Blocking off of oil cooler on tdi engine?

Do you know how the oil is distributed to the oil cooler on a tdi engine?
What is the valve thingy in the top of the oil filter housing?

Does the oil always circulate through the cooler, being initially warmed by the coolant water , then, cooled by the coolant water?

Or

Does the valve thingy open when the oil reaches a set temperature sending oil to the cooler?

(or is the valve thingy just a bypass if the oil filter gets blocked?)

Reason for asking, I’m sticking with the standard series II radiator on my tdi conversion, so am forced to fit an aftermarket oil cooler, but am concerned about overcooling the oil? And wonder if a cooler is even necessary up here in Scotland?

My thoughts had been to fit two shut off valves in the cooler lines, so for winter running (and probably most of the summer?) the pipes would be blanked off, then on the odd hot day, open the valves and let the oil circulate through the cooler?

But how is the oil pumped, will closing off these ports cause a problem for the oil pump, forcing oil down a dead end pipe??

Any help gratefully appreciated

Ken.

Why are you sticking with the standard series radiator? is it cost reasons?
anyway, I think that there is a thermostat in the oil filter housing just like in your cooling system that lets the oil flow through the cooler when a set temperature has been reached. To my mind it would be easier and neater plus less work to stick with the TDi radiator and oil cooler than to use a seperate cooler. If you do decide to stick with the series radiator you could alter the pipe so that the oil flows straight back to the pump bypassing the oil cooler, though the connections may have to be done at a hydraulic pipe specialist as they are the crimped on connectors due to the pressure they are under.
As a note, a tdi will need its oil cooler when doing a lot of slow running say on a hot day, even in a series. My 200tdi warms up really quickly when started from cold and from my experience once it starts to get hot the temperature rises very quickly........
hope this helps

Hi Oversteer,

Many thanks for your reply, your right.
Sticking with the standard series rad. as I've fitted a defender steering box in place of the steering idler, (and with a bit of machining, joint the series and defender columns so I can keep my original steering wheel,) it was just easier with the series rad, intercooler modified and fitted in front of the rad, now just need to find a home for the oil cooler??

The answer to the oil filter valve question is here:-

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q61K1R0DkXA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q61K1R0DkXA[/COLO"]YouTube- Land Rover 200tdi & 300tdi oil filter housing and oil temperature thermostat[/nomedia]

So no worries about overcooling oil.

Ken.