Front-mount oil cooler for '72 911t...help!

[docdan200]

We 're currently installing the oil cooling system for my '72 911 "S/T" project.
We have installed the ERP front-mount, center cooler, and linked the oil hoses to the brass, hard lines that we sourced from a donor car.

Our problem now is how to complete the oil system from the tail end of the brass hard lines to the oil tank(...which is located mid-ship in a '72T...)/motor/oil filter console.
We are installing this oil cooling system for a 2.8 hi-comp engine.

I know it would've been a lot painless if I just got the complete kit from ERP($$$) ... though I was under the impression that it can be completed with donor hard lines, and proper couplings/hoses.

I have pics...but the files are big...and have to resize them for posting.

I hope Chuck Moreland can get us out of this temporary stalemate...

[docdan200]

Also, is it MANDATORY to use an oil thermostat?
The reason I'm asking is because where I am, the ambient temps are in the 90-100 deg. F... Year round.
We don't have to deal with cold operating temps.
We just have two seasons... HOT...and HOTTER.

[Porboynz]

The oil filter console can be modded to accept a standard engine thermostat. (Actually, forget now, did I machine the thermostat or did I machine the housing? Pretty sure it was the housing) I had to braze a fitting to the end of the return oil line and fabricate a short hose to connect into the bottom of the tank. Another custom hose was needed to extend the oil filter console to the supply oil line. Over cooling might be an issue without the thermostat, you want your 911 to heat up as fast as possible and then stay at operating temp. I can post some pictures if it helps.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by docdan200

Also, is it MANDATORY to use an oil thermostat?
The reason I'm asking is because where I am, the ambient temps are in the 90-100 deg. F... Year round.
We don't have to deal with cold operating temps.
We just have two seasons... HOT...and HOTTER.

You would have to gut the thermostat to eliminate the thermal regulator while leaving the housing to be another part of the oil piping.

[arrivederci]

I would use a thermostat anyways to protect your cooler. Grady has posted some detailed info with reasons to use a factory style thermostat vs a generic mocal (which seems very convincing, but YMMV). I used to run the generic mocal on my '72 and never had any issues. I have since machined my oil filter housing to accept an engine thermostat and will replumb with aeroquip-style braided lines.

[docdan200]

Porboynz,

Yes...some pics will surely help a lot.
I'd be interested in how you did it...since you also did it on a '72 911T.
What thermostat you used...how the brazing looks...what was machined.

Flieger,

So not using a thermostat is doable?...make that, sensible?

Arrivederci,

I'll look into Grady's posts about factory vs. generic thermostats.
I've read that the biggest issue with oil coolers w/o a thermostat is the high pressure from insufficiently heated oil...which may damage the oil cooler...as well as the bearings in the crankcase.

P.S.... We're you able to ship out the 22/30 torsion bars already?... I was the one who bought it.

[Flieger]

A "gutted" thermostat is do-able. I did not say it was sensible.

The high pressures on "cold" startup can damage the cooler. 100 degrees Fahrenheit is still cold for an engine. The oil still has another 100 degrees to go and that is on the gage which reads the coolest oil temp, not what it reaches after going through the bearings.

[BoxsterGT]

I am at this same point now myself on a 72T. I have located a Setrab oil cooler into a RS front bumper and run hoses from 911SC hard lines.

Techweenie posted some basic info on another thread, but I still have questions. I did this 20yrs ago and cannot remember if I had to machine the original Filter console or not or what was done with the hard lines at the rear. I think brazing was involved, and the thermostat element slipped right into place.

Hope he or someone else reads this and fills us in w more details on what they did.

Len

[arrivederci]

Originally Posted by BoxsterGT

I am at this same point now myself on a 72T. I have located a Setrab oil cooler into a RS front bumper and run hoses from 911SC hard lines.

Techweenie posted some basic info on another thread, but I still have questions. I did this 20yrs ago and cannot remember if I had to machine the original Filter console or not or what was done with the hard lines at the rear. I think brazing was involved, and the thermostat element slipped right into place.

Hope he or someone else reads this and fills us in w more details on what they did.

Len

If the console came from your 72T, it likely has to be machined. I had mine machined. It is my understanding that cars originally equipped with a front cooler (S's) would have had their consoles machined. It will take a factory engine thermostat.

I still have to replumb a few lines...using aeroquip, although am considering buying a set of hard lines from elephant because they are 'cleaner'

[daepp]

I have a fender mount cooler on my 72 with no additional thermostat. Been running it for several years in So Cal without a problem, but YMMV.

[Tinker]

What I did was use the regular 911 brass lines. I cut one of the brass lines just past the jack point and brazened a fitting on it. Used a -12 braided hose from the tank to that line. The other brass line I also cut at its end and welded a fitting. A braided line connects it to the filter housing.

Get your thermostat house machined and do it right.

Tinker

[rattlsnak]

on my 72, i just ran braided oil lines from the tank through a mocal thermostat up to the cooler. super easy and fairly cheap.

[Porboynz]

I'm with Tinker, get the housing machined to accept a standard engine oil thermostat, it will make you feel better in the long run. You have to remove it anyway to remove the blanking plug and fit a male to male fitting (called a nipple in the pipe fitting business, for reasons that escape me but I will go along with it) Note that because the front oil cooler line vents into the oil reservoir, there is no oil pressure in the front cooler lines once the thermostat opens. (Well, OK, there is maybe atmospheric pressure plus the height of the oil level in the reservoir)

OK, here are some photos of my modifications to get the standard oil lines to fit a 72. I removed the plug from the bottom of the oil reservoir and connected the outer return line via a short custom made hose. I brazed a fitting to the oil line to make this connection. Actually, I think it was a case of shortening the line and reusing the original fitting, but that particular memory is lost in a fog of good beer and not so good wine.




Beside it you can see the inner supply oil line with the blue hose that connects to the oil filter console.

The next photo shows an overall perspective view, you can easily see the sleeve I used to braze the return line back together.




Crikey, the car looks filthy in these photos, I'll need to clean it. Drive it or clean it? I think I'll just drive it....

[BoxsterGT]

Thank you guys, just what I was looking for. The inner hard line goes in to the cooler & the outer hard line comes back out to the tank (actually it becomes part of the tank in storage volume).

Cut & braze is the procedure here. Probably heat & bend a bit as well.

Len