I'm interested in running an oil cooler on my SR20DET 1600 for keeping her nice and cool when fanging around a race track. I'm only doing sprints (so maximum 10-15 minute sessions) although occasionally there is a 20 minute session.
Space for placement is interesting and a decision has yet to be made. I'm thinking of mounting near the Greddy copy sump on an angle with suitable ducting.
I'm also thinking of using an RX7 oil cooler as these are nice and long and have inlet/exit on both sides (simplifying running a long line for connections). Ebay have a copy of the OEM for around $95ish inc postage. The RX7 fits nicely into the space I have available...

I will be running an oil thermostat (Derale remote oil thermostat), as the car is going to be driven on the street too. Technically then I should fit the biggest oil cooler I can find and let the thermostat take care of the rest?

My questions are as follows:
1. Does anyone have past experience with oil coolers on a track and what events have you done?
2. What size should be used for this type of event? Something is better than nothing!? Is there a formula or a rule of thumb for the amount of horsepower to the amount of oil cooling required. I would think OEM's have it figured out, so what OEM cars run an engine oil cooler? (Air cooled porsche's excluded...)
3. Ducting is important, but how important is protection from stone chips... What mesh does everyone use?
4. Anyone have a before and after temperature comparison of 'no fitment' -vs- 'fitment' of an oil cooler?
5. Bigger is better when it comes to oil flow restriction, but I will be running the thermostat which should bypass if flow isn't enough through the cooler. Anyone run one of these?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Where is a good place to buy a decent oil cooler (where has everyone else bought theirs?)
Ebay?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Not sure what type of radiator you have nick, but it might be worth thinking about modification or replacement of your radiator to incorporate an oil cooler in the outlet tank.
Race radiators in Dandenong can do this.

http://raceradiators.com.au/products/12 ... n-1600.htm

The main benefit is the oil temp in the engine rises quicker when cold started due to the water temp rising quickly and heating the oil.

Also simplicity and you dont need to run a thermostat in the oil circuit

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Circuit Race 1600 in the build

Hi Hayden. Thanks for the suggestion. The radiator I have already has an oil cooler built in for an auto trans cooler. I was contemplating using it, but didn't want to stress the radiator too much. My thinking was it was better to have them separate. But...I think the ducting I have put in to the radiator is too efficient as the water temp is not coming up to temperature. Maybe dumping some oil temp in there might make some difference. I haven't been on the track though, so not 100% sure.

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Oh and what are you running?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Running the race radiator.
Have never had a issue with overheating.

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Circuit Race 1600 in the build

Lampy!!!!!! wow your alive...long time no speak...or see for that matter!


SR20Datsun - slightly different for me as i am dry-sump and i run the scavenge oil back through a cooler before the tank. I run a 19 row.

As a general rule on the other SR's we track race including the VE SR we run a 14 row Mocal or Setrab cooler.

As a general rule racing here in WA we would not see oil temp over 95C, on E85 at around 500rwhp.

Good luck

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Cheers

Brad 'Cusco' Cuss
Race BRE 510 Replica....on Steroids!

Brad,
Great information and thanks for the comments.
What is the physical size or the part number of the 14 row oil cooler? Is it the 'proline' series from Setrab?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

You turbo with oil squirters? Hahahaha.
I assume you've got the oil cooler section of the radiator plumbed in?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

No turbo or oil squirters, but similar power and a large percentage of the coolant galleries are filled with grout

Yep im running the scavange of the dry sump pump through the oil cooler in the tank.


Hey Brad, it has been a long time!!
Just had a baby boy, so that is taking up a bit of my time atm.
Doing some tuning to get the engine to run on powerplus 102 instead of the JFP which is hard to get over here in WA.
Have you sold your 1600?

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Circuit Race 1600 in the build

no stress SR20Datsun

Lampy, good work mate, congratulations i hope mum and son are all good mate.

no no bites on the 1600 as yet, i think the market is pretty tight but no hurry really, the S15 is coming along nicely.

why have you chosen that fuel?

i can help you out with Martini if your interested, i have been running it for two seasons now and honestly i am impressed with consistency and performance.

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Cheers

Brad 'Cusco' Cuss
Race BRE 510 Replica....on Steroids!

As I am sure you are aware track temps don't really correlate to the street, it is very hard to put anywhere near the same thermal load on the cooling system.

For example my brothers old SR20det 1600 never got hot on the street with a VW Golf radiator, like yours it struggled to get up to temp. On the track however after 4-5 laps of Winton it was getting hot enough that you needed to back off for a lap or two to get the temps back down.

Is it still coming up to temp ok in traffic and just dropping off when you are moving? What temp thermostat are you running and what temp do you thermo fans switch on/off?

I'd get it out for a track day before utilizing the oil cooler in the radiator unless you are happy to go to an external one later if it doesn't work.

With regards to the mounting I have never been a fan of running the oil cooler really low on a car that sees street duties as well as the track, have you thought about mounting the cooler elsewhere with a small thermo fan?

Congrats Lampy! I'm sure it's time well spent

Turbo510:
Yep definitely. Lots of extra load on the track, and i'm fairly sure it will only be an extra half a lap if that extra that I will get without resorting to more efficient methods of cooling.
It comes up to temp in traffic well and the thermo fan does kick in, but once it is moving, it cools down quickly. I'm running an OEM (Genuine Nissan) thermostat. The thermo fan kicks in around 86 and stops at 82.

What is your concern about a low mounted oil cooler on a street car? Stones? Speed humps? Gutters when you pull into a shopping centre? All of the above? I'm hoping to come up with some creative ducting to assist in this area.
The problem with Thermo fans (as I'm sure you are aware!) is they work really well when you aren't moving, but when you are, it's more efficient to just use the forced convection air flow. I'd prefer not to use a thermo fan and just use a good duct system. What do you think?

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
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#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Projectiles in general and occasional road debris are my concern with anything mounted that low, that said I am not a fan of how low the sump sits in FJ/SR 1600's but compromises have to be made.

Also any mesh/screening substantial enough to provide real protection tend to restrict airflow significantly.

As much as I try to think of options for you nothing comes to mind that I would be happy with personally. As inefficient as fans are the right oil cooler mounted in the right location with the right ducting "should" meet the requirements. Also the issue of adding airflow in to places you don't want it/can't release it raise a whole separate series of issues.

I ended up using an E36 M3 radiator which is deeper and thicker than the 7 series one and a thinner (56mm) intercooler. This did require a few more body mods than the 7 series radiator though.
Mine doesn't have the in radiator oil cooler but the end tanks have the provision moulded in so I would hazard a guess there is a version that has.

Sorry, not much help here, I would probably lean towards inside one front guard with appropriate shielding/ducting and venting through the top of the guard. Done correctly with vents on both sides this could also help with high pressure in the front wheel wells. It's going to take some serious venting\cutting though and would have a negative impact on appearance, whilst also being beyond what most would want to do to their 1600.

Here's some ideas you've probably seen already



Personally I think anything mounted externally (like the bottom one) looks crap

A decent duct leading into a 13 or 16 row oil cooler should do the trick.
Chris (TurboVan) came up with something that seems to work and he's putting out an extra 70+kW over what I am: It's actually quite an elegant and well thought out design.

I don't particularly want to cut my bumper to fit an oil cooler

How is the larger radiator going? Got any photos of it fitted? What mods did you have to do to get it to fit?
I don't think I'll be changing my radiator. The frontal area exposed, the thickness and the water capacity are all easily enough for a 2L turbo putting out 200+kw. It's just the efficiency of getting the right airflow going through it into a 1970's engine bay and back out. I've already made a few tweaks to get this better and there are a few more to finish it off. I'll be putting some photos up on my build explaining the logic. One of the mods actually means the bonnet doesn't float around at high speed which is always a plus!

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1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun