(Backdate) Is fitting an engine mounted oil cooler to 3.6 a good idea?

[DW SD]

I know of one local shop that adds engine mounted oil coolers to their 3.6 conversion installs. Is this a good idea? I like the idea of the additional cooling.

Do I need to add the engine thermostat from an early car?

Does machine work have to happen on the case?
(my case is currently @ Ollie's)
Which cooler would I need - the 74 to 89?

Is there any down side to this?

Anyone have any direct experience with this?

Thank you,

Doug

[DW SD]

My oil cooling system consists of factory external thermostat, -16AN soft lines, MOCAL 72 row nose mounted cooler and elephant racing finned cooling lines.

I think for warm track days, I may need to add another cooler. Since the case is at Ollie's at the moment and I'm reworking the engine tins, I was thinking it might be a good time to add a cooler?

Thank you,

Doug

[cali74]

Black Forrest offered this as an idea to me when I discussed the 3.6 upgrade. Their engine guru (Mike?? ,can't remember name) said he could put one on, and that it was a good idea for traffic situations. I don't think it took machine work on the case from what they said, but I don't think they were certain about all the details in our brief discussion. You might call and ask about it though, they are very nice over there.

For only track worries would it be easier to add a fender mounted backup with fan on your car??

Side note, what's up with the case? I thought it was all rebuilt and on the road?

[Bill Verburg]

I agree that for heavy traffic(ala what I saw in So Cal) an engine mounted cooler might be a plus.

my 3.8RS gets along fine(actually a bit on the coolish side) w/ just a single big efficient front mount cooler even in traffisc on 100&deg days. Some of the more avid track types(Muffinman) have gone one step up on what I have, but still a single large front mount. Do a Search on Muffinmans install, very clean.

[Jack Olsen]

TRE in North Hollywood has done it, basically backdating a cooler into the space where the 3.6 had the power steering pump. Aside from cost, I can't think of any downside to it.

[DW SD]

Thanks guys!

I've read that the engine mounted coolers are more efficient, since air is not mixed in with the oil. (of course they are also smaller).

Since the case is at Ollie's, now seems like the time.

I think it may be easier to add an engine mounted cooler than one to the fender, simply because the engine is out, now and the engine coolers are relatively cheap, since they were on all engines 74 to 89.

I'm not sure if the thermostat housing needs to be machined. I'll call and talk to George today.

I can't find metal 964 / 993 tins either, so I've located a set of earlier tins that I'm modifying, which of course had the engine mounted cooler.

Any other thoughts?

Doug

[cali74]

Originally posted by DW SD

Any other thoughts?

Yeah, that your car is too "cool" already :-)

Oh, and can you post estimated costs for this conversion when you find out, in case this becomes a popular 3.6 thing?

[DW SD]

Ollie's machining cost is $150. They sell an adaptor which would be used for another $150. Sounds like they must go together. Porsche makes a block-off plate if I had the work done, but not chose to run the engine mounted cooler.

I'm wanting to find out what kind of engine mounted thermostat would be required? (en And how much that would cost?

I'm also curious, how much cooling benefit this adds? (benefit per $).

Seems like I could just as easily (as Matt or others suggested) add another cooler upfront. I have a carrera cooler in my garage.

[Tyson Schmidt]

If it were my motor, and track driving was the priority, I'd install a filter there instead.

The engine mounted cooler is a great idea for street driving, and it also simplifies the cooling since it eliminates the need for a second cooler up front.

But for track use, the nose mounted cooler, plus a RF fender cooler of needed, and a pressure side filter where the engine cooler would be is a better set-up.


If you have a 993 3.6, and are using the hydraulic lifters, then you definitely need to keep the pressure circuit filter. (I know you don't have this Doug, but I am mentioning it for others)

[DW SD]

Tyson,
As usual, great advice - thank you!

From where would you buy the oil filter console?

Is the machining process the same as for adding an engine mounted cooler?
Thank you,

Doug

[TRE Cup]

we have the consoles in stock

[DW SD]

Dave,
How much are they?

Do I need to run something special in the thermostat housing to ensure pressured oil routes into the filter?

Thank you,

Doug

[TRE Cup]

please e mail me at info@tremotorsports.com
thanks
dave

[89turbocabmike]

Well after talking with you Doug, I got a 2.7 case and 3.6 motor together for a comparison. This may be common knowledge for some so bear with me

Here is the 3.6 case where the early oil cooler would go, it looks like plugs have been epoxied in:


Here is a 2.7 case:

The 3.6 lower oil line uses an adapter fitting threaded in the case:


The 2.7 lower oil line that uses the fat rubber ring:


The only thing else missing to mount the cooler are the 4 studs, the threaded holes are all present. The adapter Doug mentioned may be necessary to make the connection for the lower oil line, since the threaded adapter probably has eliminated the sealing surface for the oil ring.

The thermostat housing in the case looks physically the same on both and the 74-89 thermostat fits the 3.6 case, no big surprise I guess.


The hole at twelve o'clock position goes to the top left oil cooler hole, the hole higher up(closer in the pic) in the housing at the 7 o'clock position goes toward the flywheel where on the 3.6 there is a allen plug and where a 911 has its oil pressure switch. Another galley goes from there to the right oil cooler hole.

A 911 thermostat (930-107-765-00-M322) is $128 from our host.

[Bill Verburg]

here is a good discussion on installing a 993 oil filter console on a 964.

[DW SD]

Bill,
As always, thank you. Intersting how this thread is evolving.

Dave,
I left you an email with an inquiry about pricing of the filter housing.

Doug