oil cooler

[charlie_pank]

I know that a number of people have a laminova fitted to cool oil. Is there any reason for choosing this over a separate oil "radiator"? I'm wanting to fit an oil cooler as I get reasonably hot oil on track and want to cool it down a bit so I can stay out longer! I know that a laminova will help to heat up the oil to operating temperature faster too, but I'm not sure I want that as it will make the water take longer to heat up.

 

Why do people choose the laminova over a separate oil cooler?

 

Charlie'n'Kermit

The plan is: Fit an emerald so I can find out why Kermit's overfuelling

S5EVN

[Shaun_E]

Charlie,

Being in a similar position I have been researching this and watching relevant Blatchat postings with interest. I have picked up the following points:

1. I believe the main point against using an oil "radiator" is the positioning - usually in front of the main radiator and therefore compromising the water cooling.

2. Laminova's are oil/water heat exchangers and are much more efficient than an air/oil cooler.

3. You still need to deal with the total amount of heat generated and for that you would need a bigger (more efficient) radiator e.g. Caterham triple by pass or a Radtec.

4. Ultimately the real solution is a dry sump - cooling the oil only treats the symptoms of the problem which is that the high oil temperatures are mainly caused by the crank thrashing around in the sump oil.

5. The quicker warm up of the oil means you can thrash the car earlier in your blat 😬

Hope this helps. If you go ahead and want to fit a bigger radiator then join the thread in "for sale" and put your name down for a Radtec radiator - much cheaper than the Caterham triple by pass. We only need a couple more buyers and we have a bulk buy discount .

If you get a Laminova then I would be interested in a list of the parts you buy as I want to get one as well. Supplier is Think Automotive http://www.thinkauto.com.

Shaun

 

Yellow SL #32

[scooby dooby doo]

main reason is that the laminova heats the oil when its cool. otherwise the oil takes approx 3 times as long as the water to get up to temp.

 

also avoids having a separate thermostat with the oil cooler and the difficulties of finding some where to mount to the oil cooler.

 

your oil overheating is presumably due to overfilling the oil to prevent too much surge

 

HOOPY

R706KGU Hoopylight R

[DohNut]

Also bear in mind that the if the Laminova is positioned on the radiator top hose then this only gets hot when the thermostat has opened, or the water is ALREADY up to temp.

If it was installed in the heater circuit then it would slow the water heating, but at the benefit of even faster oil heating and a more even heating of the whole engine.

 

Nick

[mav]

I have the laminova (Wet sump & Apollo).

 

I fitted this as an oil heat up quicker and a oil keep a stable temp option.

 

I have a 2001 1.6 K SS (eu3) with the std ali rad & 82 deg thermostat.

 

Oil temps come up a lot quicker now and remains stable.

 

On track / long high speed run the oil now gets upto about 95 deg, water stable at 80 - 85.

 

After warm up the oil / water remain at 80 - 85 most of the time. I have not yet experienced any problems with the set up. If you are Wet sump, Matthew at Think has a kit of parts available already for the Caterham install.