RobCollin

Hi, just bought my first Subaru this Monday (MY98 White Version 4 Type R, pic in 'garage' if your interested) took it for a service and was told it would need an oil cooler fitted before the summer otherwise it was almost certain to over heat.

The car is practicly standard just a different exhaust and induction kit running 278bhp, is an oil cooler really needed? its around 3degrees C here atm and when driving aggressively only reaches 90c oil temp.

advice would be appreciated as I was quoted over £400 with fitting :/

thanks!

Tidgy

depends on what oil temps are doing, some cars run hotter oil that others. untill you push it on a hot day you wont know what it will hit.

if its only hitting 90 then no need to do it now (although depends where the sensor is), wait for summer to see what temps do.

RobCollin

settles around 70/80, reaches 90/95 when driving fast (thats degrees in C not sure on F) was told id have problems going over 90/100

Tidgy

nah, 110-120 is a problem, although t depends where reading is taken form, is it take from the normal temp sensor location or off the sump?

mine ran hot, 105 and i backed off, temps still go up a bit so peaked at 110. oil cooler sorted mine out and never goes above 90 now

RobCollin

i have no idea its my first subaru only had it since monday, it was imported last May, il see what the temp does when the weathers hotter then but dont want to risk and damage or breakdowns as its my daily driver,

thanks for the reply, can you recommend what size/make cooler to eventually get and is £400-£450 reasonable fitted?

Tidgy

for a fully fitted kit its a good price, make sure its got a thermostatic valve on it so it only goes to the cooler when the oil is above a certain temp. too cold oil = high oil pressure, which does no favours for the engine.

mocal is pretty highly regarded

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Although nothing to do with oil I would get an OE airbox instead of the induction kit unless you sheild it from the rest of the engine.

As for the 'advice' from the garage i personally think that's a loads of bollocks,I've run my 98 Type R for 2 years (as a daily drive running more power/higher boost) and have had no problems.

RobCollin

yeah ive thought that, it has the air feed coming through the foglight cover which helps, il have to look at a heat shield i think, can you get these that are a bolt on design or is it a case of making one?

stedee

iTrader: (4)

Too right never heard so much bollox. A tuned car running lots of track days, maybe.

Standard cars do have a modine which does a similar job btw

Heat soak on the standard ic is more of an issue on hot days

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

You can make a heat sheild,but the OE airbox is better imo unless you are thinking of putting a FMIC on it .