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Thread: Oil Cooler Mounting

  1. #1
    wadeg's Avatar
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    Default Oil Cooler Mounting

    Looking to mount my oil cooler in front of the radiator using the suggested trick with the automotive radiator zip-ties.

    Should I be using any padding between the two (cooler and radiator) and at each end of the zip-ties on the tabs? If so, what kind of padding?

    Also, what is the best route for the zip-ties to go through each?
    Being that the radiator's chambers are walled with some very thin metal, I don't want to start popping leaks with some vibration!

    Images/ideas appreciated.
    Thanks
    Wade Greaves

  2. #2
    desertfox1's Avatar
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    Default

    Wade,

    NAPA sells a package of 4 special ties for mounting oil coolers
    to radiators. Includes 4 foam pads to go between, and has
    large "buttons" to protect the cores.

    Phil Laker

  3. #3

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    Has anybody considered an oil-to-water heat exchanger? That can be smaller and lighter, and can be tucked away just about anywhere. Then all you need is a slightly larger radiator than usual, and it does double-duty to cool both water and oil.

    There is a Rotax rebuilder who installs fuel injection systems in the engines, and he also does a heat exchanger setup.

    One advantage that occurs to me is you can put the "oil cooler" back on the firewall if you need to shift a couple of pounds for weight-and-balance reasons. Such a heat exchanger is much more efficient than a standard oil-to-air cooler, so it can be smaller. It doesn't have to be in the airstream.

  4. #4
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    Mickey,

    I've never heard of this approach on a 900 series install, but of course the oil-to-water exchanger system you suggest is commonly used on lots of cars.

    Here's an even simpler suggestion: why not mount the oil cooler BEHIND the radiator instead of the current practice of mounting it in FRONT of the radiator. Since the coolant heats up first this should help warm the oil faster which I'm told can be a problem for 900 series installations as they have no thermostat in the oil system and can take some time to warm up before takeoff. Now this would then cause warm coolant air to pass over the oil cooler, would that hurt oil cooling efficacy once everything gets warmed up?
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  5. #5

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    You'd give up oil cooling efficiency in favor of water cooling. Most oil cooler manufacturers want you to put the oil cooler first.

    I didn't notice this was a "900" thread. I've got my brain wired for 4-stroke.

  6. #6
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    900 series is a 4-stroke, just not radial.
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  7. #7

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    Okay, I give up. The noob will be quiet now.

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