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MG MGA - Oil pipe on an 1800 3 main

I am swapping my 1500 for a 3 main 1800 hopefully next week. Because I don't have both engines together I was wondering if the metal oil pipe from 1500 will fit the 1800. The rubber oil pipe on the 1800 is not the correct one so I was thinking I would swap them.
Thanks
Kris
Kris Sorensen

Do not use an 1800 without adding an oil cooler.

You will be sorry if you do!
Bill Spohn

Bill
what impact will an oil cooler have on my air flow to my rad.
Kris Sorensen

I bought my 62 with a 1800 3 main 2 years ago. It doesn't have an oil cooler (yet). Why will I be sorry? I don't remember my old 64 MGB (also an 1800 3 main) having an oil cooler either.
Michael Moder

The oil cooler was an option on the early MGBs. There is much discussion on the MGB BBS as to whether or not the oil cooler is really a desirable addition. It has rather narrow passages that can become clogged easier than other oil passages in the engine, in which case the engine will suffer from oil starvation - something to think about. As to helping with cooling, I just realized today that I never took the shroud off of the oil cooler on our MGB that was put on last winter. Even though we took the car through some pretty hot country this summer, I never noticed that it ran outside the temperature range that it normally does - so much for additional cooling. I don't believe that any harm will come from running the 1800 B series engines without an oil cooler and that there is a real possibility that more harm might result from an oil cooler that becomes clogged than from no oil cooler. One has to keep in mind that the 1500 and 1800 B series engines were used in a vast number of cars produced in England and most of them probably never even heard of an oil cooler. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

David, the oil coolers were introduced early one when they found that cars sent to southern climes ran bearings, while those in the home market seemed to fare much better in the cooler climate.

I daresay you could run a B without a cooler if you live in Alaska, but don't try it in Texas.

BTW, you say that you didn't notice any increase in running temp when you left the cover on the oil cooler. I assume you are talking about water temp, as you wouldn't know what the lubricant temp was unless you had an oil temp gauge.

You should know that while not completely independent, you can have a water temp right on the money while the oil is cooking. I've seen water at 190 and oil at 270, so if you were assuming that because your water temp didn't rise when you left the oil cooler cover on, the oil cooler wasn't doing anything, you'd be making a mistake. You shouldn't expect to see much, if any drop in water temp from the effect of the oil cooler, but you will sure see the oil temp come down.
Bill Spohn

David, the oil coolers were introduced early one when they found that cars sent to southern climes ran bearings, while those in the home market seemed to fare much better in the cooler climate.

I daresay you could run a B without a cooler if you live in Alaska, but don't try it in Texas.

BTW, you say that you didn't notice any increase in running temp when you left the cover on the oil cooler. I assume you are talking about water temp, as you wouldn't know what the lubricant temp was unless you had an oil temp gauge.

You should know that while not completely independent, you can have a water temp right on the money while the oil is cooking. I've seen water at 190 and oil at 270, so if you were assuming that because your water temp didn't rise when you left the oil cooler cover on, the oil cooler wasn't doing anything, you'd be making a mistake. You shouldn't expect to see much, if any drop in water temp from the effect of the oil cooler, but you will sure see the oil temp come down.

And the cooler in fornt of the radiator doesn't seem to block enough flow to cause a significant rise in water temp.
Bill Spohn

David, the oil coolers were introduced early one when they found that cars sent to southern climes ran bearings, while those in the home market seemed to fare much better in the cooler climate.

I daresay you could run a B without a cooler if you live in Alaska, but don't try it in Texas.

BTW, you say that you didn't notice any increase in running temp when you left the cover on the oil cooler. I assume you are talking about water temp, as you wouldn't know what the lubricant temp was unless you had an oil temp gauge.

You should know that while not completely independent, you can have a water temp right on the money while the oil is cooking. I've seen water at 190 and oil at 270, so if you were assuming that because your water temp didn't rise when you left the oil cooler cover on, the oil cooler wasn't doing anything, you'd be making a mistake. You shouldn't expect to see much, if any drop in water temp from the effect of the oil cooler, but you will sure see the oil temp come down.

And the cooler in front of the radiator doesn't seem to block enough flow to cause a significant rise in water temp.
Bill Spohn

This thread was discussed on 04/12/2004

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