Oil cooler

[Robbie693]

Hi,

Need some advice about the oil cooler fitted to my + 2 S/130.

First off, should I remove it? I get a constant 30-32psi off idle and wondered if removing it would give me back the more normal 40psi?

Second, how do I remove it? The oil pump has a take-off for the cooler ? does this mean I would need to buy a new pump?

Finally, if I don?t remove it, do I drain the oil in the usual way or do I have to drain the cooler separately?

The engine does seem to run a bit hot ? around 100 deg at 70mph and in traffic, could this be caused by the cooler blocking the airflow to the radiator or should I be looking elseware for this cause?

Thanks in advance

Robbie

[Hamish Coutts]

Robbie,

That all depends on what you want to do with the car. Unless you want to use the car in heavy competition I would say remove it and get better oil pressure - even if it requires a new pump ( they are only 35+ squids anyway, from the likes of QED) Come to think of it, it's only a month or two the Silverstone classic - go to that and pick one up from the QED stand there! If ever there was an excuse!

Regards overheating. Doubt if it is the restriction of airflow caused by the 'cooler. Then again that would depend on the type of core fitted.

Hamish.

[rgh0]

Normally the oil cooler is connected via a sandwich plate fitted between the pump and the filter. You should be able to remove this plate once the the filter is removed via a central clamping fitting.

regards
Rohan

[Robbie693]

Thanks chaps,

I have been looking at oil cooler kits on the net and all have the sandwich plate but I'm pretty sure mine has the take-off as part of the pump casting. I'm not 100% sure mind, I've only had the car two weeks and haven't had much chance to do a thorough inspection.

The pumps sold by QED, would they be the same ones at Paul Matty's? They are very close to me...

[cliveyboy]

Robbie
You say you have problems with engine overheating at speed. that is usually a syptom of an inadequate radiator.
Do you have the small radiator with the mounting panels either side or do you have a full width radiator.
The small radiators are notorious for causing cooling problems.

Clive

[Hamish Coutts]

Very probably Robbie.

I think they are all made by the same manufacturer. Just sold by different people.

Hamish.

[Robbie693]

Ok, thanks Hamish.

Robbie
You say you have problems with engine overheating at speed. that is usually a syptom of an inadequate radiator.
Do you have the small radiator with the mounting panels either side or do you have a full width radiator.
The small radiators are notorious for causing cooling problems.

Clive

Yes Clive, I have the smaller radiator. I had the same problem on my last Plus 2 also. I thought it would go away after I had to change the head gasket but alas no.

I'm thinking of getting the rad re-cored if a flush out doesn't help. I gather I can get a three core matrix that would improve it?

[steveww]

Replace that small radiator with a full width one and fit a modern electric fan. That should be the end of any cooling problems.

[cliveyboy]

Like Steve says
I would skip the recore of the small radiator and go straight for the full width one.
Clive

[Hamish Coutts]

I agree with Clive & Steve.

I had overheating problems with my +2 and got the rad recored (the original core was from a Triumph Herald 1200 the new core spec was one for a Triumph 2.5 pi) Cost ?110 in folding drinking vouchers. It's a lot better but I still wouldn't like to be stuck in traffic in 25 dec C + temperatures.

I'l eventually get a full width jobbie - when I get rund to it.

Hamish

[Robbie693]

Ok, thanks all. I may have to save up for that. I'll see if a flush out helps any in the meantime...

Good news on the Oil Pump, it is a sandwich joint for the cooler as Rohan said, although the pump isn't the one that was fitted at the rebuild (5k ago). Dunno why a new pump was fitted in such a short space of time but I asume if it was a high pressure unit I could tell even with the cooler fitted?