Mesa Performance inline Rear Oil Cooler

[tdw28210]

Anyone ever try this item? Curious to learn if it works.

Mesa Performance..Oil Coolers

[911pcars]

Probably works, but efficiency is questionable due to:

- Location adjacent to heat exchanger
- Lack of cool air flow to transfer heat from the unit (see above)
- Right angle fittings restrict flow
- Borderline adequate without a front cooler

Not needed if a proper front or fender mounted oil cooler is in place.

Plus:
- Easy to install.
- Lower cost compared to front cooler pieces

Sherwood

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Probably works, but efficiency is questionable due to:

- Location adjacent to heat exchanger
- Lack of cool air flow to transfer heat from the unit (see above)
- Right angle fittings restrict flow
- Borderline adequate without a front cooler

Not needed if a proper front or fender mounted oil cooler is in place.

Plus:
- Easy to install.
- Lower cost compared to front cooler pieces

Sherwood

Couple other things...
A serious lack of surface area. The little engine oil cooler probably has a surface area 100 times that of the cheap extrusion.
And to be more specific: Those cheap brass 90° fittings are WAY too small inside added to the complete lack of any internal radius.

[Porsche 2]

+1 with 911pcars. My additional concerns are supporting its weight, and car body/engine movements. If supported only by the hoses, these connection are obviously critical and with higher gravity and car body vs. engine relative movement forces. If screwed to the car body, the short hose to the engine will be further challenged by the relative movement issue. I would want advice from those who have tried it.

[patz]

Snake oil.

[rwest]

I have one installed and it's been in for years now.

Install was simple and has held up without problem; I would agree that a front cooler is better, but at several thousand dollars, I couldn't swing it.

The reason I installed it was some seriously high temps and they claimed a drop that put me in a comfortable spot- now here's the tricky part, my temps came down, but I did several other things all at the same time, so can't verify that the cooler was the "magic bullet."

It's been awhile, but I think I adjusted valves and changed out the plugs, wires and possibly put in an MSD ignition box, so could have been a combo of things that got me back in the middle of the gauge.

I'm tempted to remove it and put the "S" hose back to see if I still need it anymore with all the CIS tuning work I've done this year.

Last comment I have is that I think it might be causing low temps during the fall and spring, because there is no thermostat.

[widgeon13]

Just another place for a leak to spring up. I wonder if the fittings are so small they might restrict oil flow.

[tdw28210]

Good feedback and food for thought. Thanks.

[Cook&Dunning]

I picked up a set of rear tail lights and the guy also had this oil cooler - So I grabbed it, too. I am good at buying parts, it seems. Just to add to the earlier comments - I would be interested to hear how it reduced temps. It weighs 40 oz versus stock rubber s pipe that weighs 14 oz. It was also for sale at Sierra Madre, but discontinued - still shows on their site - talks about improvements - perhaps they could comment? It seems well made, brass fittings screw in with a sealing compound. I have not installed it yet, have B&B headers which may be less conducive than stock h/e? I could also sell for a reasonable $. In great shape, no dings. Probably should post in marketplace

[patz]

All I can say is that it won't split like my S hose did on the way to Dodger Stadium a few years ago. I clicked on the Mesa link. 240 bucks, okeeeeey dokey.....they also sel the famous cool collar, more snake oil.

[universeman]

I'd go with the Elephant finned oil lines before I used that cooler. But those aren't cheap...

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by Cook&Dunning

. . . I have not installed it yet, have B&B headers which may be less conducive than stock h/e? I could also sell for a reasonable $. In great shape, no dings. Probably should post in marketplace

With the B&Bs you won't have room to even fit the "cooler". Also putting that in contact with the B&Bs will transfer heat into the line. Aluminum-to-air with low surface area may not act as an effective heat exchanger but direct contact aluminum-to-steel (the header tube) WILL exchange lots of heat. Only problem is the heat is going the wrong direction.

Ditch it or mount it prominently under the hood of your favorite ricermobile.