Will I need an External Oil Cooler?

jbscheff · jbscheff's Garage

I've got a '73 T that had an anemic 2.4, but now has a 3.0 CIS from an 81 SC. When the new engine was installed, it did not come with an external oil cooler. I planned on putting in a front-mounted cooler at a later time, once I could scrounge up some more money.

At the time, I was supposed to be moving to upstate New York, but now it turns out I'm moving to San Diego. As I've got to drive this car approximately 1500 miles in July, through a desert, I'm a bit concerned about engine temps. Currently, I live in Kansas, and so far the highest temp I've seen has been around 210, on an 80-degree day. Usually the temp is around 180.

Anyone in the southwest running a 3.0 without an external cooler? In the opinion of the board, do I need to quickly find a cooler and install it before I move, and if so, any good suggestions for where to source a system without breaking the bank? Lastly, how difficult is it to install a complete system behind an RS spoiler?

johnsjmc · 05-08-2005, 05:07 PM

A front auxilary cooler is always a good idea but the trombone cooler as originally installed on most 3.0 L motors doesn,t do much anyway.I expect you will be fine without an extra cooler unless you get stuck in stop &go traffic in 80+ weather.

88 Club Sport · 88 Club Sport's Garage

I'd say yes. Remember that the stock 3.0 came with a loop cooler....not really a cooler per se but the lines down the side and the loop helped cool the oil.

I have a 3.2 in a 78 and it had a stock loop. In stop and go, it got too hot and on the track, it was too darn hot (250+).

I bought a Setrab and plumbed it in a valance below the stock bumper. I'm not sure you need to go that far but a stock Carrera cooler in the passenger front fender would be my recommendation.

As for prices, I bought the Setrab used (Ebay PCA guy) for $80 and spend another $150 for lines fittings....pretty cheap. You would have to get either the hard lines used or buy braided lines.

911pcars · 05-08-2005, 05:23 PM

If you don't have an external cooler, then you won't have any external cooler lines (with or without the trombone cooler). Check the weather patterns for the route you're going to take in July. Unless you travel by night and run into some good (cool) weather, I'd suspect it might get a little too warm (weather and engine).

Typically, when the pcar engine gets up to around 2.7 liters, external cooling becomes mandatory.

Sherwood

klaucke · 05-08-2005, 05:31 PM

If you're moving out to San Diego, you will need one anyway. Driving through the arid, hot air of the desert is the worst type of air possible for an aircooled motor, and could easily overheat your engine.

I will be bold and say definatively, Yes, you will need a cooler. It will prolong the life of your motor. At a minimum would be a trombone, and carrera or aftermarket would be even better.

With the 73, you'll have to add the lines. With stock lines, or something like Elephant Racing finned lines, you could get away with a trombone cooler to be fine for normal driving (i.e. not track). If you use braided lines I would think you'll need an actual cooler like a carrera. Either way, a cooler is a good idea.

88 Club Sport · 88 Club Sport's Garage

I know many on the board have used a Mazda cooler up front. It requires modifications but they are cheap. You'll find a few threads on Pelican about the use of this cooler.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46095&item=7973399977&rd=1

lateapex911 · 05-08-2005, 05:40 PM

I agree...2.7 ia the generally agreed upon limit for needing a cooler.

San Diego? Traffic? You WILL need one.

Kansas to SanDiego?? The climb up to the 11,000 foot level and the thin air? You WILL need one.

If you don't get one, use Redline synthetic. and be ready for all the warnings about new leaks!

Shuie · 05-08-2005, 06:04 PM

Yes. anything hotter than a 2.4T needs a cooler.

jbscheff · jbscheff's Garage

Sounds like the consensus is that I need to install a cooler. Now, how to convince the wife that I need more money...

lateapex911 · 05-08-2005, 07:24 PM

Go out for a drive before you have some dinner or similar thing the two of you need to go to...then when the car gets too hot 30 miles from home, call her and tell her you're going to be late, your car is overheating, and you need to let it rest awhile..

This might be ugly, but the point will get across!

Or......what do I know? I'm single! LOL

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

I had a 3.0 in a '73 911, and did not need an external cooler -- I expected to, but didn't. However, the catalytic converter is a big source of heat, and I had put a bypass pipe on my engine.