# VRT 24v aftermarket oil cooler for the track



## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

*VRT 24v aftermarket oil cooler (for track conditions)*

During the winter I've been working on the VRT - getting it ready for my 2nd track season with this ride. Last season I saw really high oil temps - the highest I saw was 305F after about 5 laps during a time attack session in 35 C heat.

Recently I noticed that I have a low oil pressure problem. After dropping the pan / pump I found out that the relief valve is shot... and while I was there I took off the oil filter housing + cooler to check it out and I need a new cooler too.... so now I'm thinking about upgrading since it's all off anyway.

I do occasionally have to use the VRT in the winter and sometimes as a daily, so I'm concerned about keeping the oil _too_ cool - plus I have a big eurojet race fmic so I'm not too sure where I would mount it so it would work properly.


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## vergessen wir es (May 12, 2010)

There is zero issue with oil getting too cold in winter if you use a thermo sandwich plate. Oil won't flow though the cooler unless hot. I run a mocal in front of my rad and oil temps are under control.. never over 220 on hot days in traffic.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

^ thanks

anyone have ideas of where I could mount the oil cooler so it gets good air flow? I'm running a eurojet race fmic so there's not a lot of room in front.


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

Im running a 25 Mocal with thermo sandwich plate.
Ive fitted my cooler in my front left scoop..neat fit..
















Steve


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## V-dubbulyuh (Nov 13, 2005)

sTT eV6 said:


> Im running a 25 Mocal with thermo sandwich plate.
> Ive fitted my cooler in my front left scoop..neat fit..


Mine is similar but on the other side (ie US driver's side wheel well). Your appears to be in the front *right*, ie US pass side.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

V-dubbulyuh said:


> Mine is similar but on the other side (ie US driver's side wheel well). Your appears to be in the front *right*, ie US pass side.


I think that's where I'm gonna have to put it - cuz my surge tank is taking up space on the pass side frame rail. Although I think I can only fit a 19 row in the space I have on the driver's side.... will that be sufficient for a VR?

v-dubbulyuh did u fit a 25 row on the driver's side? how exactly did you mount it?


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## vergessen wir es (May 12, 2010)

Probably not an option for you but here's mine


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## V-dubbulyuh (Nov 13, 2005)

24vGTiVR6 said:


> Although I think I can only fit a 19 row in the space I have on the driver's side.... will that be sufficient for a VR?
> 
> v-dubbulyuh did u fit a 25 row on the driver's side? how exactly did you mount it?


Mine is a 19 Row and it is mounted identical to the one pictured there in the wheel well. The cooler sits vertical and spans the frame rail above and below. It is more than sufficient for a VR.


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

V-dubbulyuh said:


> Mine is similar but on the other side (ie US driver's side wheel well). Your appears to be in the front *right*, ie US pass side.


Other side has the secondary water rad installed and I have a charge cooler rad I front of the water rad, so mine is the only option available for the 25 row
Steve


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

thanks everyone

I'm gonna go hunt the wrecking yards for a 19 row setrab today and work on fitting it on the drivers side. if anyone wants pics after let me kno.


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## V-dubbulyuh (Nov 13, 2005)

V-dubbulyuh said:


> Mine is similar but on the other side (ie US driver's side wheel well). Your appears to be in the front *right*, ie US pass side.





sTT eV6 said:


> Other side has the secondary water rad installed and I have a charge cooler rad I front of the water rad, so mine is the only option available for the 25 row
> Steve


 


sTT eV6 said:


> Ive fitted my cooler in my *front left* scoop..neat fit..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What is confusing/misleading is that despite you stating that it is in the left scoop your pics show right. What am I missing here?


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

My oil cooler is in the left scoop as you look at the front of the TT.
Steve


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## chc-rado (Nov 20, 2008)

24vGTiVR6 said:


> thanks everyone
> 
> I'm gonna go hunt the wrecking yards for a 19 row setrab today and work on fitting it on the drivers side. if anyone wants pics after let me kno.


What cars come with 19 row oil cooler? I know Volvo has 13 row, and Saab 9000 has 16 row.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

chc-rado said:


> What cars come with 19 row oil cooler? I know Volvo has 13 row, and Saab 9000 has 16 row.


good question, I couldn't find a 19 row in the local wrecking yards 

I already have fittings + -10 AN braided line so I just need a thermo sandwich plate adapter + oil cooler.... which I'll probably just end up buying new.


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## chc-rado (Nov 20, 2008)

Check out bat.inc they have load of mocal oil coolers and adapters too. 034 motorsports and BBM has them too. I like bat.Inc :thumbup:


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

I ended up grabbing a second hand Mishimoto sandwich plate & a 19 row.

I want to delete the stock cooler - but the stock cap bolt is too long, so I'm gonna get a machine shop to make an aluminum spacer for me to get the sandwich plate adapter to fit with the stock cap

Also I've got a question about the coolant lines that went to the OEM oil cooler - can I just route the coolant hose coming from the crack pipe down to the nipple on the block?


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## DannyLo (Aug 2, 2006)

Think you could post up as you install it with some, maybe with some pictures if you could?

It'd be nice to be able to get this thread added to the FAQ in the 24v forum, because I know everyone always asks about oil coolers, especially VRTs and it'd be nice to have something in the archives.

I've been considering an external cooler for my 24v VRT myself, but mounting location and all the details are still a blur to me


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

Lieutenant Dan said:


> Think you could post up as you install it with some, maybe with some pictures if you could?
> 
> It'd be nice to be able to get this thread added to the FAQ in the 24v forum, because I know everyone always asks about oil coolers, especially VRTs and it'd be nice to have something in the archives.
> 
> I've been considering an external cooler for my 24v VRT myself, but mounting location and all the details are still a blur to me


sure.... I always take pics as I go so once I have it sorted out I can update this thread


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## vergessen wir es (May 12, 2010)

Not sure if the 24 valve is like the 12 but the stem of the cap should just be a pipe nipple cross-drilled. iirc the BBM kit came with both nipple lengths. see if your stem can unscrew like others. They can look molded together but aren't. If it it's threaded just make a shorter nipple.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

vergessen wir es said:


> Not sure if the 24 valve is like the 12 but the stem of the cap should just be a pipe nipple cross-drilled. iirc the BBM kit came with both nipple lengths. see if your stem can unscrew like others. They can look molded together but aren't. If it it's threaded just make a shorter nipple.


doesn't look like it can come apart - it's all one piece and it's attached to the cap. And yah I was thinking I could just cut to the right length and use a die to make some threads. That might be easier.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

bump-

can I connect the coolant hose from the crack pipe to the nipple on the block to re-route? I figure that's the easiest / cleanest way to sort out the extra coolant lines for now until I can cap them properly.


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## vergessen wir es (May 12, 2010)

I know you want to delete the stock one but you could just run it along with the external and be done. That's how mine is set up fwiw. But yeah you can loop it. That's all the stock cooler is; a loop.


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## need_a_VR6 (May 19, 1999)

The Mocal ones come with long/short nipples. You can get the short ones off of really early production 8v that had no stock oil cooler.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

thanks everyone for the info / assistance 

I want to weld some brackets and mount the cooler today and I wanted to know about orientation..... does it matter? The only way I can get the -AN fittings to fit would be if the cooler was upside-down with the bungs facing down.


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## vergessen wir es (May 12, 2010)

They work the same in any orientation. Imho ignore warnings about air pockets.


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

Orientation doesn't matter as the do will self bleed the system. 
Steve


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

wow thanks for the fast replies. hopefully I can get it mounted up today.


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## DannyLo (Aug 2, 2006)

24vGTiVR6 said:


> wow thanks for the fast replies. hopefully I can get it mounted up today.


 ic::heart::beer::thumbup:


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

Lieutenant Dan said:


> ic::heart::beer::thumbup:


 the mounting bracket:


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

Installed: 










I welded the bracket to the frame rail and up near the underside of the stock grounding point.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

I also decided to sell the mishimoto sandwich plate and I ordered a Mocal thermo plate for VR6 from INA Engineering. Still waiting on it - I'll update when it's installed.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

Took a while to get all the parts I needed.... don't ask my why. 

It's all installed now, seems to be working as intended.


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## creechrr (Dec 29, 2006)

How did you get the air out of the core? I've read the core should be mounted with the ports either at the top or the side.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

vergessen wir es said:


> They work the same in any orientation. Imho ignore warnings about air pockets.





sTT eV6 said:


> Orientation doesn't matter as the do will self bleed the system.
> Steve


:thumbup:


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

:thumbup:


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## scrapper (Feb 17, 2007)

24vGTiVR6 said:


> the mounting bracket:


 
I have made a similar bracket for my Corrado that sits under the driver side fender where the horns bolt to.


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## Snitches Get Stitches (Jul 21, 2007)

here is mine on an mkiv...passenger side. It is a 16 row mocal with a thermostatic plate replacing the stock cooler. I will let you know how it works.


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## Issam Abed (Feb 12, 2004)

:thumbup:


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## pubahs (Apr 2, 2002)

*FV-QR*

I like the brackets and use of that space on the passenger side. Just got rid of my CAI/MAF housing and filter that sat over there, think ill install my oil cooler setup there too 

Anyone else who made brackets, post up some more pics


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## mike minnillo (Sep 23, 2007)

Very good thread. I'm getting ready to do an external on my 12vT, and had a question about the sandwich plates. I picked up a non thermostat one a while ago and was wondering if ill have any issues with oil no warming up or anything like that. Or should I just junk it and get one with a thermostat?


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

If it's gonna be driven on the street at all I'd probably lean more towards a thermostatically controlled sandwich plate


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## sTT eV6 (Oct 26, 2010)

24vGTiVR6 said:


> If it's gonna be driven on the street at all I'd probably lean more towards a thermostatically controlled sandwich plate


 :thumbup:


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## viw28 (Oct 8, 2008)

Anyone running an external oil cooler on a mk3 24vT with 02M trans? I'm building mine at the minute and there doesn't seem to be enough room for adapter on filter housing due to front engine mount... 

Pics from mock up back in December;


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## need_a_VR6 (May 19, 1999)

It will work no problem you just cant run the stock cooler.


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## 24vGTiVR6 (Sep 14, 2010)

get the mocal VR6 thermo plate and u should have enough room (without the stock cooler) 

I'm thinking in your situation to tilt the sandwich plate towards the front of the car, and use 2 90 deg fittings to run to the left / right 

like snitches has above in the pics ^^^^


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## viw28 (Oct 8, 2008)

Ok cool. Thanks guys. This thread just got me wondering as I haven't actually tried to fit yet. 

I'll have to block off that nipple in the block to that feeds coolant to the OE cooler too then. I'm not running an aux pump either.


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