MHX Oil Coolers

[docs302]

I'm planning to delete the stock oil cooler when I get my Aluminator installed so I need a larger air-oil cooler. I ran a smaller Setrab with the stock cooler. The recommendation for a stand-alone Setrab is the 948. I've been looking at Improved Racing's website and their MHX line. They have two and three pass coolers that look pretty solid. Has anyone looked at these units or installed them? Thoughts?

Here is the unit I was thinking about. Supports 600HP.

MHX-530 High-Efficiency Oil Cooler

Light-weight, compact, high-efficiency dual-pass oil cooler is 20% smaller, 15% lighter, and has 64% more oil capacity than a 50-row stacked plate oil cooler Ideal for engine oil cooling engines making over 600 HP Similar heat rejection rates and lower air side pressure drops when compared to...

www.improvedracing.com

 

[trmkars]

I'm planning to delete the stock oil cooler when I get my Aluminator installed so I need a larger air-oil cooler. I ran a smaller Setrab with the stock cooler. The recommendation for a stand-alone Setrab is the 948. I've been looking at Improved Racing's website and their MHX line. They have two and three pass coolers that look pretty solid. Has anyone looked at these units or installed them? Thoughts?

Here is the unit I was thinking about. Supports 600HP.

MHX-530 High-Efficiency Oil Cooler

Light-weight, compact, high-efficiency dual-pass oil cooler is 20% smaller, 15% lighter, and has 64% more oil capacity than a 50-row stacked plate oil cooler Ideal for engine oil cooling engines making over 600 HP Similar heat rejection rates and lower air side pressure drops when compared to...

www.improvedracing.com

Installed that one last summer on my 2014. Also removed factory coolant-oil-cooler and installed a Fluidyne radiator with gt500 fan. Oil pressure at idle is lower (when warm), but remains at 100 psi when RPMs are up.

Currently running 10AN line. Thinking about switching to12AN lines and fittings, but not sure (I guess I need to do more reading).




After looking over @Fabman many pages of great information (thank you Sal) -- we modified the mount we had created for my prior oil cooler.
This MHX-530 cooler is huge compared to my last one. It now sits lower a closer to the AC condenser. The mount itself bolts between front frame rails just behind the bumper. I haven't created any ducting but that is on my list todo.



Thus far the MHX-530 has worked great!

 

[docs302]

@trmkars thanks for this information. I will have a very similar setup with a Kenny Brown triple pass radiator, GT500 fan and the cooler with -10AN lines. The issue I have is mounting the MHX. I have one of the @06mach1 Setrab brackets that made it super simple to mount. The 948 would bolt right up. I was thinking of using the Setrab bracket and just attaching the MHX the same way. I like where you mounted your cooler down low but without something fabricated I can't do that.......at least I don't think so but I may try to make something.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

These look "cool" and smaller than a 948, to boot. Also less expensive.

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

I looked into these as well. Decided to go 948 though since pressure drop is published on the Setrabs and ports can be configured with -12 fittings. If they made it to accept -12 fittings I prob would have bought it. They look really nice.

 

[docs302]

It doesn't matter if the fittings are on the top, side or bottom.......right?

 

[trmkars]

It doesn't matter if the fittings are on the top, side or bottom.......right?

Mount it with fittings at the top or side. I read if on they are at the bottom air can get trapped in the top of the cooler.

 

[docs302]

Mount it with fittings at the top or side. I read if on they are at the bottom air can get trapped in the top of the cooler.

Got it.....thanks

 

[67GTA]

I’m re-doing my oil cooler right now as well, and the debate on which way the fittings should face is reminiscent of which motor oil to run; lots of different opinions. It appears that fittings on the bottom is common though, and the Mishimoto cooler that I’m replacing was oriented that way for the last few years.

I bought a bracket here on TMO made by @06mach1 , which hangs the Setrab 9 series from the radiator core with the fittings at the bottom. I think there’s a lot of guys on here that have been running this setup for a few years now. I am working on a supplemental bracket that secures the 2 bottom tabs of the cooler - the 948 is so big and heavy I just feel it needs the additional support.

Here’s a pic from Watson Racing’s site - this race car has a smaller 9 series cooler mounted with lines to the bottom.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

FWIW I have my 948 mounted sideways so the ports face the driver's side of the car, no issues.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

I’m re-doing my oil cooler right now as well, and the debate on which way the fittings should face is reminiscent of which motor oil to run; lots of different opinions. It appears that fittings on the bottom is common though, and the Mishimoto cooler that I’m replacing was oriented that way for the last few years.

I bought a bracket here on TMO made by @06mach1 , which hangs the Setrab 9 series from the radiator core with the fittings at the bottom. I think there’s a lot of guys on here that have been running this setup for a few years now. I am working on a supplemental bracket that secures the 2 bottom tabs of the cooler - the 948 is so big and heavy I just feel it needs the additional support.

Here’s a pic from Watson Racing’s site - this race car has a smaller 9 series cooler mounted with lines to the bottom.

View attachment 71799

That would be a 2013 302S; for the 2014 302S, Watson enlarged the cooler, added a trans cooler, and mounted them both sideways, back-to-back (ports facing opposite sides of the car).

 

[docs302]

The cooler I'm replacing is a smaller Setrab and it's mounted with the fittings on the bottom. Three years and it worked perfectly.

I am working on a supplemental bracket that secures the 2 bottom tabs of the cooler - the 948 is so big and heavy I just feel it needs the additional support.

I took some 1" aluminum from the Home Depot bin and cut two pieces that ran from the bottom cooler ears to the stock bumper. The cooler was rock solid.

 

[06mach1]

Mount it with fittings at the top or side. I read if on they are at the bottom air can get trapped in the top of the cooler.

The air in the cooler will purge even if the fittings are on the bottom. Oil gets pushed into the tank on the side, fills the tank then goes thru the core to the opposite tank pushing the air out. Just want to prime the oil system before starting the engine which can take some time cranking the engine over.

 

[06mach1]

I ran a 934 on my Boss with no overheating issues and that engine lived on the rev limiter but then I never ran any tracks south of PA. I never used a lower support on the cooler either but I probably would have had I ran a 948.

 

[TMSBOSS]

Hold the gas pedal to the floor, turn the ignition until you have oil pressure. Release the pedal and she should start. That should purge the air.

 

[trmkars]

Hold the gas pedal to the floor, turn the ignition until you have oil pressure. Release the pedal and she should start. That should purge the air.

Perfect! I like it!

 

[Coz]

@docs302 are you planning to install your new assembled engine yourself or by your tuner?

If you're doing it yourself then just cranking the engine may not be good. But it's probably ok if just replacing an oil cooler.

For a new/dry engine I've heard that a modified garden sprayer is the safest way:

Captdistraction's ST2/GTR build thread Build Thread

The only issue I had with ATI dampers and ARP crank bolt/washer was on a old pushrod R302 block based motor I built. The damper had a huge radius out from the center bolt hole. I had the chamfer the crank bolt's washer on the outside edge so it made direct, flat contact with the face of the...

trackmustangsonline.com

 

[docs302]

Chris, I'm going to attach the heads, oil pan and timing gear. I'll bring that to Adam at Rev Auto and he can do the rest. I considered bolting the motor in but for the sake of time I'll let a pro do it.

 

[2012-Boss]

@docs302 are you planning to install your new assembled engine yourself or by your tuner?

If you're doing it yourself then just cranking the engine may not be good. But it's probably ok if just replacing an oil cooler.

For a new/dry engine I've heard that a modified garden sprayer is the safest way:

Captdistraction's ST2/GTR build thread Build Thread

The only issue I had with ATI dampers and ARP crank bolt/washer was on a old pushrod R302 block based motor I built. The damper had a huge radius out from the center bolt hole. I had the chamfer the crank bolt's washer on the outside edge so it made direct, flat contact with the face of the...

trackmustangsonline.com

Get the Ford Performance Aluminator instructions, they discuss priming the engine With oil. Basically, you attach a pressurized oil source to the oil temp sensor port on the oil adapter at the front passenger side of the engine. Run at least five quarts through the system.

I know this is a cooler thread, but I assume this is for your new engine. After the engine is installed and primed, hold the pedal to the floor and crank until you see oil pressure.

 

[Grant 302]

Mount it with fittings at the top or side. I read if on they are at the bottom air can get trapped in the top of the cooler.

False. So false, it’s not funny.

The main reason to have the ports on the bottom side and high is that in certain oil system failure modes, this arrangement still has the potential (literally - potential energy) to continue to somewhat passively feed oil to the engine.
Mounted low and/or with the ports facing up, there will be no such flow. Especially once any air gets in the system and fills the top row.