Remove oem oil cooler?
 

Hey guys,
Just curious. Has anyone removed their oem oil cooler. I have it on my '12 Nismo, and it's fairly worthless.

Temps still soar and without a thermostatic plate, it takes forever for oil temps to reach operating levels on cold starts.

I just finished installing the z1 34 row cooler and what a pain in the a$$ with that oem plate on there. Everything is tighter and I can't fit anything larger than the oem filter on due to clearance issues.


Soooo...the question is: Has anyone removed their oem oil cooler? If so, any recommendations. The piping seems rather convoluted as well (see pic). Recommendations on how to remove it and any unneeded piping? Worst case, I suppose I could just plug off those hoses right at the cooler.

Actually, maybe that's a good idea anyway in case I have issues and need to take it to the dealer. I'm guessing taking it in with the oem cooler removed would likely cause warranty issues!

Anyway, thoughts/commentary are much appreciated.



As always, thanks in advance!

so you installed another and left your OEM one in aswell?

there's no need to remove the 2012 cooler. I run a 34 row + 2012 stock cooler, can is fine running at 180-200 deg temps..
Unless you are tracking you don't need the 34 row, so its best to just keep the stock cooler + 34 row cooler and just block half the 34 row aluminum or a blanket type..

that makes no sense...

Correct.
I want to remove the oem cooler and keep the 34 row. The oem was fairly useless before I installed the 34 row, and now it just makes everything more of a pain.

What do you mean that makes no sense....... he says there is overcooling, so just block half the 34 row cooler with a removable blanket and call it a day......
I got a '12 + 34 row cooler and engine runs better than ever....(no blanket) but the cooler is for the race track mostly....even at the track you still hit 265-270 per the gauge on the car, on the streets DDing the car, on the freeway it stays at 175-180 cruising at 75mph without a blanket/cover...

If you really want to remove it, then find the cover plates off 09-11 Z's that block off the cooling pipes, you will need to make our own plug for the radiator...... I think its too much headache than what you'd gain out of it......

I still haven't checked out the routing on a '12 in person, but my initial thought would be to just pull off the sandwich adapter, and plug the holes at the cooler.


Depending how you drive, it may actually make more sense to keep the '12 cooler on though. It should actually warm the oil up a good bit quicker with it on, since the water warms up so quickly. You'd be better off fixing the over-cooling with a block-off plate IMO.

Martin,
The overcooling was with the oem cooler on cold startups. Prior to installing the 34 row cooler (using the oem cooler) it would take literally 15-20 minutes to come up to temp. Then it would steadily climb to 220+ during normal driving. Thrashing it would get to 260+ easily.

I have a thermostatic plate with the Z1 cooler so, theoretically, it should come up to temp quicker.

I'm gonna give it a few days and see. I might try pulling the oem sandwich and plugging the lines then giving it a go. We'll see.

Thanks for the input though folks!

usually once it gets to 265, it will stay steadily there, even with my stock cooler and 34 row at the race track after 3-4 laps I'm already at 265 deg constant doesn't really matter if its 105 deg out of 80 deg...
I even tracked my '12 for about 3 months without the 34 row cooler to write down temps at the track. For DD just cover your cooler half way, that is WAY easier than trying to remove the 12 cooler...... that's what I would do if it was me..

Just try it, cut a piece of cardboard or something and cover half the flow of the cooler, later you can make a nice bolt on one out of aluminum sheet or something.

holy crap man.. 260+? I haven't even seen 260+
what are your temps now with the 34?

180-185 dd. 200-210 when I thrash it. Loving the new cooler. Still on the fence about the oem delete. Such a pain to change filter with the oem plate AND the z1 plate.

with the 34 row, I rarely see above 200, sometimes when i am really on it, i will see 220... but I am boosted hard

Its also been hot as hell here lately, so that doesn't help :)
But yeah I love seeing it stuck on 185 now.

when I was coming through TN, it was 109 out, and I was heat soaked like a mofo, but the oil temps stayed rocking.. that 34 row is awesome!:happydance:

Seems insanely easy to delete!! Take hose 5 and attach it to pipe 13 on the little 2" nipple and pipe 12. Remove everything else.

OP you ever do it?