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Re: XJ-S V-12: Oil Coolers

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: XJ-S V-12: Oil Coolers
From: "Ira M. Weinstein" <iweinstein@shell.monmouth.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 1995 20:32:29 +0000
Phil Bates writes:
>Thermostatically controlled oil cooler systems are also available for MGs.  
>I know people that theoretically swear by them, but I don't believe the 
>people I talked to had any solid evidence of the benefits. 

Dave Williamson writes:
>Oil needs to be above approx. 150 deg.F. to lubricate properly.  If below
>140, wear rate increases dramatically.  If you are sending ambient temp.
>oil to the cooler at startup (when most wear occurs), it will take longer to
>warm the oil to optimum temp., and thus increase the wear even more.

Dave,

You are correct that oil does a better job of lubricating at higher 
temperatures.  However, that degree range varies depending on the 
viscosity of the oil that you use.  If you use 5W-30 oil, it will 
flow and lubricate quite nicely at much lower temperatures than 150 
degrees (the W means that they were tested down to 0 degrees and 
still flowed and lubricated very well).

Your point is well taken, however, that oil coolers can, in fact, 
keep the oil from warming up as it needs to for the BEST possible 
lubrication. 

So - do we need oil coolers?  Do they make sense?

Yes and no.  YES if you are using it to cool down the engine 
temperature (cooler oil flowing through the engine means cooler 
running).   NO if you believe that cooling down the oil will improve  
the lubrication and make the oil last longer.

Phil,

The theory certainly makes sense.  A thermostatically controlled oil 
cooler (preferably with a variable switching temperature) could do 
great things to aid in the cooling of the engine.  It would be great 
to have a dial somewhere that allows us to have our oil cooler kick 
in at say 180 degrees on really hot days.  However, the switch would 
almost always be set to closed on my car.

Even if I did have an thermostatically controlled oil cooler 
installed, I wouldn't do anything really creative like modifying the 
other engine cooling systems (fans, water pump, radiator, etc.)
Ira M. Weinstein, Matawan NJ

'77 MGB
'88 Toyota Celica
'87 Nissan Sentra
'81 Honda CB650 Custom

(I'm the guy personally financing Allstate Insurance)

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