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Oil cooler pipe / fittings size
givemethebighammer - 10/12/06 at 01:22 PM

I'm just about to fit an oil cooler (yes I need it, I fitted a oil temp gauge and it reads 100 - 110 degrees on very cold days) to my 2.0L zetec. The question is what sized fittings to use. The recommendation for engine sizes up to 2 litres is 1/2 BSP, over 2 litres 5/8 BSP. Which leaves me right in the middle.

What has anyone else done?

thanks

daviep - 10/12/06 at 02:45 PM

IMHO I would have thought 1/2" would have be adequate. Plus the fittings and hose are obviously smaller making it easier to make a tidy job of the installation.

rjs - 10/12/06 at 03:37 PM

ive used 1/2 BSP on mine & it is fine . ive been told zetecs always run on the hot side , mine sure seems to .

bimbleuk - 10/12/06 at 06:17 PM

1/2" seems quite common. As used on my cooler and Accusump ordered from RAW Engineering. Admittedly they usually fit 1600cc engines in the Striker but there are Zetecs out there too.

givemethebighammer - 10/12/06 at 08:25 PM

thanks people I hoped the smaller fittings would be OK because as was mentioned they'll be easier to fit neatly.

02GF74 - 11/12/06 at 10:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by givemethebighammer
I'm just about to fit an oil cooler (yes I need it, I fitted a oil temp gauge and it reads 100 - 110 degrees on very cold days) to my 2.0L zetec. The question is what sized fittings to use. The recommendation for engine sizes up to 2 litres is 1/2 BSP, over 2 litres 5/8 BSP. Which leaves me right in the middle.

What has anyone else done?

thanks


we're talking oil temp not water

The numbers you list are fine; what are the temperatures on a hot day? Depending on what source ytou read, once you are over 160 then you start to worry.

ned - 11/12/06 at 10:53 AM

use 1/2", I fitted 5/8 on my xe for remote filter head and it was far more expensive than 1/2" and I really don'y think it makes much difference unless you're going mad with the engine. 5/8 will give fractionally more capacity in the oil system but 1/2 will probably flow better.

imho

Ned.

chockymonster - 11/12/06 at 12:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by givemethebighammer
I'm just about to fit an oil cooler (yes I need it, I fitted a oil temp gauge and it reads 100 - 110 degrees on very cold days)


Is that all?
My WRX without an oil cooler on a trackday in cold weather was touching 130-140, on a hot day 140 was average.

My old FTO would nudge 130 on a cool day. I'd wait and see what it does on a hot day.

NS Dev - 11/12/06 at 12:49 PM

Those sort of temps will totally kill the oil, hope you changed it soon after, as the viscosity improvers will be knackered.

Back to the topic - are you sure you're gauge is calibrated right and in degrees C?

If so I'm shocked!

My Vauxhall, with no oil cooler, just a winged alloy sump, never got near those sort of temps, and thats more powerful?!?
Even on long, high revving motorway trips it would never kick in the thermostat for the cooler. (hence why I took it off! )