bob dunn Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I,m planning to fit an oil cooler to my spit75 as I fit a triumph 2000 engine the main piece I am short of is the spin on adapter with oil cooler connections . The new rad is from a morris 1000 but has had new core fitted with extra vertical tubes ,so I,m told its like 1 1/2 rads .I am fitting the engine 6" back and using a GT6 bonnet . What do you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Hello Bob,Mocal make and supply them, but I found after fitting an oil cooler to my 2.5 P.I., that it wasn't needed as the oil never got hot enough for the thermostat to open, It's your choice but I wouldn't bother.Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Spitfire / GT6 is a bit different than a 2000 Saloon. As as the GT6 radiator is marginal.I would say fit one, but it is more of a problem with a 2.5 engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob dunn Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 I think I will check the volume of the new re cored rad to see if it,s near to the gt6 rad . Question what is the volume of a gt6 rad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cook1e Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Only ever fit an oil cooler with a thermostat. If the oil runs too cool it will damage the engine more than not having a cooler. The only time a cooler is going to be needed is for track days or long extended periods of high speed driving. Only time I'm convinced the thermostat has ever opened on mine was doing a couple of hundred miles of continental touring on the autobahn cruising at 90mph plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gt6s Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Matter of opinion, if driven hard (which all mine are) or even in traffic a Gt6 can boil its oil. Once boiled a few times it losses viscosity and becomes useless. I use a water cooled cooler off a Morris Garages Metro.Laurence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Gt6s wrote:Matter of opinion, if driven hard (which all mine are) or even in traffic a Gt6 can boil its oil. Once boiled a few times it losses viscosity and becomes useless. I use a water cooled cooler off a Morris Garages Metro.LaurenceDon't be ridiculous, Laurence.Unlike water, engine oil is a mixture of a number of different oils. The lighter ones will evaporate at high temperature, much higher than the 110-120C that is the highest that the water can get, even with added corrosion inhibitor and under pressure in the cooling system before the radiator cap will blow, just like a pressure cooker. Even if the lighter elements of the oil evaporated , what remains would be thicker, more viscous, although it might not be as good a lubricant.Even pure olive oil will not boil until it gets to 300C, and before that will be evaporating so fast that it will catch fire, as any cook will tell you. Oils do become damaged by the time they get that hot, but because your engine is WATER cooled, it can never get that hot.The first step to deciding if you NEED an oil cooler is to measure your oil temperature. Unless the oil gets to 120C, you have no need for one. Fitting one without that precaution and doing so without a thermostat risks engine damage as the oil will never get to its optimum operating temperature, 110C. Fit a thermostat to an engine that never gets its oil hot, and the cooler will never see any oil; you will have wasted your money.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainzy Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Laurence, any chance you could share a picture or part number of the water/oil cooler?I'm wanting to fit one of those as they have the added bonus of warming the engine up faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy thompson Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Oil pressure gauge is a good proxy for oil temp - if you always have good oil pressure then your oil is cool (ie less than about 80 deg) As the oil get hot the pressure progressively drop both at cruise and idle - this will be accentuated in a worn engine. Really hot oil will mean oil pressure stays low even in a good engine - you may even hear knocking as the film strength disappears. Personally I think Triumphs need coolers only in hot climates, racing ,rallying , towing or thrashing up alpine passes - except 1500's - they need all the help they can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gt6s Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 John Maybe boiled was a bit to far but certainly cooked. Do you really think I cannot recognise thinned oil when I see it ? Oil certinaly looses its lubricating properties after a few cookings. And BTW the oil temp can go significantly higher than the coolant especialy with our sumps shielded from cooling air.Bainzy The oil cooler came of an MG Metro or even a turbo sorry no part numbers or even photos on this laptop. I used this cooler because it bolts straight up to a spin off filter head. Water oil coolers or heat exchangers for the pedantic can be got from many modern motors turbo diesels in particular you will need to find one thar uses the sam filter thread and sealing ring diameter as a Spitfire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Anyone wanna express an opinion on whether it's worth fitting one to my Spit 1500 prior to 2015 10CR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Sam,Yes!I have them fitted to all my Triumph cars, think they are necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I would. And I did on my 1500 engine.....after the incident where I managed to overheat the oil and spun a bearing. I believe I still have the setup in the garage, must have a rummage later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Hello Clive, why does the four cylinder seem to heat it's oil so much? Is the sump low capacity or is there some other reason. Did you have an oil pressure gauge and if so what sort of pressure did your engine have.When my engine goes back in I'm going to remove my oil cooler set up, it just isn't necessary on my P.I.Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyb Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 It may be that the 1500 is at it's limits with the longer stroke and bore. My oil cooler with thermostat definitely operated on my 1500 spit on the RBRR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paudman Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 piman wrote:Hello Bob,Mocal make and supply them, but I found after fitting an oil cooler to my 2.5 P.I., that it wasn't needed as the oil never got hot enough for the thermostat to open, It's your choice but I wouldn't bother.Alec+1 to that. I had one on both my Mk3 and Mk1 Gt6 and removed it after a few years as I realised it wasn’t being used enough to justify it even on long runs; the thermostat wasn’t even opening most off the time. Unless you’re a racer and fast-road all the time they’re not really necessary. Regular oil changes with good oil does a better job for engine protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob dunn Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Thanks lads I,l check the normal oil temp at 60mph steady running .In the west of Ireland most of my driving is at 60(100) with a 2hr coast to coast motorway at 75 mph(120). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob dunn Posted December 18, 2014 Author Share Posted December 18, 2014 Sorry Very thick about oil , so what is good . Duckhams 20/50 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Hello Bob, it used to be good but no longer available as far as I know?Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 34 wrote:Sorry Very thick about oil , so what is good . Duckhams 20/50 .How much do you want to spend?Comma classic 20w50 is fine for general motoring with regular oil changes.OTOH if you plan on track use or "big" runs (10CR/RBRR) you might want to invest in Penrite or Valvoline VR1?Edit: Previous debate..... Sorry , link no longer available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nilfisken Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Joining the discussion a bit late but here is my experience of fitting on to a 1500. When doing a long run across Europe during a hot summer I noticed a clear reduction in engine temperature compared to driving in similar hot conditions before fitting. The main effect I found was that it massively helped to quickly reduce oil and water temperature (I had meters for both installed) after repeated standstills at Autobahn, as soon as it started to move temperature dropped much quicker than I was used to seeing.I do think though that it overcooled in winter, as far as I have been told even the thermostatic cooler have a small bypass when the thermostat is in the closed position so it took a long time to get the temperature up. I was thinking about making a metal cover for the cooler to put on during winter, but then I tore the car to pieces, failed to finish the restoration and sold the project so no idea if that would have worked or not :-/Cheers,Oskar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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