Oil cooler injection

[simbey1982]

Alright i have a 92 SS with i think a 91 engine that was swapped in. I have a oil cooler on it which runs coolant through a thing right at the oil filter.

See photo

http://members.aceweb.com/robinegg/oil.jpg

Im having a problem with oil in my coolant. Before you scream headgasket i just pulled the heads had them resurfaced, leak tested, and put NEW head gaskets on it, and flushed coolant system.

Now the oil is back in the coolant. There is NO coolant in the oil so it has to be somewhere high pressure enough that only the oil is getting in. The only other places i can think is the oil cooler or the turbo...the turbo seems unlikely since they are seperated so well and it would take a pretty nasty crack.

So i guess my question is...can i just bypass this oil cooler. I was noticing that its only on 91 model engines...is this thing needed at all...id rather just bypass it than replace it

Thanks

[PhyrraM]

You can pull the waterlines and cap the nipples on the waterpump and the block. If you see oil coming out of the cooler afterwards you have found the problem.

If you want to completely remove the cooler itself, you will need the threaded nipple from any non-oilcooled EJ series motor.

[simbey1982]

any foreseeable problem by removing this?? it seems it wasnt needed since its the only model year with one.

[douglas vincent]

The oil cooler HELPS alot. But neccesary? No.

But if you can replace it with a new one, do it.

[simbey1982]

Im trying to realize the benifits of it....it obviously was removed from later models...but what does it prevent...what are the gains...im just not seeing it

[evolutionmovement]

It's overkill on these cars unless you're really modding the thing. The engine is based on a design homologated for the World Rally Championship who's rules allowed 400HP at the time.

[Buffman]

they put oil coolers on the 9c1 caprices (with the LT1 like my car) mainly for extended idling purpose, and high speed pursuit. My RMS didn't come with an oil cooler (similiar to the LT1 vettes didn't come with one). Even with 3.73s, oil temps DO NOT peak until you start extended driving at 70mph. Even then I've never seen oil temps reported over 250* in the dead of summer at 30+ min driving at 80mph. On our LT1s the oil coolers send oil up to the radiator or in the 9c1 models to an external cooler. You can gain a little pressure removing them.

Plus they're just another failure point.

[simbey1982]

Thanks guys...Thats what im saying...if im not gaining anything by having it...

it just seems to be frustrating things and id rather remove it...

Id like all theories and input on the subject...if anyone has any reason why i shouldnt remove this thing...speak now or forever hold your peace...

[simbey1982]

Also see related thread

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/sho ... post773666

[Aerotech]

Ditch it, if you're not going to mod for big HP. It's almost $300 for a new one, but they're a newer design, the old ones had a problem; they cracked internally, and leaked oil into the coolant...
Mine did the same thing, and I ended up replacing two complete sets of coolant hoses before I figured out where the damn oil was coming from.

ps. check ALL your hoses, particularly the ones under the throttle body, if anything's soft, spongy, or blown up, replace it immediately before you get stranded.

[simbey1982]

your saying ditch the oil cooler or the car????

[skid542]

I think he's saying ditch the car, post up for sale on the BBS for cheap and we'll take care of it .

[simbey1982]

Cant afford to buy a new one...i just put new head gaskets into this thing along with new struts...timing belt...etc etc...aint getting rid of it...i want to fix it...i can fix it....all i want to know is if getting rid of the oil cooler is a problem....

if its not i will get a new water pump without the extra nipple and a cap for the block...

All i want to know is can I remove it .....is it a semi-necessary system.?

Thanks

[BXSS]

If you want to keep a oil cooler buy the $100 perma-cool universal air-air oil cooler kit & cap off or connect the oil cooler coolant feed lines on the water pump.

If NOT

Just get a plain Jane oil filter fitting off a plain jane EJ series motor & use it on your car w/o oil cooler.
You still have to cap off / connect the coolant feed line from the water pump.