Engine Oil Coolers

Everyone knows that motor oil lubricates engine bearings and moving engine parts, but many don’t realize that oil also cools parts as well. Splash from the connecting rods, and on some engines jets of oil, cool the underside of the pistons, but the oil also carries some heat away from all the components it contacts. On the average engine this heat transfer isn’t enough to negatively affect the lubricating properties and lifespan of the oil.

However, on trucks and performance cars, the additional stress these engines are subjected to can raise oil temperature to the point where it begins to break down. To control oil temperature, many manufacturers equip these vehicles with oil coolers. These coolers are typically oil-to-water coolers that are plumbed into the vehicle’s cooling system. The oil comes to operating temperature quickly, and peak temperatures are limited.

But under extreme conditions like towing a trailer up hills in hot weather, the factory cooler may not be adequate, plus OE coolers are subject to certain types of failure. The water side of the cooler can become clogged if the cooling system isn’t maintained, reducing cooling efficiency, and corrosion can cause leaks that result in oil contamination of the cooling system and vice versa. If you have a failed original equipment cooler, or even if your vehicle has no cooler at all, we can help keep oil temperatures down and extend oil and engine life with our extensive line of oil cooler kits and individual components.

We offer several types of engine oil coolers in sizes to suit every application. Tube and fin coolers have serpentine tubes through which the oil flows, attached to fins that transfer heat to the air. They’re generally inexpensive and we offer models with turbulators to increase the cooler’s efficiency. Plate and fin coolers are formed like radiators, with oil flowing through plates attached to cooling fins. Their larger surface area makes them more efficient. Stacked plate coolers are the most efficient, with larger plates than plate and fin coolers and turbulators for increased cooling.

Our installation kits contain everything needed to connect the cooler to your engine, including high-pressure hose, an adapter, fittings, and mounting hardware. We also have adapters for custom applications. The oil cooler should ideally be installed where it is exposed to ample airflow. However, if you’re forced to install it where there is little airflow, we offer coolers with an integral 12V cooling fan and thermal switch, so the fan only runs when cooling is needed. We also have thermostats that bypass the cooler until a preset oil temperature is reached, ensuring that the engine reaches operating temperature quickly.