Engine Cooling - Cooler Temperature Thermostat?

[dave_t]

Heading to the Nurburgring in May and i'm in the middle of prepping the S15.

With just the usual bolt on's, with the standard turbo:

Tomei Manifold (Heat Wrapped)
Tomei Elbow (Heat Wrapped)
Blitz Downpipe (Heat Wrapped)
Tanabe Hyper Medalion
HDI GT2 FMIC

Apex Intake Pipe
Apexi Filter
Apexi Aluminium Induction Box

Apexi AVC-R & Apexi Power FC being mapped to the usual approx 1bar/300bhp

My question is, you guys running similar setups, how have you found your engine temps out on track?

The nurburgring being a '1 lap at a time' situation, and also quite flowing, and high speed (high air flow cooling the engine), i can't imagine temperatures to be too extreme.

Would a cooler temp thermostat be sufficient to keep temps lower?
my theory is that cooling the engine block as a unit, will surely somewhat, lower temperature of the oil passing through it.

 

[Adam L]

Oil temps will most likely get quite hot as the stock setup is just a water gallery that flows through the oil filter housing. Personally I'd recommend an oil cooler for track use on an Sr20.

 

[spoonman]

oil cooler is a must. its like 8 - 9 min to do a lap and it amazing how hot you can get a car in that time. Are your brakes working really well? new pads with a high temp range? that track has plenty of spots where you come around the corner and someones arsed off and you really have to jump on them.... and you start thinking armco -- credit card $1000 per mtr to fix -- crap

 

[dave_t]

Hopefully Brakes should be fine , K-Sport Front Brakes & Z32/R33 Rear Setup with EBC Yellow's all round.

Suggestions on which oil cooler kit to get?
I do have a Greddy Oil Cooler from my old Honda integra. with the correct nissan sandwich plate i could use that maybe.

 

[spoonman]

will that fit in front on the washer bottle in the front bar? if yes then why not, better then just talking your thermostat out

 

[spoonman]

another idea, is to run 500mm to 1ltr of oil stabilizer with some new oil, just to help lube everthing under constant hard cornering

 

[dave_t]

yes the oil cooler itself is to the same dimensions of the s15 fitment one.

But on second thought's, there isnt alot of room in that area on the sr20, so an oil filter relocation kit with the oil cooler kit would be best.
like this

http://www.frsport.com/GReddy-12024...-S15-SR20DET-and-Relocation-Kit-_p_25287.html

only thing it is a LITTLE pricey

 

[spoonman]

make your own lines dude, its piss easy and way way cheaper. and you can make them suit exactly how you want them to go.

use your current oil cooler, and just by the sandwich plate, you dont need to buy a greddy one. then just make the lines to suit, all you need is a hacksaw and a roll of tape

 

[S15AK]

When I went around the ring the oil temp did get pretty high but I didn't have an oil cooler, so I would recommend one or a least a winged baffle sump to get more oil in there to help cool.

I went down the baffle route as I already had a sandwich plate for my oil temp gauge so didn't fancy stacking up on plates as that can bring its own problems. I've since done a good few laps around castle Combe at japfest and it was a very hot day and my temps were ok.

Brakes are a must but you've sorted that (make sure you've got decent brake fluid that won't boil), so I would get a bigger rad and address the oil and your good to go.

 

[spoonman]

also if its raining at the ring................ place is like ice way more slippery then a public road, as its smooth as, you can corner like a midget on P in the dry but once the green hell lives up to the reason why its green... year ... i spun on a corner doing 60kph just letting off the gas. the lap before it was wet but not raining and i went around it at about 80kph

 

[Auss15]

As everyone says, oil cooler. I have the Greddy/Trust and one thing buying the kit is the quality and fitment of the lines. I have seen quite a few cheaper lines leaking from the connectors which is a pain.

You could fit a Nismo thermostat to keep your water temps down and the other thing I fitted and I am happy with, is front brake cooling guides

 

[JDM_virgin]

oil cooler is a must, cheap ones are ok, if in doubt just use some instant gasket. they do the same job a branded ones but are just cheaper plus they don't really 'wear out'. i would maybe also suggest a baffled sump if you don't already have one as DET's are prone for starving the big end bearing when drifting/heavy track use and that will make your engine go bye bye. uprated diff cooling plate may also be a good idea for the same reason-hotter oil=less lube capabilities= hole in differential