What is this on the oil pan?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
What is this on the oil pan? 
In the middle of an LS3 swap for the tired Ls1 been easy so far with all the old forums on here.. but whats this diamond looking thing on the side of my LS3? Tried looking it up everywhere to figure it out but coming up empty.. im going to swap the Ls1pan on it today but wanted to make sure that wouldnt be a problem because of whatever that is. Thanks
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
Found this so it must have been an ls3 from a corvette id guess but now the question is do I need it for my Ls3? Im not tracking it or anything just the occasional drag trip.. and if i swap the pan I wouldnt have the provisions to install it huh? Would the lines off the oil cooler go to the radiator or an additional radiator/cooler? Im researching at the same time here but someone knowledgeable would be clutch. Thx
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
Yeah I seen that. I believe the motor is from 2013 looking at the serial and castings so could be the vette or SS maybe one of you guys know where to look and how to id the year of it? Im coming up dry on people running the ls3 without the cooler. Does it run that hot compared to the ls1/2?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
Well I’ve found my answers on another site gonna just delete and plug the oil cooling system as I dont really need it thx for the help. Feel free to add to the thread for any advice I might need going this route👍🏼
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
Maybe a dumb question but the other ls motors dont use it and should only be a concern if tracking it? What if i just up’d the radiator size instead of stock that would I guess indirectly keep everything cooler including the oil? If i can keep the coolant temps around 200 then oil should be around that 212 mark?
I agree on leaving the cooler on. It can't hurt anything. Valvesprings main source of cooling is engine oil. The reasons vary as to why they may not be on other engines. They may not have been in a Corvette, which are usually driven harder than some other vehicles with virtually the same engine, or they were earlier engines, like the LS1/2/6. GM may have determined that some additional oil cooling would be needed with the increased power, hence the cooler....
On the Corvette the cooler bottom faces the ground this looks like the bottom faces the tire. Could be out of a Camaro. A lot of these coolers are real close to the headers so you might have to remove based on the application. If you want a cooler and can not fit in because of headers they sell adapters for the lines that go on top of the block by oil filter. There is a water hose that goes from the radiator to this thing so you will need a hose outlet (I think about 3/4 of an inch) on the drivers side of the tank.
That's definitely an oil cooler. All the v8 5th gen Camaros have one , L99 and LS3. You can delete it. You have to get a plug to screw in the block at the coolant side and block off the oil side above the oil filter. They sell kits to do this. If you keep it watch for leaks. I see them leak all the time on the 5th gens. I deleted it on my wife's Camaro.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 50
Likes: 6
From: LA
So when keeping the oil cooler would I just need to buy like an aftermarket cooler for it for my fbody and throw it in front of the radiator? I have plans to add a high stall converter down the road so will need room for an additional cooler for the trans fluid how would you guys do that? Maybe im overthinking it