What size oil cooler for a 2.0 liter motor

[Slanski62]

Hi. I have a 2056 motor with a Porsche type fan shroud. I need an external oil cooler for it, but I don’t know what size cooler. I assume that a 2056cc motor requires “X” square inches of cooler area, but I may be looking at this wrong. Can someone help me please? Thanks very much.

Steve Yeatts

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

It could be as small as "none at all". If your "Porsche fan shroud" has eliminated the stock oil cooler, then you will likely need to add an external one. But in stock form none is usually needed.

Cooler size depends on a lot of things, though. Stuff like how much heat your motor will put into the oil, how much air flow the cooler would get, how cool the air going through the cooler will be, and so on. I have seen race cars with ~10"x4" coolers mounted well into the air stream, and I have seen street cars with 10"x12" coolers mounted in (relatively) warm still air.

In general, going a little larger than absolutely needed rather than a little smaller is better. A thermostat can help keep the oil from staying too cold, but it's no use for keeping oil from getting too hot.

--DD

[Slanski62]

Thanks DD. Do you think a 8x13” cooler with a fan and thermostat will be enough for a 2056?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Depends on where it is. And what the car is doing. And how much other cooling the motor has. And so on.

I say go for it; if it isn't enough (judge by the oil temp gauge; if it goes to 240+ regularly it isn't enough) then find a way to duct cold clean air in, or enlarge the cooler.

--DD

[Slanski62]

Thanks. I’m in unknown territory. I appreciate your advice.

[John Rogers]

Since we got our first 914 many years ago I have seen external oil coolers mounted everywhere but only one place really works well. That is in the from trunk where the factory did theirs on the 914 GT racing cars. The issue to do this is many faceted such as getting the cooler, cutting the front bumper (or changing it) and sheet metal so the air can get in, then cutting an opening in the trunk floor so hot air can get out. Then there is the cost of a pair of flexible oil lines to and from the cooler and their fittings. Finally an adapter on the engine to allow the flow of oil. As Dave noted there are many places such as next to the transmission (very hot air into the cooler), behind the transmission (same issue), mount on engine lid with a fan (directs hot air into the engine intake) and so on. You have to balance to cooling cost against how much you want to make your engine last.