DIY: Oil Cooler (scratch built install, lottsa pics).....>.

37DZ · 09-07-2014, 06:22 PM

First of all, a big THANK YOU to the OP for this thread and all of the valuable information (as well as input from all the participating members).

I'll be honest, I skipped a few pages on this thread but has anyone tried out Stillen's oil cooler that uses the Gold core instead of the Setrab? The price for a 19 row is about 350, or 24 row for $15 more(without shipping)... which isn't too much more than the OP's setup considering the kit actually includes a thermostatic plate and steel braided lines.

http://www.stillen.com/product/engin...0632-8219.html

I'm wondering if anyone has tried this kit, how they like it, and if they had any issues. Also, does the kit come with any type of warranty? Stillen website doesn't specify any warranty.

I'm seriously considering this kit for the price and convenience of having a full kit. I don't like that I will have to use a different filter but that's really just something I need to get used to when changing it, so it's not a big deal.

What are your opinions?

Thanks in advance!

Cbtech · 09-07-2014, 11:02 PM

Braided lines are overrated and not necessary for our setup. The oil pump is not the powerful to pop the lines due to pressure. My kit was less than 250 to put together, actually, and that was with a 24 row cooler. You're paying for the name...all coolers do the exact same thing. Mine works just as well as the $550 z1 or Stillen for half the cost. nothing is gained by purchasing name brand gear in the instance. Also racer wholesale parts.com has a complete kit for 250 with the braided lines.

Oh and you don't need a different filter btw...I used the same that is recommended for our cars from the manufacture

wstar · 09-08-2014, 06:50 AM

Putting together your own kit is fine, but please do use steel-braided lines. Things will rub on things, sometimes in ways you don't expect. Braided lines is cheap insurance against a cut hose.

Cbtech · 09-15-2014, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

Putting together your own kit is fine, but please do use steel-braided lines. Things will rub on things, sometimes in ways you don't expect. Braided lines is cheap insurance against a cut hose.

Braided lines might protect from cuts but, unless covered by another hose, are very well known to saw through anything it rubs against. Do a search for braided lines and AC condenser line cuts...you will find they are pretty damaging to whatever is around them. So you have to decide between the 2 evils.

chknhawk · 09-08-2014, 08:02 AM

These are the two filters I ended up buying. Both are about the same size. I think my problem was the seal. Its different on same size filters. For my application the stock seal/filter did not completely cover the sandwich plate and that's where the leak on mine was. I have the from filter on now and it works just fine. This size is bigger allowing more oil to be filtered easier since I'm up to about 8 quarts with the oil cooler and the pan spacer. I'm no expert but I think this was the right choice. Hope this helps. :TUP:
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

ROBERT1183 · 09-08-2014, 05:57 PM

I have the z1motorsports 34row kit with setrab cooler on mine. Love it. Best mod so far. Temps barely get over 180 degrees. Install was cake. I use the nismo oil filter on mine. No issues

wstar · 09-15-2014, 08:33 PM

Yeah, I wrapped mine in split rubber hoses (e.g. old PCV hoses) where they touched anything. But still, as a default position I'd rather have just about anything else on the car cut instead of those oil hoses. Only possible exception is the fuel line, but it shouldn't be anywhere near the oil cooler hoses anyways. Cut / blown-out oil cooler line = destroyed engine very very quickly.

diyautoftw · 04-20-2015, 09:31 AM

Nice writeup! Looks very clean

TheFLiP · 07-25-2015, 02:11 PM

I have installed this mod on my '12 manual. It's been installed for about 5,500 miles now but I've noticed, while driving the tail of the dragon that my temps were right up at 220. Even with some high-rev aggressive driving, I can easily get the temp to 210.

I did install the stillen G3 intake, HFC, and exhaust as well as a uprev tune pushing the car to about 320 whp on a hot day (it was tuned on a hot day ~90F).

I'm thinking about bumping up the cooler size to keep the temps down a bit more. Any ideas? Thanks

chknhawk · 07-25-2015, 06:15 PM

Or add a pan spacer or finned pan and increase the oil capacity a little more. Change the fluids again.

tjlazer · 07-29-2015, 03:31 PM

Thinking about trying to get this kit, but I do have a question about the mounting bracket. Is it sufficient enough to hold the oil cooler on the bottom only?

tjlazer · 08-11-2015, 09:55 PM

Anyone know where I can find this part? I tried a regular U Nut (like what's used on the bumper) and it's too wide. Searching online doesn't show this part, which is used on the other side for the power steering cooler!

shika805 · 09-08-2015, 10:53 PM

installing this kit today, question for the braided steel lines and AN fittings people, are you also putting thread sealant on the AN fittings? When its time for an oil change, and break the seal on the AN fitting to drain the oil cooler, are you also re-applying the thread sealant back on after the drain?

tjlazer · 09-09-2015, 12:18 AM

I just installed mine, I didn't use any sealant on the fittings.

tjlazer · 09-09-2015, 12:19 AM

My install. Decided to run the lines to the right and they fit better that way.

09-07-2014, 11:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cbtech A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,372 Drives: 40th Anniversary Rep Power: 17	Braided lines are overrated and not necessary for our setup. The oil pump is not the powerful to pop the lines due to pressure. My kit was less than 250 to put together, actually, and that was with a 24 row cooler. You're paying for the name...all coolers do the exact same thing. Mine works just as well as the $550 z1 or Stillen for half the cost. nothing is gained by purchasing name brand gear in the instance. Also racer wholesale parts.com has a complete kit for 250 with the braided lines. Oh and you don't need a different filter btw...I used the same that is recommended for our cars from the manufacture __________________ Are U in Sacramento or Central Valley California? Click here! Foglight Hardwire in less than 10 minutes! DIY: Automatic VDC off

09-08-2014, 06:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3596	Putting together your own kit is fine, but please do use steel-braided lines. Things will rub on things, sometimes in ways you don't expect. Braided lines is cheap insurance against a cut hose. Felix 808 likes this. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

09-15-2014, 08:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3596	Yeah, I wrapped mine in split rubber hoses (e.g. old PCV hoses) where they touched anything. But still, as a default position I'd rather have just about anything else on the car cut instead of those oil hoses. Only possible exception is the fuel line, but it shouldn't be anywhere near the oil cooler hoses anyways. Cut / blown-out oil cooler line = destroyed engine very very quickly. Felix 808 likes this. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-25-2015, 06:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
chknhawk Track Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Kentucky Posts: 541 Drives: Like a batouttahell! Rep Power: 16	Or add a pan spacer or finned pan and increase the oil capacity a little more. Change the fluids again. DEpointfive0 likes this. __________________ \| AEM \| INVIDIA \| GREDDY \| STANCE \| NISMO \| SETRAB \| STOPTECH \| HAWK \| TOYO \| HANKOOK \| BRIDE (wishlist) \|

07-29-2015, 03:31 PM	#11 (permalink)
tjlazer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tacoma Age: 54 Posts: 2,497 Drives: Z34, R35 Rep Power: 21	Thinking about trying to get this kit, but I do have a question about the mounting bracket. Is it sufficient enough to hold the oil cooler on the bottom only? __________________ 2009 370Z Monterey Blue,Nismo Conversion,RE-11's, K&N Typhoon intakes,Blue Kickplates,Homelink,FI 18" CBE,ERZ HFCs,Hotchkis sways, Swift Spec-R, EVO-R Highwing, UPREV

09-07-2014, 06:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
37DZ Base Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga Posts: 11 Drives: '11 Nissan 370z S M6 Rep Power: 13	First of all, a big THANK YOU to the OP for this thread and all of the valuable information (as well as input from all the participating members). I'll be honest, I skipped a few pages on this thread but has anyone tried out Stillen's oil cooler that uses the Gold core instead of the Setrab? The price for a 19 row is about 350, or 24 row for $15 more(without shipping)... which isn't too much more than the OP's setup considering the kit actually includes a thermostatic plate and steel braided lines. http://www.stillen.com/product/engin...0632-8219.html I'm wondering if anyone has tried this kit, how they like it, and if they had any issues. Also, does the kit come with any type of warranty? Stillen website doesn't specify any warranty. I'm seriously considering this kit for the price and convenience of having a full kit. I don't like that I will have to use a different filter but that's really just something I need to get used to when changing it, so it's not a big deal. What are your opinions? Thanks in advance!

09-08-2014, 05:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
ROBERT1183 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: ROCKAWAY NJ Posts: 458 Drives: 2011 NISSAN 370Z Rep Power: 14	I have the z1motorsports 34row kit with setrab cooler on mine. Love it. Best mod so far. Temps barely get over 180 degrees. Install was cake. I use the nismo oil filter on mine. No issues

04-20-2015, 09:31 AM	#8 (permalink)
diyautoftw Base Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: milwaukee Posts: 5 Drives: ford Rep Power: 12	Nice writeup! Looks very clean

07-25-2015, 02:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheFLiP Base Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 39 Drives: 12 370zSport BLK M6 Rep Power: 6722	I have installed this mod on my '12 manual. It's been installed for about 5,500 miles now but I've noticed, while driving the tail of the dragon that my temps were right up at 220. Even with some high-rev aggressive driving, I can easily get the temp to 210. I did install the stillen G3 intake, HFC, and exhaust as well as a uprev tune pushing the car to about 320 whp on a hot day (it was tuned on a hot day ~90F). I'm thinking about bumping up the cooler size to keep the temps down a bit more. Any ideas? Thanks

09-08-2015, 10:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
shika805 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 491 Drives: 40th Z, 71' 240z Rep Power: 21	installing this kit today, question for the braided steel lines and AN fittings people, are you also putting thread sealant on the AN fittings? When its time for an oil change, and break the seal on the AN fitting to drain the oil cooler, are you also re-applying the thread sealant back on after the drain? __________________ 1971 Datsun 240z, 2010 40th Anniversary Z Build #541

09-09-2015, 12:18 AM	#14 (permalink)
tjlazer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tacoma Age: 54 Posts: 2,497 Drives: Z34, R35 Rep Power: 21	I just installed mine, I didn't use any sealant on the fittings. shika805 likes this. __________________ 2009 370Z Monterey Blue,Nismo Conversion,RE-11's, K&N Typhoon intakes,Blue Kickplates,Homelink,FI 18" CBE,ERZ HFCs,Hotchkis sways, Swift Spec-R, EVO-R Highwing, UPREV

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