[BobTucker]

Hello all,

Installed a GT3 oil pump to help solve an overheating problem but ended up popping an oil cooler. Yeah I got so excited that the engine was running that I got a bit happy on the throttle before things got warmed up and burst the front oil cooler. I had installed a second cooler to try and overcome an overheating issue. What I did not realize is that even though there is basically no restriction on the scavenge side just the volume of 20-50 oil in 2 coolers and the lines is enough to create enough pressure to pop a cooler rated at 145 psi. I did a test of the system with the first cooler out of the picture to find out just how much pressure there was. I took the Mocal t'stat drilled a hole in it and put in a 0-100 mechanical pressure gauge and put in inline where the first cooler was and fired it up being extra careful on the revs. I was surprised to find the pressure was about 50psi at idle and 75psi when revved up a bit when cold and when run for a few minutes the pressure went down to just a few psi at idle and when revved up less than 20psi. Not sure what the pressure may have been with both coolers in place but guessing it was 150+.

What have you guys found for a solution? Move to So Cal when it's warm all the time? I guess that would work. What about you guys in the northern regions? Is there a way to create a pressure releif valve?

Thanks for any advice, clues etc
-bt

1973 RSR Rep 3.8