil cooler doesn't block too much air flow from the radiator.

unless you are tracking, you are not going to see a lot of difference in temps with just a oil cooler and the shitty rad imo

Yikes! Don't drill and tap the pan! Get a sandwich plate for $15 on eBay.

If you are putting the sandwich plate, might as well put the oil cooler in since that is the hardest part of the install, but i know what you mean

Agreed, even though I'd like to control oil temp separately from coolant temp, this the direction that I'm leaning.

just to give you an idea, i have a mountune rad and when i do some spirited driving, water temps dont reach 210 and the oil temp on the ap doesnt reach 215
plenty of temp buffer, atleast for me.
i live where my nights are in the 70F and in the day they reach 100F+
i run a 60 water / 40 coolant mix btw

 

[sidewaysallday]

You'll notice the biggest difference in temps with only installing a rad vs only installing an oil cooler. If I could only pick one, I'd do the rad.

I have the Mishi rad AND oil cooler because I track the car pretty extensively and they haven't let me down so far. Temps stay below 240 oil/215 water in the nastiest of days (100+ humid track days @ VIR). I just got an oil analysis done, and it came back clean as a whistle. I'm happy with the set up.

 

[TDavis]

Usually rule of thumb is go with the upgraded rad first as that helps the coolant temp and oil temp