So I searched a little.

The factory oil cooler, the consensus is that it is junk? With pacesetters will the thing even clear anyway? Just wondering as my factory motor I pulled out has it, but the new motor going in doesn't.

So if it won't clear I obviously won't run it, or if it will clear but no one is running it cause it in fact doesn't do anything, what size hose and length will I need to take care of the radiator side of things??

 

I believe the cooler on the '94's is generally considered to be a better design than later years. I had to remove mine because it does not fit with Kooks headers.

 

Its not junk, but something aftermarket would surely work better...

 

Where does it go to.. like where is the mini-Radiator(so to speak..) for it located?

I have lines that I got off of a HD Truck for my Engine, I want to eventually install an Oil Cooler for it.

 

Goes into the radiator just like the transmission, but on the opposite tank.

I personally wouldn't delete it. If anything, go get a oil filter setup from an 90s (not sure about later 90s having it) which is a remote mount oil filter. Then you can put the filter somewhere else and run lines back to the cooler a different route. We do that on S10s with V8s in them. (BTW 305 manifolds from 3rd gens are the best thing to use for a V8 S10, no BS with steering shafts or cutting with the swap headers).

 

Well now I'm intrigued, all the threads while searching said it was crap and in some circumstances would heat the oil.

Anyone know if it still fits with the pacesetters though?

 

Well, I don't know how hot the oil gets, but I'm willing to bet it doesn't get as hot as the coolant does in the radiator, even after having 190~F coolant coming in -_- It might be crap, but it's better than NOTHING.

 

I beg to differ on that one.. why do you think it goes into the Radiator to cool down..

 

The coolers on these cars, at least on my '94, circulate coolant from the radiator through the cooler. The oil doesn't actually travel to the radiator. It just flows through the cooler where the filter is attached. A lot of people speculate that the cooler does more to get the oil up to temp after startup than to actually keep it cool during operation. I know when I removed my cooler I had much better oil pressure. But my car had been sitting for a long time and when I changed the oil and started it the pressure went from about 50 to 20 and just kind of sat there. I think the cooler or filter probably plugged. Either way, when I took it off, I had great oil pressure.

A lot of people remove the coolers without issue. I think the LT1 in the Vettes never had a cooler, but they came with Mobil 1 as factory fill. I don't think the LT1 in the FBody's got Mobil One from the factory.

 

does anyone know what the code is that tells you if you have the oil cooler? cause i think i have it, but im kinda confused as to what would tip me off that i do, other than a line going into my radiator that had tranny fluid in it?

i know like gu5 is 3.23 hears, so whats the oil cooler option code?

 

The oil filter screws directly into the cooler. There will be some coolant lines running from the radiator to the cooler. At some point, I believe they quit offering the cooler.

 

No one posted up if it will clear with longtubes(going to be using pacesetter, came with motor). I didn't know the Vette's never came with them, there is a car that I expect GM figured would be tracked, and they didn't seem to think they would need one then?

 

I think the oil cooler rpo is kc4, but I will have to look in my glove box tonight to make sure.

 

thats man please do verify that and i am gunna check my car tonight when i get it back too.

 

I think the clearance depends on the brand of long tubes. I know the cooler will not fit with Kooks, even using a short filter. I've never seen anyone mention that it has to be removed with Pacesetters.

From what I understand, they didn't use the oil cooler on the Vettes because they came from the factory with Mobil 1. Whether or not that's true, I'm not sure. That could be just one of many reasons. I think the guy that posted the info was very reputable.

 

it will fit with pacesetters. I didn't even touch it when i installed my lt's.

 

Well im almost positive i have the cooler and i just installed pace setter long tubes and no clearances issues here!

 

Thanks, I have it so I might use it. You should def. be able to tell if you have it or not though, you'll see the lines running into the cooler, if no cooler then you won't have hoses down there running above your oil filter.

I mean on my stock motor I didn't have any pressure issues even at 165k miles, so I suppose I will try to utilize it on the new motor. I'm just intrigued by the fact that the search brings up thread from a couple years back and consensus then was that the factory oil cooler was garbage.