DIY budget fender mounted oil cooler?

[procan]

I'm looking at installing a fender mounted oil cooler when I install my rebuilt 2.4L. The Elephant racing kit costs $3,200!!! Seriously? $2K of that are just oil lines! Granted, that's with their finned oil lines, which I understand with the increased surface area of the finned tubes you get increased heat dissipation yada yada yada (ya, I took heat transfer in school), but I'm not racing on a track, or driving in LA rush hour, so that's a little excessive for my needs.

I'll part with $600-$800 for the fan kit, whatever. But there has to be a cheaper solution for all the oil lines involved from the engine, up to the fender, and back. Anyone do this on the cheap?

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by procan

I'm looking at installing a fender mounted oil cooler when I install my rebuilt 2.4L. The Elephant racing kit costs $3,200!!! Seriously? $2K of that are just oil lines! Granted, that's with their finned oil lines, which I understand with the increased surface area of the finned tubes you get increased heat dissipation yada yada yada (ya, I took heat transfer in school), but I'm not racing on a track, or driving in LA rush hour, so that's a little excessive for my needs.

I'll part with $600-$800 for the fan kit, whatever. But there has to be a cheaper solution for all the oil lines involved from the engine, up to the fender, and back. Anyone do this on the cheap?

Keep an eye out for a cooler on the used parts forum.

Good luck,

Gerry

[tirwin]

My car came with a Terbatrol oil cooler installed by a PO. I don't know what it costs today but I'm not sure they are made anymore either.

No experience with Mocal but these seem pretty similar.

British American Transfer

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by 86 911 Targa

Keep an eye out for a cooler on the used parts forum.

Good luck,

Gerry

Find someone who is parting an SC or Carrera. That's what I did. Got everything from the oil tank to the trombone for a very reasonable price.

The other option, although, I don't like it, is to run AN stuff the whole way.

[procan]

My issue isn't with the actual fender mounted cooler + fan, I'm looking for a solution for the oil lines running from the engine to the fender and back.

[grizzfan]

I feel your pain on the price of an Elephant Racing cooling system. Your 2.4L engine might not need one compared to the 2.7L that runs quite a bit hotter.

There are quite a few options out there. Google Porsche Oil Cooler or words to that effect and you'll see them.

I opted for the ER system because I have a 2.7L. It's well made and they stand behind everything. I've been having trouble having my thermostat on the system open, but for the past month it's not been hot enough to get my oil up to the 190-195F that starts the thermostat to open. (I had just changed oil and know that I'll need to add a couple quarts to fill the cooler and piping.) Chuck Moreland of ER told me he'd replace the thermostat if it turned out to be faulty.

Good luck,

Tom

[Joe Bob]

You can build your own lines by using braided aircraft hose. Used oil coolers are a crap shoot not knowing if the engine grenaded or not......cleaning may help but you never know. I buy my coolers from BAT Inc. Good pricing.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by procan

My issue isn't with the actual fender mounted cooler + fan, I'm looking for a solution for the oil lines running from the engine to the fender and back.

Procan,

The solution to your oil lines, etc. has been done hundred times before. So getting them piece by piece is what you need to do. First start procuring the brass oil lines running along the passenger side rocker panel, an auxiliary thermostat, two flex oil lines for the auxiliary oil cooler, the return oil line that goes under the engine (used for SSI conversion), and two more oil lines (from thermostat to oil tank and thermostat to oil return line, SSI conversion piece).

Right now, the complete pieces needed for your oil line project would cost you about $1K minimum using good used parts. Your $600 - $800 budget is not enough to buy the needed parts at the current prices of good used parts.

A good option is to look for a complete Carrera 3.2 oil lines and thermostat (from thermostat to auxiliary cooler). Then add the oil lines from engine to thermostat and thermostat to oil tank.

Tony

[Bucketlist]

Originally Posted by tirwin

My car came with a Terbatrol oil cooler installed by a PO. I don't know what it costs today but I'm not sure they are made anymore either.

No experience with Mocal but these seem pretty similar.

British American Transfer

I went with the Mocal from BAT. Cost about $1K, works great no more worries about running in 100* temps.

[Charles Freeborn]

Used. Try DC automotive, parts heaven or EASY.

[BoxsterGT]

I have good used factory hardlines and thermostats available at realistic prices...........



I can also supply both front and rear oil hoses for Metric and AN-12.



Please email me for details.

Len at Autosportengineering dot com

[Algernon]

Originally Posted by procan

I'm looking at installing a fender mounted oil cooler when I install my rebuilt 2.4L. The Elephant racing kit costs $3,200!!! Seriously? $2K of that are just oil lines! Granted, that's with their finned oil lines, which I understand with the increased surface area of the finned tubes you get increased heat dissipation yada yada yada (ya, I took heat transfer in school), but I'm not racing on a track, or driving in LA rush hour, so that's a little excessive for my needs.
....

I'm not convinced the finned lines do any good , especially as the fins fill with dirt very quickly. The dirt must have higher thermal resistance than smooth lines, and are certainly much harder to keep clean.

[obscene]

Traffic on the drive home yesterday confirmed that I need to do this too. That kit from BAT looks great for the money.

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by BoxsterGT

I have good used factory hardlines and thermostats available at realistic prices...........



I can also supply both front and rear oil hoses for Metric and AN-12.



Please email me for details.

Len at Autosportengineering dot com

This is the way to go. No need to re-invent the wheel if a later model stock set up will handle your needs.

[LUFTKUL]

So that's how to safely ship the long oil lines...

[82 SC]

I think I will stick with my trombone cooler at those prices. Has anyone tried VW land for coolers and then get some lines made locally at a hydraulic heavy equipment service?
Oil Coolers & Accessories

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by 82 SC

I think I will stick with my trombone cooler at those prices. Has anyone tried VW land for coolers and then get some lines made locally at a hydraulic heavy equipment service?
Oil Coolers & Accessories

The fittings on the VW stuff are way smaller than what you want on a 911. The tubing used is 1/2 inch in the coolers, so way less capacity. 911s use 20mm hose, equal to 7/8".

[KTL]

The folks at BAT in Florida are good people to work with for sure. Good prices on braided hose and fittings

Earl's also makes a nice oil cooler https://www.anplumbing.com/extras/earls-coolers.html

[82 SC]

Thanks for the clarification Trackrash. Still learning.

[chrismorse]

My 74 had frightening oil temps when dad owned the car.
I noticed the huge cost of the parts and talked to chuck. He shipped a used set of late model factory lines, and I bought the 85 cooler from him and a new factory thermostat with lines from our Ghost.

I went with the factory thermostat because it fits, and most importantly it has a pressure bypass so you don't blow the cooler with cold oil pressure.

Earlier, not knowing any better, I installed a Mocal thermostat on my Ferrari 308 because the oil almost never got up to temp and it took forevvvver to hit 180. My point is that the thermostat is important, particularly so on an air cooled car. The pressure bypass is just a safety device.

I dumped the dealer installed ac and did the 85 cooler and the temps have stayed under 210.

I am an advocate or having a larger cooler, or cooling capacity than you currently think you need because if you have more than you need, you can forget about overheating, as the thermostat will do what a thermostat does on a water cooled car - it will get the "coolant" up to temp and keep it there, with enough heat shedding capacity to keep the oil out of scary temp land if you push the car in hot weather. Not saying you can do thunderhill on a 100 degree day but it is moving in a safe direction.