Radiator type oil coolers vs Laminar oil/water heat exchanger type..

[Zico]

Im hoping to learn when you would choose one type over the other for certain applications and each of their merits.

Im suggesting a oil/water Laminar type heat exchanger to my brother for the new Grp4 Escort we are building in addition to a Mocal radiator type oil cooler unit beside the coolant radiator, he doesnt think we need it, reckons that their only purpose is actually to help the engine reach operating temp quicker as opposed to cooling the oil..

I see it as more of a oil/coolant temps stabaliser which has to be a good thing to have in a race engine.. surely?

[Al Weyman]

Hot oil cool water is the way to power, you can over cool oil how many times do you see guys taping of half the oil rad when you wander around the paddock, I tend to agree with him that it could be overkill.

[JohnD]

The reason I used one in the past was because I built a car with a rear water radiator, so that I could mimimise the air entry under the bonnet and air flow under the car. It was a Laminova next to the engine, or exstensive oil hose to the back and return.

The oil-to-water cooler was about right; the rear rad worked, except at full race speed, when it always boiled over. I think the problem was relative levels of engine and rad, and air trapped in the hose between them.

Oil-to-water cooler? Only if you can't/won't get air to a front air radiator oil cooler.

John

[Zico]

Thanks guys, very helpfull as always.