Oil lines through rockers?

[cds72911]

I was just thinking about running the oil lines from a front spoiler mounted oil cooler to the back of the car and was wondering if anyone here has routed them through the rocker where the heat exchanger ducts/silencers are?

I'll be using braided SS aeroquip or earls hose and I ws thinking it might have the flexibility to be routed in this area (a few strategic holes will need to be drilled).

The main reason I am thinking of this is to protect the oil lines, as I noticed that the oil lines seem to get damaged a lot when run under the rockers. I was thinking I could keep the driver side set up for heat and use the passenger side for an oil hose passage.

Is this a hare-brained idea?

Thanks!

[Clark Griswald]

I've never seen it done. But interesting idea to protect.

However you will be giving up the cooling ability of the lines themselves. They dissipate a significant amount of heat hanging down in the breeze. Braided stainless dissipate less than stock lines but they are still hot to the touch.

I'd be carefull about the location and size of any holes you cut, those rockers are structural elements. On a targa/cab, they provide ALL the longitudinal rigidity.

[Evans, Marv]

Charlie:
Chuck is right with his comment about heat dissapation. I understand a significant portion of the heat is radiated from the stock metal (brass?) lines conducting the oil up to the cooler & back again. I haven't noticed those lines being damaged - unless maybe if the car is lowered quite a bit. being located inside the rocker panels would tend to insulate the lines even more.

[J P Stein]

I ran the oil lines thru the rockers on my 914. I know.....NARP,but it worked just fine, thanks. The cooler in the nose doesn't need any help from the lines. If your using a fenderwell type, this may be an issue.....but (CW issues aside)why put one where it is handicapped?

JPIII

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

Old Story

The 911 2.0 S had the oillines inside the rockerpanels.

Grüsse

[MMARSH]

A person I know did the same thing on a 71. He tracks the car and has had no problems with the car getting to hot. It looks vry clean, you wouldnt even know he did it.



Michael Marshall

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

Sorry I remeber even the 2,2 S had the oillines in the rockerpanels. The 2.4 S with the relocatet Oiltank was maybe the first 911 with external oillines.

The old cars had a very large aluminium oilcooler mountet up front. With the exposed oilines Porsche could step down to the loop design.

Grüsse

[cds72911]

Anyone who's done it or seen it:

What is the best routing for the lines? Route lines into the front trunk and down the hole left by removing the heater ducting? Out through a hole drilled ?

Anybody have pictures?

Thanks!!!!

[Britwrench]

When I worked in the middle east, we ran a 911SCRS and the oil cooler lines were run in the right hand heater duct, up through into the trunk and then to the oil cooler. With a rally car it saved the lines from damage.

We used braided lines and just pulled them through. The SCRS has headers without heating ability so there was plenty of room fo the hoses.

You would only loose heat from one side of the car and should be able to make something up to connect the left to right in the trunk so you have full heat.

[cds72911]

Thanks! That is exactly what I have in mind, and I am happy to hear that it is not a whacko idea.

Building my own rally car gave me a new appreciation for putting hoses and lines where they can't get damaged. It almost seems like the Porsche was built to be a rally car (fuel lines and brake lines inside the tunnel, convenient duct for oil cooler lines, suspension height easily raised, etc.) It must be a good car to build into one (cost issues aside).

Thanks!!!
Charlie