Racecar oil-cooler modification

[cstreit]

I recently upgraded my engine again and with the new bodywork my temps were climbing on the racecar. On a 90 degree day I was seeing 260 degrees in oil temp.

Obviously the front cooler doesn't do much sitting right against the bodywork and since I'm a cheap SOB I decided to make this on my own rather than buy it. It's fit for my mocal cooler.

Cost? $29.99 cheap HF sheet metal brake. $13.99 for the steel. $2.99 for the hi-temp silicone sealant. Plus 6 hours of my labor...

The victim (and this will the the second attack on the racecar with a sawsall this year...)




Cut out the section for the scoop.




Mockup of the sheet metal:




Tacked in the pieces for final fit: (The cross brace is "just because")






Sealed seams with silicone and primed once I finish welded it.

[Jon Merck]

Looks good Chris. I have been studing how to do this modification for my next project. Thanks for the pictorial!

[Wil Ferch]

Before I'd go cutting bodywork...I would investigate doing this for front-mounted coolers that are "too close" to the bodywork:

- provide a tight "foam" seal on all "sides" of the cooler...so that the incoming air *has* to force its way through the cooler. Otherwise, it will go around it. No doubt a combo rear-relief cut and edge seal works best, but this would be my *first* try, especially if you're cheap ( as I am).

- Wil

[cstreit]

Will, absolutely right, especially if there is some room between the bodywork and cooler.

In my case the cooler was literally right on the body because I'm using a 90 turbo bumper on a 70 chassis... No room for anything there... But I bet with even 1/2" of room and some edge seals you'd be at least partially effective...


Jon,

Mine is higher than most would want to be because I don't use a hood latch (and consequently removed that whole assembly). Same principle just slightly different layouts. If you don't want to put in the fab time, Pelican offers this Elephant racing part.

[len911]

I would not call myself "cheap", but frugal I also have done the bodywork mod in my track car. I left a piece where Chris welded the steel rod. I made an opening at the bottom for exhaust. I made my cover from Home Depot sheetmetal and some pop rivets. Seems to work fine. Lou

[cstreit]

Nice. I actually bought the pop rivets and aluminum as that was my original plan... Then decided for structural reasons to use steel/welding, though I don't know if that REALLY matters much...

[jakermc]

I'm not cheap, but I am lazy. I was also running too hot on the track with a small cooler in the front, a Carrera cooler in the fender, and a 3.6L engine.

Step 1 was to apply some racing tape to the front grill area. Because I had the smaller of the 2 coolers that Elephant Racing sells, it did not fill up the whole opening. I taped the sides to force the air through the cooler.

Still too hot.

Step 2: Removed the turn signal on the passenger bumper to get air into the Carrera cooler. I then used a thin sheet of aluminum inside the fender well to funnel the air directly into the cooler by blocking off the bottom and side. Simply zip-tied it in place using the cooler as a mount.

Problem solved, even on 100 degree days!

[rattlsnak]

Venting under the car is soooo yesterday.. Go through, up and over!!

[cbeers]

rattlsnak,

That is one SWEET machine.......

-Chris

[Lensart]

You guys allways make things look so pretty, here is the poor boys way...

[cstreit]

I thoguht about that, but I'd have run out of space when I needed to install my 27 gallon endurance cell....

[rattlsnak]

b.t.w. we got a new carquest catalog today at the shop and guess who's on one of the cover pictures???? yes, that would be you chris!! sweet!!

[cstreit]

What?! Got a scanner? I'd like to see how that happened, lol...
Carquest?

[Jeff Alton]

I saw you in the HRP one too!


Cheers

[cstreit]

Jeff,

I sent them my picture for that one... I'm wondering though if the CarQuest one is really my car as I didn't submit anything to them. If it is me, how did they get it. ?

[cstreit]

Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?