25 row oil cooler question
 

I am planning on buying a 25 row oil cooler and I was wondering if this would effect the car in colder temps. I live in Lubbock, Texas and weather over there can be very unpredictable. It freezes over a few times in the winter. Would the oil cooler effect the car in these temps or not?

You may need to fashion some kind of block off plate for the core. Make sure whichever kit you buy has a thermostat in the sandwich plate.

Why do you need the oil cooler anyway? If you have no intension of tracking your Z then it's just a waste of resources to buy one.
For daily driver car no need for oil cooler. But if your purpose is for other staff like performance upgrades like supercharging and or twin turbo then above post would help in winter times.

Given how hot it gets in the summer in TX, a smaller oil cooler wouldn't be a bad idea.

I have similar weather here in Albuquerque and I just installed (today) a 25 row oil cooler. I think it is totally worth it as I always saw 225-230 temps with just spirited driving.

These temps always made me back off so I decided it was best to do the cooler and not worry about the temps and just drive :driving:

Do you garage the car?

OP ever going to track? Even a 34 row isn't enough for most. I now plan to do 2 25 rows since a 34 isn't enough and a 72 row that firehawk is selling is over $700 retail. In the winter or off track I plan to just block the one 25 row so it acts like just 1.

Yes I do plan on tracking the car, 2 times per year at most. I went once with out an oil cooler and I got very close to hitting limp mode. What does the Thermostat do?

It blocks the majority of the oil flow from going through the core until the car's warmed up.

And how is that good?

Well, in cold temperatures it would take a lot longer to get up to operating temp if the engine oil were being circulated through the core that cools it back down.

Oh it blocks the oil from going through the cooler, I thought the engine...silly me

:iagree:Agreed, my next investment!

i dont track my DD but im still thinking about getting a 19 row here in houston. during traffic or if i beat on it during the summer i see some hot sustained temps.

Between the heat and humidity, you need to. I might err on the side of "too big" rather than "too little" and go with a 25 row. Between that and lowering the temps the fans turn on at through Uprev, your temps will be a lot more stable. It's not the heat, it's the humidity.

hmm... maybe a 25 then

Yeah, it's not like freezing temperatures are really much of a concern in Houston. If it's cold enough to get ice on the roads, my *** isn't getting on them.

To the OP, I think either a 25 or a 34 is a great size for a stock or slightly modded Z. I went with the 25 row from Z1 because, like you and many others, I was seeing 220-230 just driving around town (I live in the Phoenix Az area). While those temps aren't really an issue, it's the fact that I felt I was left with very little wiggly room for longer, more spirited drives and some minor track work. For the money spent, it's cheap insurance in my mind.

As far as winter temps go, as already mentioned, you will warm up much slower, and a blocking plate may be a good addition for routine daily driving during those times. I haven't had the Z during the winter yet, but the stock oil cooler in my Z06 would make winter warm up a real bitch!!

I got the Z1 34 row cooler and the AAM oil pan spacer. So I have about 8qts of oil. On my last trackday. It was 97F. After my last 30 minute session, my oil temp was 200F. During the winter. I put a couple of rows of duct tape across the cooler so it doesn't over cool. With the duct tape. I can add or remove rows as needed.

I just installed a 34 row oil cooler, was going to go with a 25 row but got a steal on the 34 row from a forum member. Anyways, I got it installed and also fabbed up a block off plate. This may be a stupid question but should I block off the top section or the bottom section or not block it off at all.

Right now, in the summer? I'd leave the block off plate off until winter, when I would block the part most exposed to direct airflow.

Cool, thanks Chuck

Thanks for all these informative answers. Just one more question, from yalls experience, how much is the avg labor cost for installing the cooler?

I have no idea. Mine was installed along with a ton of other mods. It's not a bad DIY, so there's nothing that says you have to pay someone to do it for you.

If you can change your own oil. You can install the oil cooler. ;)

whats yalls consensus on any pressure drop with an oil cooler? i know oil pressure is important on our motors.

The few people I've seen with an oil cooler and pressure gauge didn't report any note able pressure drop.

thx Chuck

Use this for the oil cooler cover/block plate. I used this. Its great.

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...ler-cover.html

25 Row with thermostatic plate has been ideal for me, and I track my car regularly. I do also have an extra quart of capacity in a trick oil pan.

Any Z that doesn't at least have the '12+ oil/water cooler should definitely install an oil cooler, regardless of how hard you drive it. There is good evidence to show that the lower average oil temp over the life of the car the longer the engine will last.

Even with the thermostatic plate a block-off is needed in the winter. Easily fashioned with some thin aluminum, spray paint, and industrial velcro. Without it the car will struggle to warm up to the oil manufacturer's expected temps, around 180 degrees is ideal but at least 160 degrees of oil temp gets things flowing smoothly. Easily evidenced by oil pressures.

34 row is huge and the top portion is up and out of direct airflow on our cars. A 34 row will cool the oil more than a 25 row, but I don't think the extra capacity is either efficient or worthwhile. The extra height also begins to interfere with other things.

Order the kit from Z1 and do your own install. It can be a little more frustrating on a '12+ but it is still 100% DIY.

Man, I would love to do it my self but I don't want to run the risk of screwing up mid way and dig my self a hole I can't come out of.

I paid my mechanic $120.00 for install and he commented that it was simple.

ill disagree. the extra oil is a good thing. why else would porsche and other high end sport cars use 8+ quarts? for starters its alot more volume to dissipate the heat with.