Need emergency help: Front mount oil cooler operation

[jwakil]

I was in an accident this morning and my front mounted Carrera oil cooler got shifted and I see small oil residue, maybe a small leak. Is the oil cooler normally at pressure when the engine is cold, or does it get pressurized when the engine gets warm and let's oil flow up front. I'm trying to decide if it's safer to drive when warm or cold to get home. Also, is the supply line at the cooler the outside one or the inside one (towards car)

[universeman]

Only pressurized when engine is warmed up. Thermostat controls it. How far is home?


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[JRSIII]

Not sure what year you have, but on 84-89, at least according to Bentley Section 170-3 the supply line to the front cooler is in the inside (toward the centerline of the car) and the return is on the outside.

[jwakil]

Just to confirm, does the valve let oil go to the cooler or let it come back when engine warms?

[JRSIII]

It's a thermostat. During cool or normal operation, the oil circulates from the engine to the thermostat and back to the engine. The thermostat is closed at this point. When the oil reaches a certain temperature (I don't know what) the thermostat opens to divert the oil to the front cooler. If you are sure your thermostat is working as designed, and given that it's 60 degrees in Houston today, I'd think you could drive a ways before that thermostat opened and you risked losing oil. But it's a pretty big risk if there is a possibility your thermostat is leaking by.

[jwakil]

Yes, drove around till it got warm and definitely noticed some drips. Have to make a 150 mile trip tomorrow so plan on leaving early morning and taking extra oil along.

[JRSIII]

Ok good luck. One thing you could consider if you'd could find the right sized fitting (it's probably a longshot) is disconnecting both lines from the oil cooler and connecting them together to form a loop. Given that it's so cool outside you likely won't need the front cooler anyway, but you could monitor temperature and stop as needed if it started getting hot. Might give you more warning then loss of oil pressure. But finding a nipple that would work may be nigh on impossible.

[uwanna]

Originally Posted by jwakil

Just to confirm, does the valve let oil go to the cooler or let it come back when engine warms?

Oil is always present at the cooler, the thermostat controls the return line.

[JRSIII]

Ok I stand corrected. Better search "wheel well mounted oil thermostat flow" and read up.

[JRSIII]

Jwakil...PM sent.

[jwakil]

I read those posts. It is clear that the thermostat controls the exit flow so there is always oil in the cooler, and begins to flow when temps get warm. But it's not clear whether the pressure in the cooler is higher before or after flow starts. Seems it should be before.

[JRSIII]

Not sure. At this point I'll bow out and leave it to those much more knowledgeable than I am. I will be hoping you can get home tomorrow without issues. John

[Pazuzu]

I have a trombone cooler line sitting around in Bellaire, if you want it. you can at least get the oil system closed up then, and deal with fixing the cooler that you have when the time comes.
PM me if you need it.

[juanbenae]

the stat opens around 180*. can you warm it up to operating temp and see what the oil loss is? id do this to see if a bunch of oil will be lost. when looking for leak severity rev the motor while at temp to see the worst case leakage. if just a slight drip drive, check oil, drive check oil.

a big problem will be the oil splatter, if fit to drive as the wind pushes the oil all over the under carriage while in motion. if the leak is slight enough to drive it wrap a rag, or a sock ot the like around the leaking area running the rag to the ground. this will wick the leaking oil down to be deposited on the ground more so than on the underside of the car.

[patz]

Tow it home, remove cooler and have it pressure checked at a radiator shop. I had one that carcked at the lower mount weld. There wer able to repair it. The finned part can't be fixed. Good luck.

[jwakil]

I towed it back home but will need do drive to different shops so need a temporary fix.

I might take Pazuzu up on that offer, however, while I'm not sure the cooler itself is leaking, it's definetly leaking at one of the hoses that goes from the hard pipe to cooler. It got severely bent. I'm going to need one of those for sure.

[Pazuzu]

.