Oil cooling...advantages?

I have a 200TDI plonked into a series 3 and the pipe coming from the oil filter housing loops back into it.

I assume there is supposed to be an oil cooler where the loop is supposed to be.

The radiator is the standard one for the Series3, turbo is not intercooled either, so I've been thinking of getting a 200TDI radiator unit with intercooler fitted (I have an intercooler already so, one without would do) and plumbing it in.

But should I even bother plumbing in the oil cooler? what are the advantages of cooling engine oil? Does it keep the oil at the right temperature? or is it just something else to go wrong by leaking all over the shop?

If you work your engine hard Ie tow alot , A cooler would be good

for normal driving I wouldnt bother

Tronicus Maximus said:

I have a 200TDI plonked into a series 3 and the pipe coming from the oil filter housing loops back into it.

I assume there is supposed to be an oil cooler where the loop is supposed to be.

The radiator is the standard one for the Series3, turbo is not intercooled either, so I've been thinking of getting a 200TDI radiator unit with intercooler fitted (I have an intercooler already so, one without would do) and plumbing it in.

But should I even bother plumbing in the oil cooler? what are the advantages of cooling engine oil? Does it keep the oil at the right temperature? or is it just something else to go wrong by leaking all over the shop?

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There is no right temperature per say. It just helps to remove excess heat. Lorries/semis have a oil cooler and they go for 600k miles before they do much to the engine as well as transmission cooler.

Spunka said:

then again it woul'nt hert if you have the room

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that i have loads of in the engine bay! there's like a 6-8" gap between where the engine stops and radiator begins!

I do a lot of trailing in it, which could be classed as a "load" on the engine.....

Tronicus Maximus said:

that i have loads of in the engine bay! there's like a 6-8" gap between where the engine stops and radiator begins!

I do a lot of trailing in it, which could be classed as a "load" on the engine.....

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Do it man

Thor1950 said:

There is no right temperature per say. It just helps to remove excess heat. Lorries/semis have a oil cooler and they go for 600k miles before they do much to the engine as well as transmission cooler.

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Oil does have a correct temp range outside of which it doesn't lubricate effectively, too hot and often ignored overcooled will contribute towards engine wear

Jam1 said:

Oil does have a correct temp range outside of which it doesn't lubricate effectively, too hot and often ignored overcooled will contribute towards engine wear

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don't think the -30-40 temps where oil still does it lubing job is not a issue with a oil cooler, excess temp is the issue

Thor1950 said:

don't think the -30-40 temps where oil still does it lubing job is not a issue with a oil cooler, excess temp is the issue

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I'm not referring to ambient atmospheric temperature but the temperature of the oil itself, over cooled will cause wear, which is why decent oil coolers have thermostats.
This is also why such a large percentage of engine wear is attributed to start up

On a turbo Diesel engine the engine oil lubricates the turbo, act as a bearing for the impeller and cools the turbo,

On a turbo Diesel engine an oil cooler is a must have item. Or the oil will get very thin very hot and at worst combust...

Jam1 said:

I'm not referring to ambient atmospheric temperature but the temperature of the oil itself, over cooled will cause wear, which is why decent oil coolers have thermostats.
This is also why such a large percentage of engine wear is attributed to start up

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this is the cause for cold start up damage

Is due to the oil being cold and not flowing for the first couple of seconds, And is due to the oil draining off of the internal engine parts and thus causing a nonlubracated environment?

Thor1950 said:

this is the cause for cold start up damage

Is due to the oil being cold and not flowing for the first couple of seconds, And is due to the oil draining off of the internal engine parts and thus causing a nonlubracated environment?

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thats what I thought

Thor1950 said:

this is the cause for cold start up damage

Is due to the oil being cold and not flowing for the first couple of seconds, And is due to the oil draining off of the internal engine parts and thus causing a nonlubracated environment?

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That makes sense. On the oil Filter housing is something called a waxstat I found. I assume this is a wax filled valve which opens when it is heated up by the oil in the engine, then allows the oil to flow to the oil cooler.

conversely, when the oil gets too cool (i.e. going round the cooler too much or ambient temp goes way down) the was stat closes and oil warms up in the engine some more.

True that warm oil would cause diesel run-away more easily if the piston rings or turbo seals failed. but that's IF.

On the other foot: too cool an oil and it won't lubricate as well. But the waxstat should take care of that by not allowing oil to the cooler if the engine ain't warm enough.

Right, I'm going to try this.

Tronicus Maximus said:

That makes sense. On the oil Filter housing is something called a waxstat I found. I assume this is a wax filled valve which opens when it is heated up by the oil in the engine, then allows the oil to flow to the oil cooler.

conversely, when the oil gets too cool (i.e. going round the cooler too much or ambient temp goes way down) the was stat closes and oil warms up in the engine some more.

True that warm oil would cause diesel run-away more easily if the piston rings or turbo seals failed. but that's IF.

On the other foot: too cool an oil and it won't lubricate as well. But the waxstat should take care of that by not allowing oil to the cooler if the engine ain't warm enough.

Right, I'm going to try this.

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waxstat's are on carburetors, did a goggle and they confirmed. oil goes into a oil filter and out being pushed/pumped by the oil pump. If there was any kind of a stat there you would have no oil flow???????? What are you talking about?

Unless you have a very strange engine or it's been stood for a long time there should be traces of oil on working surfaces but still not ideal and yes causes engine wear along with low flow due to LOW oil temperature at start up, but oil has a useful working temp range outside of which both above and below it has reduced effectiveness caused by under and over cooling hence why thermostats are fitted to good oil coolers to prevent over cooling.
Quick google search provides this, loads more info out there:
Keep Your Engine Alive: The Importance of Oil Temperature | Tuner University

Thor1950 said:

If there was any kind of a stat there you would have no oil flow???????? What are you talking about?

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No it's a bypass not a total block, oil cold =stat causes oil to bypass the cooler oil too hot = bypass opens allows oil through cooler..simple

Jam1 said:

Unless you have a very strange engine or it's been stood for a long time there should be traces of oil on working surfaces but still not ideal and yes causes engine wear along with low flow due to LOW oil temperature at start up, but oil has a useful working temp range outside of which both above and below it has reduced effectiveness caused by under and over cooling hence why thermostats are fitted to good oil coolers to prevent over cooling.
Quick google search provides this, loads more info out there:
Keep Your Engine Alive: The Importance of Oil Temperature | Tuner University

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Just parking your car over night and during oils changs does the trick.
Millions of drivers across the world are unaware that their car engines are being needlessly
worn away.

SO WHAT IS THIS UNSEEN DAMAGE? AND WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
The problem with conventional motor oils is that as soon as your engine is switched off, the oil begins to drain from the engine parts, dripping to the bottom of the sump. Only when your engine is started again does it begin to circulate - but this takes time so there's a crucial period when key components are most vulnerable to the intense forces at work within the engine.

Castrol's scientists have discovered that up to 75% of engine wear occurs during warm-up. The result? The engine's critical parts suffer needless damage. The effect of wear on some parts is so dramatic you can actually SEE, HEAR and FEEL it.

There is a waxstat adapter (oil thermostat) on it, certainly on the 300tdi anyway, if its got an oil cooler

Thor1950 said:

waxstat's are on carburetors, did a goggle and they confirmed. oil goes into a oil filter and out being pushed/pumped by the oil pump. If there was any kind of a stat there you would have no oil flow???????? What are you talking about?

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Oil stat cuts flow to the cooler, nothing else

Jam1 said:

No it's a bypass not a total block, oil cold =stat causes oil to bypass the cooler oil too hot = bypass opens allows oil through cooler..simple

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give me a link then as I have never seem that on any car motor, a stat to restrict oil flow