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MG MGB Technical - oil cooler

a quick question What happens if i disconnect the oil cooler on my 74 MGBGT and just join the pipes, The reason for me asking this is that it has cracked and is leaking and at the moment i am on holiday with the car and i cant seem to egt hold of one.

Cheers Nathan
nathan

I understand there were several years (in either UK or US models) where oil coolers were not installed as standard equipment. Owners of these cars have not reported problems related to oil temperature.

I believe you could get away without the oil cooler for the rest of your holiday, as long as you're not traversing the Sahara.

Matt Kulka

Shouldn't be too much of a problem, Matt is quite right in saying that some cars didn't have a cooler. As long as you're not really pushing the car hard and aren't in a hot climate you should be fine.

Tim
Tim Jenner

You might notice a slightly lower running pressure in high ambients, which is when the oil cooler does its stuff. It is said most climates only got one because of driver concerns about low pressures, something which they would never have been aware of if they only had a light and not the gauge. I'd drive it exactly the same except for keeping a closer eye than usual on the gauge for a while, and in stop-start driving in high ambients (I wish).
Paul Hunt

Our roadster got exactly the same treatment when its cooler burst, and although the pressure was a bit lower when hot as others have noted, it didn't seem to do any harm. I didn't drive it any more carefully while it was missing :o)

fwiw.
--
Olly
Oliver Stephenson

I have removed the oil cooler from both of my MGBs because it is not possible to completely renew the oil at oil change time. In my opinion, this is a far greater detriment than the potentially higher engine oil temperatures that result. Use of a modern synthetic should eliminate concerns about higher temperatures, however, and that is the approach I have adopted.
Charles Edwards

I ran my 74 without oil cooler for about two years and never noted any reduction in oil pressure, in fact the oil pressure was a little higher, by about the width of the needle. With the cooler and oil lines removed the oil has a much shorter route to travel so the pressure should be a little higher. The engine water temperature didn't increase, the cooler blocks air flow to the radiator. Later USA MGB's didn't have an oil cooler installed at the factory. FWIW, Clifton
Clifton Gordon

On a previous thread, I wrote; 'just re-installed my oil cooler'
Absolutely no problem!
This was of course after 'I found' my missing oil cooler.
I broke the engine in before re-installing it.

I even ran the Afton Alps hillclimb without it.

My oil pressure actually is a little bit lower with it on at 70 psi.
But much higher at 40 psi, at a warm idle.
That was after a short, 18 mile trip back from my son Brian's shop, on an 82 degree ferenheit day.

I'm happy.

Safety Fast
Dwight
Dwight McCullough

This thread was discussed between 27/07/2003 and 28/07/2003

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