Oil Cooler Question(s)

[Stutzdriver]

Just put the car on stands and pulled the wheels on my new to me '84 Targa. This is an early production '84 3.2 and I found the early style oil cooler with NO STONE GUARD? Picture to follow, I'm at work and forgot the pics at home. (don't flame me I'll edit and add the photos!)

Several questions:

1. Am I ok with the early tube style oil cooler in Ohio summers? Ocassional autocross probably no track days.

2. Should there be a Stone Guard? This cooler has such a load of crap in it (tar, stones, general dirt) it seems to need SOME protection just to keep it semi clean after I take it off and clean it completely. It can't be doing much cooliing now with the layer of crap it has on it now!

3. How about an auxillary fan with this cooler? Worth it or just upgrade to the later style cooler with a fan?

Thoughts? Thanks!

[KTL]

The brass tube cooler is a decent cooler. Not quite as effective as a more modern radiator/finned style. But a good cooler nonetheless.

Plus, the 3.2 engine in a good state of tune runs at a good temperature. So the cooler itself doesn't really come into play all that much. The engine fan and the engine mounted cooler are doing most of the work.

The cooler would certainly benefit from staying clean. It obviously gets warm enough so asphalt and other "meltable" road crud can stick to it. Anything you can do to

a. Keep it clean, since it's most important feature is to have as much surface area as possible to transfer heat

b. Get air flowing to it. The front bumper has a notch underneath it that directs air to the cooler area. A lot of that air gets wasted by spilling out the underside of the car. If you can seal that area up, and improve air flow going to the cooler, it's going to do a better job.

I think the fan is not worthwhile. Most cars never ever have the fan turn on because the factory had the thermoswitch turn it on at 240F!!

I've experimented with the fan on the track in my '87. I could manually switch it on because I connected the fan wiring to the fog light switch. With the fan on or off, I couldn't see a difference in temperature on the gauge. A better test would have been to run one session with fan off, pull off and shoot it with an infrared temp. gun and note the temperature. Then run the next session with fan on and shoot it afterward to note the difference. Never bothered to do it since I couldn't see a difference on the gauge......

[175K911]

Over the decades of owning Porsches it never ceases to amaze me how the factory implements changes.

My '83 SC was a very late production car, one of the last 50 US SC's made. When I did the first oil change at 250 miles I was surprised to see the Carrera style case halves and oil drain, no screen like earlier SC's had. But what also surprised me was it had a Carrera cooler and stone guard. I'd never seen another SC with this. Straight from the factory.

So I would be very surprised if the OP's '84 Carrera didn't have a stone guard when delivered from the factory.

[Stutzdriver]

Here is the photo of what is there

[Reiver]

The manual does not show a stone guard with that style of cooler, nor with the older trombone cooler...only with the later radiator/fan unit.
You should be fine in your climate.
The trombone and the tube cooler don't work well down here in Az tho.

[redstrosekNic]

My 2.7 is pretty good with a trombone cooler. Make sure your timing is in spec and car is tuned up well, as goofy things can make the car run warm. My car hovers right around 190-200 when it gets really hot outside.

BTW I live right next to you. If you don't mind, where abouts in Strongsville are you located? Feel free to PM me if you want

[KTL]

Rub on that tube cooler with a scotchbrite pad and you'll be good to go

[newms]

I wrapped my brass tube cooler with stiff wire mesh and secured with zip ties. The screen should be large grid to allow good air flow but keep bigger stones from damaging the cooler.

I am not happy with this coolers performance with ROW 3.2 on track (headlight removed, holes drilled... I see 250+) and will be changing to radiator style this year. I am seriously considering aux fan as I am an avid autocrosser and I think in between runs or while waiting to run is the perfect time to run a fan.

[Josh D]

I have the 28 row brass oil cooler in my '80 RoW SC and my temps don't go over 230* in the AZ summer running A/C. And I've checked with a infared thermometer.

Keep it clean. And unless you are running mud tires, I doubt you'll pick up anything that will hurt it.

[BernieP]

I had an Euro SC with the same brass cooler for 9 years, never did any track events. Oil temps were never a problem even on 90 degree days in traffic.

Bernie P

[Reiver]

Originally Posted by Josh D

I have the 28 row brass oil cooler in my '80 RoW SC and my temps don't go over 230* in the AZ summer running A/C. And I've checked with a infared thermometer.

Keep it clean. And unless you are running mud tires, I doubt you'll pick up anything that will hurt it.

That's not bad but with a radiator/block off and fan it stays about 200-210 on a 100 + day in Phoenix...I don't like running that high with 9.3 compression and our crappy Az gas.

[Joe Bob]

The brass row cooler is a good tuff unit. Works as well as the finned type......better at taking rock hits. Easier to repair if it develops a leak. Keep it.

[RSTarga]

Keep it clean and it will do the job. As Joe Bob says much stronger too. I run one in Texas with ac and never get above 220.

[chronies32]

Originally Posted by newms

I wrapped my brass tube cooler with stiff wire mesh and secured with zip ties. The screen should be large grid to allow good air flow but keep bigger stones from damaging the cooler.

I am not happy with this coolers performance with ROW 3.2 on track (headlight removed, holes drilled... I see 250+) and will be changing to radiator style this year. I am seriously considering aux fan as I am an avid autocrosser and I think in between runs or while waiting to run is the perfect time to run a fan.

What kind of wire mesh or wire cloth are you using? Actual brass material or stainless steel? How big is a good opening that will allow air to pass through it, but not allow rocks to get through and cause damage?

I was thinking of using Mcmaster Carr or Custom Wire Cloth - Belleville Wire Cloth Co - Cedar Grove, NJ

Would a 20 x 20 wire mesh work? I was thinking this may be the best size to use to keep rocks that can cause damage out?

[Joe Bob]

NEWMS....If you are seeing high temps, I would check how the thermostat is functioning before replacing the cooler. An IR temp gun is cheap and easy diagnostic tool.

It could be opening at a higher temp than it should be. Swapping that brass row for a finned cooler won't change much. Adding a fan will help at idle but will further reduce cooling capacity at speed.

I assume the oil lines are in good shape? No crimps from errant floor jacks?