Do I Need an Oil Cooler

I just completed an SVX H6 swap into my Outback RallyCroos, AutoCross and track day car and am seeing oil temperatures around 240 on the hiway. I haven't raced it yet but imagine these numbers will go higher when I do. I have the recommended 10W30 oil in Mobil1 guise.

So, do I need an oil cooler? Or perhaps a gauge that reads past 250 which is where my current gauge stops? The SVX never had an oil cooler but must have produced similar temperatures to mine.

Or should I buy a Miata instead?

Providing your gauge is reading correctly, 240 is ok. Subie's run anywhere from 210-240. Where is the temp sensor? A small cooler may not be a bad idea, and you can always put an oil thermostat in there. You just need to be wary of running too cool.

Lets see.

Situation- Rough treatment, horrible headgasket jobs, temps at the top of the "ok" scale, bigger motor then car/radiator is used to

Oil cooler- lower temps, more oil volume...

Cheap....

I think you see where I am going here.

PS- with some thinking and bracketry you can actually make use of a sport hood!

Got pics/build thread of your swap?

sachilles wrote: Providing your gauge is reading correctly, 240 is ok. Subie's run anywhere from 210-240. Where is the temp sensor? A small cooler may not be a bad idea, and you can always put an oil thermostat in there. You just need to be wary of running too cool.

I'm going to try to verify my gauge by swapping inputs with the water temp gauge. Should be the same right? Oil temp sensor is in a filter sandwich plate.

It's 240 on the highway though. It must surley go higher in a rallycross or autocross.

m4ff3w wrote: Got pics/build thread of your swap?

Build thread:

http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12965

clear your calendar and put the kettle on. It's a biggy.

BobOfTheFuture wrote: Lets see. Situation- Rough treatment, horrible headgasket jobs, temps at the top of the "ok" scale, bigger motor then car/radiator is used to Oil cooler- lower temps, more oil volume... Cheap.... I think you see where I am going here. PS- with some thinking and bracketry you can actually make use of a sport hood!

I think I do. Are you talking about a top mount oil cooler? I've been thinking about this primarily because my custom radiator is so big there is no room near it for an oil cooler. Any downsides to putting it up top?

If the cooler is mounted above the engine, the pump would have to be a pusher right?

Seems like it would work to me.

teamilluminata wrote:

BobOfTheFuture wrote: Lets see. Situation- Rough treatment, horrible headgasket jobs, temps at the top of the "ok" scale, bigger motor then car/radiator is used to Oil cooler- lower temps, more oil volume... Cheap.... I think you see where I am going here. PS- with some thinking and bracketry you can actually make use of a sport hood!

I think I do. Are you talking about a top mount oil cooler? I've been thinking about this primarily because my custom radiator is so big there is no room near it for an oil cooler. Any downsides to putting it up top?

It was ust an idea, havent seen it done before.

you could also set up some ducting from it

In reply to BobOfTheFuture:

It's been done, even on an EG33 swap like this:

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o285/Boxxersix/egrad5.jpg

ok I'm going to horn in on the OP's thread for a moment ...

I've just installed an oil temp meter in the CRX... on the hwy it reaches 180°... at a-x ~ 210°, on the track pegged at 250°... Amsoil 10w30..

time for a cooler ?

need answers and then lets return to our regularly scheduled programing