[Hegemony]

Once again I must point out that I've ran a 6mt at 103F ambients at full power. With a passenger and in traffic, I was only running a few seconds off the NASA Time Trials course record for where my car would be classified.

All that being said, I'm interested in an oil cooler upgrade. However, some of the info available on this forum sugggests that road course limps may have actually been due to coolant temps. I'm thinking that people more readily blame it on the oil temps because that's what they can see.

In this case, upgrading the oil cooler may be attacking the problem indirectly.

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by Hegemony

Once again I must point out that I've ran a 6mt at 103F ambients at full power. With a passenger and in traffic, I was only running a few seconds off the NASA Time Trials course record for where my car would be classified.

All that being said, I'm interested in an oil cooler upgrade. However, some of the info available on this forum sugggests that road course limps may have actually been due to coolant temps. I'm thinking that people more readily blame it on the oil temps because that's what they can see.

In this case, upgrading the oil cooler may be attacking the problem indirectly.

Same here dude, full power, 6MT, 100+ ambients. Oil temps hovered around 290+. I don't like operating that close to limp mode.

[Hegemony]

Originally Posted by leftcoastman

Same here dude, full power, 6MT, 100+ ambients. Oil temps hovered around 290+. I don't like operating that close to limp mode.

But if you had a choice, would you prefer an oil cooler upgrade or a radiator upgrade?

I'm honestly considering getting custom fab for both, but there's the old adage "With custom mods come custom problems." Curious what your, and the other guys who track regularly, thoughts are though.

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by Hegemony

But if you had a choice, would you prefer an oil cooler upgrade or a radiator upgrade?

I'm honestly considering getting custom fab for both, but there's the old adage "With custom mods come custom problems." Curious what your, and the other guys who track regularly, thoughts are though.

Without a doubt, oil cooler upgrade.

reb03 logged coolant temps on his step and he was running 240+ coolant, inducing limp, despite oil temps below the 300degree limp threshold - all during track sessions.

When he sold his step to get a 6MT, he now records 200 coolant temps, giving him a 40 degree cushion on coolant. I'd expect the same on my 6MT. However, with my 290 oil temps, I only have 10 degrees of cushion on oil.

You'd get a radiator upgrade instead?

[Hegemony]

Well, it depends on where I'm seeing the closest to the threshold. I'm seriously thinking about both, but I want to record data on both first. I've been holding back on an IC upgrade specifically because some of them block off part of the radiator. I ran at Barber back in Sep with ambients around 87F, got the oil temps up to the 280s and got high 280s at my last private event at TGP with similar ambients. TGP is a small bike course that's cheap to rent and I like going there to work on fundamentals (I don't drive at instructor level yet .) It's tough on tires and brakes though.

I haven't been able to record my coolant temps, but reb03's thread where he limped because of coolant in the step gave me pause on assuming it was the oil system that was the problem. I think more data is necessary to make an accurate decision. Does the 6mt have a better coolant system?

I've got a track event this weekend and another one in Jan, but it's been in the 40's so I doubt that's going to provide any real good data. I also need to get a good data logger. Will have to wait until March or so for ambients to go back up.

[DrewKo]

Originally Posted by Hegemony

Well, it depends on where I'm seeing the closest to the threshold. I'm seriously thinking about both, but I want to record data on both first. I've been holding back on an IC upgrade specifically because some of them block off part of the radiator. I ran at Barber back in Sep with ambients around 87F, got the oil temps up to the 280s and got high 280s at my last private event at TGP with similar ambients. TGP is a small bike course that's cheap to rent and I like going there to work on fundamentals (I don't drive at instructor level yet .) It's tough on tires and brakes though.

I haven't been able to record my coolant temps, but reb03's thread where he limped because of coolant in the step gave me pause on assuming it was the oil system that was the problem. I think more data is necessary to make an accurate decision. Does the 6mt have a better coolant system?

I've got a track event this weekend and another one in Jan, but it's been in the 40's so I doubt that's going to provide any real good data. I also need to get a good data logger. Will have to wait until March or so for ambients to go back up.

I might need to log the data as well before upgrading, but since my factory oil cooler was retrofitted, my oil temps reduced from 290ish to about 260-70ish when really, really pushing the car (including autocross events although those are too quick to really test the temperature issue). I would like to get the oil temp reduced further and if my coolant temps cause problems, then without a doubt would consider a larger or upgraded radiator.

PS, looking forward to this weekend! i'll give ya a call or send you an email.

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by Hegemony

Does the 6mt have a better coolant system?

No, it's just that the Step uses a portion of the "radiator" to cool the ATF. The 6MT is able to use the whole capacity of the radiator to cool coolant.

[Hegemony]

Originally Posted by leftcoastman

No, it's just that the Step uses a portion of the "radiator" to cool the ATF. The 6MT is able to use the whole capacity of the radiator to cool coolant.

That's right. I forgot and I sincerely thank you for not making me look it up again


Drewko, I can't wait.

[2e9x's]

Depending on price, I would seriously consider this piece. However my one track day with this car saw my oil max at 280 during my last session of the day. I ran fairly hard all day with no limp mode. The extra cushion would be nice.