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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Oil Cooler Upgrade

Any one have the time to put a picture [or two...] up regarding the connections at [or near...] the spin on oil filter? I have a 1972 RWA midget and have been pondering the addition of an oil cooler. My car does not have one and I am somewhat confused on the hose routings and attachment points. I can see two openings with rubber grommets or rubber plus where the hoses would go forward to the unit – plus the pre-drilled holes to mount the cooler in front of the radiator – but I am definitely stumped as to any other installation requirements. Does the installation of an oil cooler require me use a low(er) profile spin on filter? Any problems with low(er) oil pressure due to longer hose routing, etc? Inquiring minds want to know...

Here is a picture of what I can get for a low price from one of my buds down the street...

My Midget always comes back to the garage after a hard run with much lower oil pressures due to engine and oil heat issues. Thanks for any help with this project.

Mike P.
Buffalo, NY



Mike Pelone

AFAIK you normally remove the pipe that joins the rear block with the remote filter housing and insert oil cooler in this loop instead.

But that requires a banjo on one end of the flexible pipes, which you don't seem to have...

A
Anthony Cutler

Mike,
That photo looks like a used cooler and pipes - hope you are buying new......??????
d brenchley

No quite 100% correct Ant, the 2 connections you refer to have 2 stud couplings put into them to connect to the 2 oil cooler pipes. The banjos are only used for the existing pipework
Bob Turbo Midget England

d brenchley: if I clean & pressure test this unit and/or check the hoses or upgrade with braided stainless - I think I will be O.K. - this unit came from an MGB which did not have the "exploding" engine problem...

I am trying to get this [or any..] cooler installed on a budget...do you think this is a mistake IF I know the history of the previous owner?



Mike Pelone

Hi Bob

I stand corrected!

A
Anthony Cutler

if you add a cooler, make sure to also add a thermostat, otherwise you could end up driving with too-cool oil (also bad for your engine).

Frankly, the 1275 in my MG almost never did open the thermostat when I had it installed, and I was tired of having every oil change met with about 1/2 quart of old oil when that thermostat did open, so I finally took mine off.

If you drive a lot when the ambient is at 90~100F, like folks in Arizona and Florida do, I'd go for the cooler, but in Buffalo, I would guess that most of your driving is in cooler temps like mine (SE Michigan).

If you are having coolant temperature issues, an oil cooler won't do as much as an engine flush and a new radiator could (if yours is old, that is).


Just for the record, I've nothing against oil coolers, and in racing, or with engines with issues (like some say the 1500 really benefits from one), then by all means. And there's nothing wrong with having a cooler even if it is hardly ever needed (that's what the thermostat is for). Even that dirty oil after each oil change isn't a terrible thing. I just wanted to point out some of the trade-offs.


Norm
Norm Kerr

Norm:

Hey - it may be Buffalo, but it ain't the Arctic Circle...You are certainly right that the low(er) oil pressure after a "spirited" run on the NYS Thruway is related to a number of other items. Everything from rod & main bearing clearances, internal oil pump wear right to the thermal efficiency of the radiator [still the original I think..]

Engine temp [water] on the guage usually doesn't rise beyond "normal" but I did find adding 2 qts. of the "green oil" from Brad Penn (from Bradford, PA) brought the hot oil pressures up for both cruise [50+ mph] and stop light idle conditions quite a bit...pricey at $7.95/qt - but now I mix that green goo with Castrol 20/50...about 60 / 40 proportions.

The oil cooler project is just something I was pondering prior to an extended run into New England later this summer [not be confused with Merry Olde England elsewhere..]

Mike Pelone

Norm, does that mean you have a superfluous oil thermostat taking up your valuable storage space? Willing to pass that on at a reasonable price? (Those things are priced pretty high...)

Mike, sorry for the highjack.

:)
Chris
Chris Edwards

Mike,
Reusing of oil coolers has been discussed on here previously.
AFAIK there is no "perfect" way to clean out the insides of an oil cooler and you really don't know what is in all those tiny passageways.
If you are going to change the hoses a new cooler is not a great expense (£50 ish over here).
For peace of mind fit new.....a new cooler v cost of new engine???

Just my 2p

David

d brenchley

This thread was discussed between 19/07/2010 and 20/07/2010

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