308 Oil Cooler Flow Direction | FerrariChat

308 Oil Cooler Flow Direction

Discussion in '308/328' started by Joe Bergmann, Jan 15, 2010.

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  1. Joe Bergmann

    Joe Bergmann Karting

    Oct 24, 2005
    50
    Shoreview, Minnesota
    Full Name:
    Joe Bergmann
    Hello, I am replacing the oil cooler hoses in my 79 GT4 and was wondering if anyone knows if the oil cooler has to be plumbed such that the inlet is at the bottom and the exit is at the top. In other words, can I swap the hoses around? I can't see any markings indicating the cooler will only flow in one direction and don't see anything through the ports that would suggest a check valve or flow restrictor is internal to the cooler itself. I'm trying to avoid spending the $500 per hose and instead put in -AN fittings and hose with the appropriate adapters. The AN hose fittings take up quite a bit of space, vs. the banjo fittings, so hose routing is an issue, hence my question. I may still just by new 'original' hoses anyhow, but I thought I'd at least give this a try.
     
  2. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 26, 2001
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    Newman
    Why not just take the old lines to a hydraulic place and have them make new lines and re-use the ends?
     
  3. Joe Bergmann

    Joe Bergmann Karting

    Oct 24, 2005
    50
    Shoreview, Minnesota
    Full Name:
    Joe Bergmann
    Newman,

    Excellent question.

    First, I haven't had luck with my local shop being able to do this, the ferrules they use to swage the hose to the fittings are too long, ~2.5" and so I can't make the bend on the lower hose... I haven't tried to go back to them to see if they can put on a smaller ferrule...

    Second, I had the AN 12 fittings and hose and just needed to get the metric to AN adapters, so the cost wasn't so bad, so I thought I'd give it a try.

    Third, the AN option "should" flow better than the banjos. I'm not saying they will, but...

    And finally, I just like to tinker with stuff.
     
  4. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 26, 2001
    14,465
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    Newman
    The OEM lines are crap and over-priced. I might improve my cooler lines as well but like the correct look and a bunch of blue and red fittings everywhere sticks out too much. Post pics when you come up with something.
     
  5. Joe Bergmann

    Joe Bergmann Karting

    Oct 24, 2005
    50
    Shoreview, Minnesota
    Full Name:
    Joe Bergmann
    Newman,

    It would appear we are of the same mind. For what it's worth, I am using black fittings and hose. One of the adapters is blue, but that could be gotten in black as well I think... I'll keep you posted.
     
  6. Mike Florio

    Mike Florio Formula Junior

    Jun 19, 2003
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    NW Rural Nevada
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    Mike Florio
  7. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

    Jan 3, 2009
    11,187
    Texass
    Good idea, but when the line on my QV started leaking last summer I must have called at least 6 hydraulic-related places, none would touch them.

    Ended up buying one OEM line for about $200, and when the lower line started leaking a few weeks later rebuilt it myself with ~1 foot of braided hose from Pegasus racing for less than $10.

    I think it was the #12. Doesn't have quite as small a bend radius as the OEM (would crimp if bent too tight), but just enough.

    http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3270

    Both are leak free, at least for the last 1000 miles.
     
  8. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 26, 2001
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    Newman
    You need to move to Canada then :), I found a local guy that helped me on my 308 upper line. He does many ferrari cooler lines so ill contact him for the boxer ones.
     
  9. Corsa308

    Corsa308 Formula Junior

    Apr 22, 2007
    290
    Sydney, Australia
    Full Name:
    Steve D
    I reckon you should try and keep the same relationship between the bottom and top hoses.
    They are plumbed that way for a reason, surely.
    The same goes for the radiator, the hot fluid always goes in the top and then the cooler liquid is retreived from the bottom.

    Steve
     
  10. Joe Bergmann

    Joe Bergmann Karting

    Oct 24, 2005
    50
    Shoreview, Minnesota
    Full Name:
    Joe Bergmann
    Steve,

    I would tend to agree with you, except that in the original layout the hot is going in the bottom... Which is yet another reason I thought about swapping, actually...

    Joe
     
  11. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Dec 21, 2000
    6,440
    B.C., Canada
    #11 Peter, Jan 15, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I run AN fittings with no problems. I replaced my cooler with a B&M unit - required LOTS of modifications - but at least I was able to use AN ends with that.
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  12. ramosel

    ramosel Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2004
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    #12 ramosel, Jan 16, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Guys... soak those red and blue fittings in a strong solution of TSP and warm water and the color will come off with a soft bristle tooth brush. Soak them longer and they will blacken.

    I converted fuel tank to fuel pump lines to Black AN (ano tuff) and unfortunately, one of the nipples from metric to AN only came in blue. The guy at the Earl's shop (owns a 308) told me about TSP. Worked quick and looked great. Picture below is just with color removed and parts test fit. Blackened it later.

    Rick
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  13. Corsa308

    Corsa308 Formula Junior

    Apr 22, 2007
    290
    Sydney, Australia
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    Steve D
    Peter, that is some install and great workmanship.
    How come you went to that much trouble?
    Did the original oil cooler die?
    With the new shroud and fan and all it would've taken some time to put together.

    Steve
     
  14. chrismorse

    chrismorse Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    2,150
    way north california
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    chris morse
    #14 chrismorse, Jan 16, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hi Peter,

    You did some beautiful work with that cooler installation. Were you able to notice much difference in oil temps when the fan came on?

    I had a cooler fail while on a trip, so i bypassed it and limped home. The first two shots are a comparison of the available replacement cooler from GT car Parts, the stock cooler and a new cooler from Mocal. The replacement unit fit the mounts but had about 1/2 of the fin area as stock. The mocal unit was a bit narrower than stock but a bit taller and thinner, so basically the same cooling capacity for less than half the cost of the smaller stock replacement.
    Since i was going to change to AN fittings to use the cooler, i thought it would really help warm up times up here in the cool north coast of california. The pictured unit is also from Mocal and sports -12 AN fittings and is rated at 180 degree F.
    I did not use the adaptor elbow in the photo rather i used the same fitting as peter to adapt to the filter base. I was looking for the max flow, so i used a90 degree sweep fitting rather than a tight elbow adaptor.
    There was a moderate amount of cutting and fitting to get the thermostat to remain suspended by the cooler lines without having it rub on anything or allow the lines to chafe anything. This was my first attempt at using the stainless lines and fittings.
    When i mounted the fan to the cooler, i used some thin aluminum plate to block the airflow that was trying to pass the sides of the cooler. This forced all of the fans output to go through the cooler.

    Results - with 65 ambient temps, 50 mph freeway cruise and 6 miles, i have 140-160 degree oil, another cou7ple of minutes and the oil is up to 170-180. The fan comes on at 175 and makes no appreciable difference in temps on the track, - a bit of a dissapointment.
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  15. ramosel

    ramosel Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2004
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    Meadow Vista, CA
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    #15 ramosel, Jan 16, 2010
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2010
    Peter, Chris,

    This was an area I had not yet tackled on my resto-mod. Nice work - both of you. You definitely have given me some ideas to work with as I move to that area. That oily mess cooler and factory hoses have been staring at me from the shop shelf for some time.

    Is the thread to AN 90 degree elbow and lock-nut an Earl's product? Or can you tell me who does make that... part number?

    Thanks,
    Rick
     
  16. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
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    Dec 21, 2000
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    #16 Peter, Jan 17, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Yes, the original cooler gave up the ghost. It leaked once at the DIN fittings and I fixed it with JB Weld and it held, then a year later, it leaked in another spot (in the fins) and decided it was toast. I certainly wasn't going to braze it up and no one else wanted to touch it.

    I went with this B&M set-up as it was nearly identical in size to the original cooler, came with a SPAL fan and was 1/3rd the cost of a Ferrari cooler.

    As with any project I take on, I get an idea in my head and when I start to make it, it turns out to be 10X more involved than I thought it would, but since I'm in it that far, I carry on. And I don't like to do hack jobs, so I tend to go overboard with detail and finish. I'm a welder and fabricator so my time is "free", my only cost are materials. I think if I had someone else make this for me, it'd be cheaper just to buy the original Ferrari part! HaHa! :)

    Yes! In fact, I have a hidden switch to bypass the thermo-switch on the cooler, as it would even trigger driving in spring/fall/winter and would bring it down too cold. During the summer though, I keep the switch on and it holds it dead steady at around 180*F.

    I thought about that too, but when you take into consideration the banjo fitting Ferrari used in the first place, which is terrible for flow, the cranked 90* fitting was the better choice.

    It certainly wasn't Earl's. I purchased it from one of the hydraulic suppliers we deal with at work and I BELIEVE it's actually an Aeroquip part. The bill doesn't mention the manufacturer, but the P/N quoted is: 10-1JH9-10-22-OG (description: 90* JIC M x MM/OG). It cost $9.50Cdn each
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  17. Corsa308

    Corsa308 Formula Junior

    Apr 22, 2007
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    Sydney, Australia
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    Guys, I am guessing that both of your cars are wet sump?
    Mine is a dry sump and the oil coller is mounted quite differently to yours.
    It is mounted 90 degrees different.
    Another way to explain it is that it is mounted in the same plane as the engine (transversly if you like).
    I am guessing that they did this because of space. Once the oil tank is in the back LH corner there isn't any space left.

    Bloody nice work, nothing like doing it yourself.

    Steve
     
  18. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
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    Dec 21, 2000
    6,440
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    Yes, wet-sump on the GT4. The GT4's and the GTB/S' had different duct systems, the GT4's incorporating a trap door for winter use...
     
  19. Brian Harper

    Brian Harper F1 Rookie
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    Feb 17, 2006
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    Not all GT4's got the trap door. Maybe only series 1 cars? Perhaps by the time they were making the GTB they had stopped the trap door for the GT4. I haven't figured out when they stopped. DStacy probably knows the chassis number of the change over...
     
  20. ramosel

    ramosel Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2004
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    #20 ramosel, Jan 25, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Peter, Chris,

    Thanks guys for the input and ideas. I was able to source the 22mm to -10AN 90s locally. I paid a little more for them, but still under $15.
    I haven't had any issues with the stock cooler working or leaking so I decided to stay with it (for now) and I just whacked the stock fittings off and welded on -10 AN male fittings. I've ordered some black braided prolite 350 hose and black (ano tuff) hose ends... whole job should be under $150 and won't have to deal with leaky banjo fittings ever again!!
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  21. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
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    Dec 21, 2000
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    Nice job with the DIN to AN adaptors for the cooler...
     

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