Fender mounted loop coolers

[MikeSid]

2 questions

First, did any of the Ts ever come equipped with a front oil cooler and if so what year(s)? I know the Ses had them as early as say 69, but what about Ts and even the Es for that matter?

Second, am I correct in assuming that a displacement larger than 2.4 would necessitate use of a front cooler (assume non-track use)?

Thanks.

[Joe Bob]

Only if you have an overheating problem....

[MikeSid]

Well, I'm considering swapping a 3.0 into my T which has no front loop cooler. At this point I'm just investigating the options - but planning on webers, 3.0 long block, E cams (or recommendation from someone smarter than I am on that issue) early HE's with 2in-1out OEM style.

Seems straightforward to me, but I'm concerned about cooling, and the weight of the larger engine on the rear suspension.

[chrisp]

Put a radiator style on a 3.0. Especially one like that. It's much better than the loop. Mandatory for track use and a nice margin of safety for street driving.

[MikeSid]

That's sort of what I was afraid of... mostly the expense of running brass lines in a car that wasn't originally equipped with a front cooler.

What's the cheapest way to add an auxilliary cooler?

[Tim Walsh]

lets put it this way. my 2.4T has a radiator style cooler on it.

The cheapest way? probably used if you can find it. They go pretty quick though.

[MikeSid]

But I still have to run lines to the front, right? Or is the radiator cooler so "cool" that I can mount it somewhere in the rear fender area and not use the cooling power of the long lines themselves??? Or do you have a T that had came equipped with a front cooler ( which was sort of the focus of my question #1)??

[Tim Walsh]

I have one equiped BUT it's not a 73 cooler, it's an post 73 cooler. I belive the front cooler was an option on everything but the post 69 S's and all post 78 911's

[MikeSid]

Okay...so it looks like the consensus is a 3.0 needs a front cooler and the radiator style is best option.

Just gotta figure out how to run the lines now. Is OEM brass my only option? That might be so cost prohibitive as to kill this project for this particular car.

[DavidPorter]

I am in the same situation, sort of. I have a '72 2.4T with no oil cooler and I'm upgrading the engine some (E cams, Webers, 9.5 pistons, mild porting). I've read here that the ceiling for "uncool" engines was around 175 hp. I may put it together and see what happens, or I may decide to add a cooler while everything's apart.

I sent Parts Heaven an email asking about a whole used system, but so far no reply. BAT offers the 19-row MOCAL complete kit for $665 with Aeroquip lines. Elephant Racing's stuff looks great but it's twice as expensive. Steve Timmins/Instant G has what looks like the same MOCAL setup. Pelican offers the Carrera cooler and the Elephant Racing lines.

Any other combinations I need to think about?

Thanks.

[MikeSid]

After all the help I've gotten from Chuck posts and this board, I swore if I ever needed lines, I'd buy Elephant finned through Pelican. But I'm not sure if the current condition of my poorman's porsche justifies such a fancy item. They sure look nice though.

[banjomike]

The 911 SCs shipped to the US standard with the loop cooler. This cooler will be adequate, and the loop usually can be had for free along with the lines. Talk to Parts Heaven, and talk to EASY in Emeryville, CA, both get busted up 911s in all the time. 650-700 is fair for lines in good condition, sometimes that will include a thermostat as well. The two lines needed on the engine side should be new, or if you get used you can have a hydraulic shop install new rubber hoses.

I am not saying that the radiator style cooler isn't better, I'm just saying that if you are on a budget the radiator cooler can double the price of the oil cooling. Wait until next summer. I installed a loop cooler last summer, and found that it served my needs well enough.