Thoughts on rear-mounted oil cooling
 

So I'll be using a side exit exhaust on my little build. 6 speed to an 8.8/Bossfrog setup. There will be no room for a 3" exhaust to get past that subframe. If there is, I'm not willing to do the work to get around it!

This leaves me with emptiness:cry: ... but in a good way:idea:

How's about an oil cooler where the stock muffler location use to hang out? Did some research, got a couple of ideas and what not, and found out that nobody's actually done it. Great. So how's the flow back there? Would it be beneficial? I'll either use my FC oil cooler or just buy another single-pass cooler. The idea of freeing up room for the radiator/condenser/front mount is appealing, especially in this awesome Houston weather. Any insight or experience would be great.

Wrong, more or less. Location is a little different, but it's been done. Didn't work either IIRC.
http://www.flyinmiata.com/projects/O...0/DSCN9161.jpg

Disturbing the airflow in that area seems like a bad idea... not to mention the debris that could go through it.

Curly, is there a thread? Can you remember why it didn't work? Flow?

njn, defiantly thought about the debris, but isn't that what you'd expect from a FMOC?

FM's Track Dog work. Email them and ask, serious. They have great customer service, and may prove me wrong, but I believe I remember them saying it didn't work, perhaps Keith said it somewhere during his Targa build, I forget.

There is a lot more Aerial debris at the back of the car than the front. Im sure you would kick a lot up into it.

not to mention the extra oil needed to do an oil change from the long lines.

More oil = good as thermal capacity increases, but there are other ways to do it.

I would think you might be able to fab up some kind of underbody NACA-duct that could direct air up through there. Might even help a little with smoothing out flow behind the bumper? I suppose there's also an equal chance that it would ruin everything air-flow related catastrophically. Hell if I know, I'm no aerodynamicist :P

My theory is that it only sees debris (minus bugs) from the front when following a car. It'll see debris in the rear any time you're driving due to the front wheels kicking up stuff.
Could do it like the C5.R and put the NACA ducts on the rear quarter panels:
Attachment 188500
Attachment 188501

(That's for a rear diff cooler though, of course)

All good points, thanks. I might look into some NACA ducting, but like I said, not much is getting past that goddamn subframe. Open to any other ideas that doesn't involve front mount. BTW, this will not be tracked, maybe autocrossed, big maybe.

then why even need an oil cooler?

:withstupid:

I've not seen anything north over of 220 degrees on the street, and even that was after being stupid w/o a cooler. With the cooler, oil temps would never get past 190 (which was why it was removed).

Then you don't need an external oil cooler.

If you already have a 1.8 engine, then you should already have the best oil cooler for street use, which is the little water/oil sandwich plate that sits under the oil filter.

If you don't already have this device, it's an easy (and inexpensive) upgrade.

And best of all, it serves a dual purpose. When cold, the engine coolant warms up to normal operating temp faster than the oil, so this device allows heat to transfer from the warm coolant into the cold oil.

I see 180°F driving to work. I'll see them top off at 210°F cruising at 80mph for extended periods of time.

I have no oil/water cooler.

I see the same on the way to and from the track WITH my oil cooler, lol.

a 3" exhaust really wont fit??? Even with oval pipe???
Sorry to be off topic LOL I was looking into that rear and need me some 3"" action!!