Oil Coolers and Oil changes

FL 4Motion

not really necessary. Like others stated, most of the oil (85% or so) gets changed everytime w/o dumping the oil cooler. Maybe if you are worried about it, you could empty the oil cooler like every 3rd oil chnage or something but I'm not planning on worrying aobut it.

Just as a reference, the GTR comes stock with an oil cooler, nowhere in it's scheduled maintenance is it ever mentioned to have to drain the oil cooler and that car has one of the strictest maintenance schedules of any motor vehicle on the road.

ValidusVentus

Im looking at getting either the Z1 or the Stillen kit. You ended up with the Z1, what made you go with them and how was the install? Fitment? Quality?

Thanks and enjoy your "cool(er)" car

Edit: I just looked at the install manual on Z1's site for their kit and it appears that you do not have to move the oem PS cooler... is this correct? If so I think that would seal the deal in favor of Z1.

SPOHN

No, you don't have to relocate.

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dad

If you haven't read....
DIY: Nissan 370Z Oil change (AK370Z way) Pictures inside

ATTENTION: read if your oil cooler fittings face DOWN!

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We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but once obtained, it is not in human nature to surrender it voluntary.

Kandy OrangeZ

Z1's instruction's have the fittings facing up. That is how mine are currently.

Kandy OrangeZ

They both use the same Setrab Oil coolers, the only thing that made me go with Z1's is it is a few dollars cheaper. Everything bolts on, you have to drill one hole, thats it. Its a very easy install all around.

Dustin@Z1

On my personal Z's, I pull the oil cooler off every 3rd or 4th oil change to flush it out and refill it (or I do when I am prepping my Z for a track event...but since time has been limited here lately, track events have not been as frequent).

We recommend that the fittings to face upward simply because of concerns we all shared about oil starvation caused by the oil running out of the core.
Oil will drain out of the core whenever you turn the engine off and oil pressure is relieved. This will in turn cause a few things to occur:

1. The core will be drained each and every time
2. Excessive oil will fill up the oil pan
3. The oil pump will now be forced to prime the oil cooler and lines each and every time you start the car.
4. Air pockets will be likely (or possible) to form in the core.
5. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve an accurate oil level reading.
6. When your engine is forced to prime the oil cooler and lines, it is then taking away vital oil pressure from critical engine components.

With all of this said, we believed that the additional hassell of having to periodically remove the core and flush it was far less costly and risky as opposed to flipping the core upside down (to facilitate easier oil changes).

The fittings are made of aluminum. I HIGHLY recommend using vaseline or some kind of lubricant whenever you are re-assembling AN fittings. Keep in mind, you are forcing aluminum against aluminum. In time, without some sort of lubricant, it will wear out the fittings and could create a leak later on down the road. A lubricant will prolong the life of the fittings, and make life easier.

ValidusVentus...you are correct. Our kit does NOT require you to move or alter the OEM PWS cooler. Even our upgraded Transmission cooler (soon to be released) still functions with the OEM PWS cooler and does not require it to be moved or modified. At the same time, all of our kits are mostly BOLT ON and require little to no drilling. Our upper oil cooler bracket does require drilling of the center core support brace, but it is optional (although highly recommended).

Each Setrab Core volumes...for those of you who are wondering...are as follows:

6 Series 19 Row 0.40 QTs
6 Series 25 Row 0.55 QTs
6 Series 34 Row 0.75 Qts

For the Z1 kit specifically, you are looking at roughly 0.34 QTs for the -10 AN Lines.

SPOHN

Great points Dustin. Repped.

I finally install Z1's SS clutch line. Great firm feeling now. Love it.

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BrandonT

I still think sideways mounted is the best of both worlds, I mentioned it here. If you routed the lines upward just higher than the core (unlike gozfast's pics in that thread) it would be no different than top-mounting the fittings, with the added benefit of being able to drain and fill the cooler in place, via three way adaptors at both fittings.

Mike

hmm Dustin,

My fittings are fitted at the bottom and I get a lower reading on the dipstick when it hasn't run than when checking it right after shutting down.

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NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

SPOHN

I assume that has to do with the Thermostatic Sandwich Plate being closed or open during hot and cold periods? Not sure.

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spearfish25

That's interesting Mike. My experience has been the opposite. I spoke with the Mocal guys who said they guarantee the oil will backflow through the sandwich plate if the cooler fittings are down. There are no check valves and the sandwich plate is always at least partially open. Installing the oil pressure gauge was my end-all solution to know if I was too low on oil.

The whole 'priming every time' issue doesn't worry me a bit. First, the prime takes a fraction of a second. Second, any air is forced out since the system runs between 15 and 100psi. Third, the oil coats the engine and provides immediate lubrication unless you've let the car sit for a very extended period of time.

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2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

wstar

From when I talked to Mocal about this ages ago, they said the paths to the oil cooler are actually permanently open. Nothing ever closes over those paths. The thermostatic valve controls the flow passageway that bypasses the cooler, closing it off as temps rise. So yes, it will definitely drain back if gravity allows (bottom fittings).

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BrandonT

Curious too what you guys with coolers are running for oil filters? Some may be better than others at preventing drainback.

spearfish25

Oil coolers plumb in before the filter (pump->sandwich plate->cooler->sandwich plate->oil filter->engine). The cooler will still drain back even if the filter has a checkvalve.

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2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z