Mazda Oil Cooler I'm considering

considering this oil cooler I found on EBAY to go up under the front bumper. Same as some of you guys have used but the fittings are on the same side. Can I make it work? 11/16 inlet/oulets

I looked for a used one but the prices for even grungy looking ones are high..higher than wreck yards. A nice new shiny one for my new motor seems like the right thing to do

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oil-cooler-Mazda-RX2-RX3-RX4-RX7-/120843089795?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c22cf3783

You may also want to consider Setrab, which is a very high quality oil cooler.
http://www.setrabusa.com/oilcoolers.html

Installing an oil cooler in the front is a great idea, but there are inherent problems with running long oil lines. Yes, Porsche does it, but they use a dry sump oiling system. I'm not sure a Type 1 pump is up to the task.

Whenever I've seen a front cooler it's been done with a big (30mm) oil pump, which takes more hp to turn and the higher pressure can cause the hot oil to bypass the cooler, leading to overheating. A cooler with a fan and short lines will fit above the trans and do the job as well.

sounds alot easier alan. long lines..I wasn't looking forward to that scenario. Above the transaxle sounds like I'll actually enjoy the install

Thanks Ron. That one looks pretty nice.

Big day. My IM is showing up any minute...from Jerzey. Driver called at 6 am this morning. Must have been really highballin' cause he left New Jersey at noon (with an enclosed trailer) on Friday. That's less than 4 days. Holy 'Vanishing Point' batman....

VIP ftw. yeah!

This gets real easy if you don't have the carpet in yet....

That's one way to do it, Leon...

cool idea!

Thanks Leon - that will be on my to do list

Mounting an oil cooler up front makes so much sense. I wish it was as easy as extending the oil lines up and back and fabricating a bracket for the oil cooler.
Henry installed my oil cooler and fan in the rear driver's wheel well. It seems to work okay there, but I'm not sure what shape it will be in after 20,000 miles.

"Henry installed my oil cooler and fan in the rear driver's wheel well. It seems to work okay there, but I'm not sure what shape it will be in after 20,000 miles."

On paved roads oil filters bolted to the bumper bracket never suffer damage.Is there any sort of cover over it?

Standard oil pump works fine on 16 pass Derale front mounted coolers. Cool oil (<180F) bypasses cooler. Hot oil (>180F) thermostatically diverted through coolers.

Front mounted and tucked up by the frame seems like a natural place. Plenty of wind and out of the way. I've seen others here who used the MAZDA 2nd gen' oil cooler do that.

Cooler is 5x24...fits nicely in pictures posted in the sticky thread I read. Most I've seen fabbed' up a wire mesh screen for road debris.

The cooler sits on the same plane as the sump...which is apparently good to go with the stock pump. That's alot of line> up...and back.
If it cools the way I everyone says it does then I might just have to do it that way despite the 20 feet of hose.

Allen wrote,"
On paved roads oil filters bolted to the bumper bracket never suffer damage.Is there any sort of cover over it?"

I'm not sure if you're asking me, but here's a photo of where my oil filter is located (nice and safe).

Ron that filter looks to be a little too close to the header?

The only time heat absorption would be a problem if the car sat stationary and idling for long periods.
Ron: the cooler looks pretty protected to me...

Barne, you have a sharp eye, but it's the angle of the photo. The oil filter is not close enough to absorb heat from the header.

Allen, I'm sure you're right. It's just me being a worrywart.

Oh that makes sense. Hey dont they make those finned caddy's for oil filters? I think I saw one somewhere on the SAMBA. Was like a beer caddy but Alu' and it clamped around the filter. It would also be like filter armor

Ron, that looks good to me. I'd dump the Fram HP1 filter and get a Napa 51515R instead. Proven to be better, ask Larry Jowdy. It's the only one I will use. You usually have to order them, they don't stock them, and make sure it has the R on the end.

good tip Dr Evil..kFram is out...Napa in ughh

I think I might have to follow suit Ron. I love the accesability of that location.

The information I have is the Wix 51515R is a high volume race filter that only filters down to 60 microns while the 51515 (without the R) filters down to 21 microns. Wix makes the Napa filters. The Purolator Pure One (PL 30001 for our application? Don't take my word for it) filters down to 8 microns, but I haven't been able to find them here locally.

Daniel, good call. That photo was taken after I got the IM home. I've already switched over to a NAPA filter.

Allen, it's not the microns, it's the pressure. The R will not leak, split, or blow off. Larry Jowdy will confirm this. Full flowed VW engines can have tremendously high oil pressure on cold startup. I blew a Fram HP1 off the oil filter mount on a cold start once. Raby 2165cc type1 with Berg pressure relief cover. I have a CB thin line sump with filter in addition to a thermostatically controlled cooler, and the Napa filter.

Yes, Wixx makes the filters, been using them since 2005.