3S-GTE Guys.......Oil Cooler users within please. Options

[Fastbird]

So after finally picking up an oil temp gauge, I'm noticing a pattern that I DON'T like. My oil temps are hovering around 220° during normal driving and for the short 7 mile blasts I go down the highway, they climb into the 230°-240° range. This is being light on the car.

I have a feeling that it would DEFINITELY benefit from an oil cooler. So my question for you guys is how are you plumbing the cooler into the system, and what kind of cooler are you using.

I'm looking at two different styles of transmission coolers available at my Auto Zone that I work part time at. One is a simple tube running through fins, like the cheap ones you see. The other is like a minature radiator, bar and plate style.

My thoughts on where to plumb them in are initally to come in on the drain side of the turbo and use a scavenging pump to move it through the cooler back into the pan. I think this would provide the greatest amount of efficiency but definitely NOT the best cost margin. Other than this, I can't think of where to plumb it in.

And for those wondering, I have the temp sensor for the gauge mounted in the filter sandwich adapter with no problems noted.

Any pics, write-ups, or ideas on setups you guys might have?

[lagos]

Wait.....there's a factory oil cooler? I sure as heck don't seem to have one on my car.

Yes you do. Its right under your oil filter. Its cooled by engine coolant.

Note* I seriously hope no one pays $280 for that ebay kit. That's a ripoff in a big way. A $40 sandwich adapter, a bar and plate cooler that's worth maybe $60 and some braided stainless line and a couple of fittings?? Not worth that price.

Yeah, its just meant to give you an idea of what kind of setup you should look into .

Now, I must ask. Why is using the drain side of the turbo to plumb in the cooler if using a scavenging pump a bad idea? Reason I ask is because it's a beautifully working system on my TT Corvette. I never see oil temps above 220 and that's AFTER railing on it for an hour. Normal driving I only see about 180-190 tops.

Because the oil return line from the turbo should be as free flowing as possible with no restriction and assisted by gravity. You run a risk of blowing your turbo if you install an oil cooler on there.

[Fastbird]

Hmmm.........I haven't seen any type of fitting under my oil filter. I have been in there more than a couple of times and don't remember seeing anything.

Gotcha on the ebay link.........

As for the plumbing of a cooler on the drain side of the turbo.........you might be getting ahead of me here. I have already put thought to the fact that it could cause a backup which I know is b-a-d. But.....my way around that would be to put the scavenging pump in BEFORE the cooler, so that the scavenging pump is pulling off of the turbo and pushing through the cooler. I think that would be no more restrictive than the stock drain line and would provide the best results of installing a cooler.