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My DIY Oil Cooler Install (a few pics)

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Seeing as how I am not made of money, I decided to see if I could beat the Ford price on an Air/Oil Cooler.

Here is my story....

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This is the heart, a Setrab 925 oil cooler. Price, $387.08 and $77.77 for the Setrab fittings including shipping

Jegs10anPushlocHose_zpsacc87540.jpg
This is 20ft. of Jeg's -10an Pushloc hose. In my case it was about 8-10 ft. too much. Price, $67.99, free shipping.

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Jeg's -10an Pushloc fittings, $35.98, free shipping

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Oil Cooler Sandwich Adapter from CXRacing.com , $49.49
 
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They have the tech info posted, found under the "Engineering Report" section.

Seems like the kit is put together very nicely. I have not priced the parts myself, for those that have, is this a reasonable price for a kit?
 
They did not have a BTU rating but in the link that Sako pointed to they do state that it drops the temps by up to 35 degrees and oil pressure dropped a bit but was still way above Ford's minimum. What was interesting is they found the cooler got more air by mounting it lower. The question I have is that might be great for the oil cooler but does that have a negative impact on the radiator?

My response back from them was they did not do any testing on a track or on a Boss 302. They did do dyno and street testing. They do recommend using their cooler with the stock Boss water/oil cooler and their bracket will not work with their larger cooler. So I think this will be a nice kit and the price is right but I'm not confident that this should be used as a replacement for the stock cooler, only used in conjunction with the stock cooler. So I'm thinking of using their t stat plate with a Setrab cooler and make my own lines and bracket. I do think their t stat sandwich plate was the missing link for doing this cleanly as possible so that's a plus.

Thoughts on this?
 
I wonder if their bracket and cooler will interfere with tow hook kits and splitter brackets, which may be the reason why other shops mount the cooler on the top.
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,530
5,247
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Illinois
NFSBOSS said:
They did not have a BTU rating but in the link that Sako pointed to they do state that it drops the temps by up to 35 degrees and oil pressure dropped a bit but was still way above Ford's minimum. What was interesting is they found the cooler got more air by mounting it lower. The question I have is that might be great for the oil cooler but does that have a negative impact on the radiator?

My response back from them was they did not do any testing on a track or on a Boss 302. They did do dyno and street testing. They do recommend using their cooler with the stock Boss water/oil cooler and their bracket will not work with their larger cooler. So I think this will be a nice kit and the price is right but I'm not confident that this should be used as a replacement for the stock cooler, only used in conjunction with the stock cooler. So I'm thinking of using their t stat plate with a Setrab cooler and make my own lines and bracket. I do think their t stat sandwich plate was the missing link for doing this cleanly as possible so that's a plus.

Thoughts on this?

I have the Setrab 25 row with the Boss cooler. Will track this set up in May.

If there are temp issues, high or low, I will look at adding the plate.

I am also concerned with blocking the radiator with the oil cooler.

Has anyone looked at adding a fan to the Setrab cooler. An electric fan may also have the benefit of improving air flow through the radiator positively effecting engine cooling.

Any thoughts?
 
Here's another idea of mounting oil coolers without disturbing radiator airflow. Don't know what the stock crush bar look like, so may require good amount of modification to make it fit.

Pic courtesy of Cortex Racing
1975033_10153993834245002_2039964477_n.jpg
 
Update on the oil cooler front.

I will be redoing my lines in braided stainless from the push lock. I almost lost a line and quite possibly a motor this morning on the drive in to work. I pushed it back together and put a hose clamp on it but I cannot risk that again. At least the push lock stuff was cheap.... :eek:

BTW the motor is fine.... :)
 
Stay away from the pushlock fittings, my line did come off while I was driving down the highway. No damamge, but what a pain to deal with. Aeroquip still has not said what happened, i have been waiting for well over a month now.

I used some -10 braided stainless line, have run a few trackdays and a driving around town with no issues.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
ArizonaBOSS said:
Go with AN fittings...they are foolproof. I run size -10 lines.

+1
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I'm using a stainless inner braid from improved racing:
http://www.improvedracing.com/an-hose/raceflux-lightweight-racing-hose-10an-p-213.html

A little more expensive than their full stainless but supposedly 30% lighter than this:
http://www.improvedracing.com/an-hose/aeroquip-stainless-steel-braided-hose-10an-p-127.html

My whole 'kit' came in under $600 with Mike's bracket and the Setrab 925 + fittings from Improved Racing. Got 10 feet of the hose above and used less than 9.
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
@ Grant 302:

What sandwich plate did you decide to go with? I'm getting ready to do the same and will also use the Setrab 925 cooler. Thanks for your help.
302 Hi Pro
 

steveespo

Lord knows I'm a Voodoo Child
Moderator
4,008
1,924
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Cookeville TN
Smilieboy said:
Is anything special needed to make sure no air pockets form in the cooler?

Engine oil loop is an open to air system, you can't trap air in the cooler matrix. Don't worry too much about position worry more about maintaining good flow paths with the hoses, the shorter and smoother the better.
Steve
 
steveespo said:
Engine oil loop is an open to air system, you can't trap air in the cooler matrix. Don't worry too much about position worry more about maintaining good flow paths with the hoses, the shorter and smoother the better.
Steve

Got it, i was going to follow this as close to the T as i can.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
NFSBOSS said:
Both flow better but a billet grille will flow more air. Ask. Cloud9.

+1. I am about to pop my Roush-style grille back in for my event at the end of this month at INDE Motorsports Ranch. Gonna be hot and higher elevation; we all know what that means.
 

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