How to install oil cooler
 

I posted the simple instructions on the bottom of this thread. Pictures are nice and clear enjoy. Yes I am SCing a maxima, is not my maxima. Scroll all the way down. Please dont post on there leave it as a info post thanks!

Jaime



http://forums.maxima.org/supercharge...elts-etcc.html

scroll down for anyone who wants to install that motivating cooler on their boosted maximas

Do you know if we can just buy the sandwich plate? I already have my old tranny cooler on the car(from when I was auto). I think I can just use that as the oil cooler when I go boost.

This is the one that Jay used: http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...andwich_Plates

You probably don't need this in FLORida, but I'm using: http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...Sandwich_Plate

:D

Ha that's too big and expensive.

Im surprised most people don't have oil coolers, oil keeps the engine temps down and is just as important as upgrading the coolant/radiator.

Another alternative, similar to the post on the SC thread is that you can a sandwhich plate, like the one youll be getting to use as feed for the turbo (those like mine, have like 4 ports on them), so you basically run a line from one port into a cooler, then return it to the oil pan(even the lower oil pan since the pressure will force it to get in and no gravity issues)

The first one is cheap, and you likely won't need the thermostat anyway. I however, get snow and since it's my daily, I need the thermostat for year round driving. I was just throwing it in there since I had to look up the other one for ya anyway :kiss:

Come on now Kev, you have been around long enough to know that most people do the bare minimum. An oil cooler? They want to run a stock clutch and fuel system and use a 2.XX pulley and have everything work perfect! :laugh:

They also have cheap, quality oil coolers, if you decide not to reuse what you have already: http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/c...ol_Oil_Coolers

They are all pretty much built the same, my hayden is a decent size so I will prob run that with about 4.5 quarts of oil :wall: :noes:

Oil coolers are cheap insurance.

this is a easy install, some people may have no clue. I had no clue of nothing way back in 98 when I bought my new maxima. I went to auto tech school in California. Hope this helps you guys and any one else that wants to add a cooler.

You can buy a sandwich from any company, jegs, summit whomever. Just use some permatex grey or black on your threads. It will seal and lock at high temperatures. It really dont matter which one you use. If your picky your permatex grey. Thats what most Japaneese cars use!

Well Kev for your low boost realistically your not going to need a cooler, but like everyone says, you WILL increase the boost real soon so it might be good idea to use one. In my case I am not sure if im going to be adding how, however I will be using 15w50 oil for the added protection since thicker is good for higher heat range.

I say you do it the way I say, since your already going to be buying a sandwhich plate (the an ebay one, dont spend more than 50 on it), you just need to add more oil for both the turbo and the cooler. so probablly end up putting like 6qt, I run about 5.5qt without a cooler right now.

Yeah, I figure for like 20 bucks plus hoses it is not a bad idea. I will be going higher boost eventually so I might as well do it whenever I can ;)

But you should def do it!

This is the plate i have been using for years on my turbo max, i have a sending unit for my gauge, the feed for the turbo, and soon im going to add a feed for the cooler and return to lower oil pan.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SANDWICH-PLATE-O...3%3A1|294%3A50

Jaime, you stated "It really works, I have attached a oil temp gauge to monitor the temps when I was turboed/SCed and you wont believe how hot that oil can get. This little cooler will drop your temps by alot.".

One, there is no such word as "alot" ;), but two, could you please provide the actual temperature reduction you observed? I installed a cooler a few years ago but I don't know my actual temperature drop, as I do not have a gauge. Thanks!

This is the cooler I have:
http://secure.performancecenter.com/...versal_500.jpg

Here is a link to my photobucket full of pictures taken during my install.

I can not give you specific temperatures. I remember for a fact it dropped the temperature by 30-40 degrees Celsius.

Jaime

Celsius? :scratch:

30-40^ is a good drop.

Thanks.

Any of you guys ever actually observe oil temps in a VQ before? My oil temps are pretty weird in my NA VQ35, seems to defy logic some times...

What temps are you seeing during normal driving conditions, and during aggressive driving?

Depends on how hot it is outside and the speed at which I'm driving. Keep in mind this is without any oil cooler, not even the stock VQ35 one that sandwiches by the oil filter and has coolant running through it, I removed that.

This is what I seem to be noticing, try to bear with me as it may be a bit confusing because like I said they seem to be all over the place under different conditions.

If the temp is mild like 75 or below, all highway cruising (all speeds, from 65-85mph) I usually see like 185-195 steady. surface street cruising 35-45mph will stay steady at those temps too, as will idle temps stopped at stoplights for a few minutes. no noticeable fluctuations.

Warmer temps, 80s, I can end up seeing 205-210 cruising on the highway if I'm above 75mph. If I'm going slower like 65-70mph it will be more around 200 . When moving on surface streets like 30 or 40mph it will stay around 205, but if I come to a complete stop at a stop light it will start to creep up as long as I am stationary. Could creep into the 215-220 range.

Hot temps in the low 90s it will creep a bit on the highway at speed, but the faster I go the faster the temp goes up, this is highway speeds I'm talking about - but I haven't done any long trips at this outside temperature to see how high it would end up going. cruising at like 70mph I've seen as high as 215 and slowly climbing. cruising at 80mph I've seen as high as 220 and slowly climbing - this was after driving at that speed for like 30 minutes. surface street speeds like 30-45mph cool it down into the 205-210 range. BUT if I come to a complete stop it will start to go up pretty well I've seen as high as 225 stopped at a stop light for only a couple minutes. Once I start moving again it will start to go down into the 210 range.

Really hot like 100 degrees (we had two of these days earlier this week) I saw as high as 232F and still climbing in a 25 minute drive on the freeway at 75-80mph cruising at like 70mph was about 225F. On surface streets I was seeing 215 cruising at 35-45mph. At stop lights it would really go up I saw as high as 233F and climbing fairly rapidly at one stop light right after I got off the freeway (when I coast the car down in neutral on the off ramp, the temp drops like 10 degrees from whatever it was at while cruising on the highway at speed, and then will start climbing again once I stop). I'm curious to see how high it would have gone had I kept idling.

I don't drive the car hard on the street but I have driven it on the road course in like 85 degree heat and I saw as high as 265 which is high but I run synthetic diesel oil which is the most protective oil you can buy by a large margin, so I'm not worried too much about those temps. I will be installing an oil cooler before I do any track days with a turbo installed though.

At the drag strip oil temps are not out of the normal range though I have never hot lapped this car at the drag strip since I've had the oil temp gauge installed.

Damn thats crazy, what im wondering is, for oil temps what is considered to be too high? also if there are no coolers installed I wonder why outside temps make such an impact on the oil temp.

btw thanx for sharing ur observation.

well I've been doing some reading and been told by people that 50-60 degrees above coolant temp is not abnormal under racing conditions. oil temps seem very subjective i've seen some people on forums say they don't like seeing higher than 220 deg while lapping and others saying they are fine with theirs at 270 lol so there's a big margin.

I dont have a oil gauge hooked up to my 94 Honda civic Hatchback. The Vtec engines have coolant lines to the oil filter just like the 3.5 VQ Engines. I was pretty surprised to see that. Then again that may explain why those engines last very long time. I have 370,000 miles on that Honda civic. I purchased it with 270,000 miles. Still going very strong. One more thing I also noticed with this civic is the oil is not jet black at 3000 miles like the nissan 3.0 VQ engines. I am not using synthetic either. Its just a gas saver to get me from point a to b. Does have a alloy flywheel. I must have that for quick revs.

you guys think -6AN would be a bit too much on the small side?

8 or 10 would be better, regular line is 10!

You guys think its safe to stack two sand which plates together? Reason I ask is because the permacool sandwhich plate does not bring additional ports (for example turbo feed or sending unit for gauge), so I was thinking leaving my current one (that i posted above) and putting the permacool plate on top of it. what ya'll think??

OR, the other option is to get a plate that has ports for turbo and sender, and also big ports for cooler like this one:

http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sel...LERADAPTER.jpg

If stacking is no issue, then id def go with that instead!

Well I answered my own question, over at the Z forum this guy did a HowTo writeup on his oil cooler, and he stacked up the coolers plate, ontop of the plate for the turbo/sending unit, and then on top of the stock cooler (so 3 plates)

http://www.z33driver.com/images/setr..._sandwich3.jpg

Looks like i'll be ordering the permacool kit.

Would there any concerns with overcooling on a bolt-on N/A VQ? I lap the car occasionally at Road Atlanta but it's primarily a DD.

Shouldn't be since you push it

Yep unless the sandwich plate you use has a built-in t-stat or you implement some other type of thermostatic control.

keep us posted streetz!

k dude, enough with the post whorng

So I installed the kit above, i love it, although I dont have a way to monitor the oil temp but the installation went smooth. At least now I have a peace of mind.

Here are pics installed:
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...h_CIMG0027.jpg
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...h_CIMG0028.jpg

guys just wondering may be a really stupid question. but how many rows should the oil cooler have. the larger the better im guessing but how my rows are on you guys oil cooler?

How are you monitoring your oil temperature? Where are you tapping to get the temp? Do you also monitor oil pressure?

Also, when installing an oil cooler adapter by the filter, is it possible to get one that will allow us to run a larger oil filter?

I'm not. I'm not. No. Yes. ;)

Go on......