[justpete]

Originally Posted by bNks334

Yes, I get what you're saying. Makes perfect sense. What I was pointing out was that, on our cars, there is very minimal "heat flux" into the coolant (unless you're an AT which comes with an oil to water heat exchanger). What little heat the coolant does pick up from the massively increased oil temps (290f+) is for the most part handled by the stock radiator.

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I do agree a dedicated track car could benefit from increased cooling capacity, but not before tackling the oil temperature issue. In opposite effect of what your saying, running a larger oil cooler should also help keep coolant temps down!!!

Yes, my point was solely in relation to highly modified track cars, irrelevant for street cars. Mine does double duty as my daily and a track car so it has certain limitations.

Originally Posted by bNks334

I'm guessing you're referring to the very expensive improved racing oil thermostat. It is definetly a nice thermostat that operates like stock but at a lower temp. I was referring to people deleting the stock thermostat without adding back something like the improved racing thermostat.

Even 215f isn't that much lower than the stock 230f. Hardly worth $180 imo since it basically does nothing. I say this because I don't think ANYONE has a big enough oil cooler in place to keep oil temps below 230f on track... besides, the cars dme is literally designed to operate between 230 and 260. Tons of dme parameters are actively seeking to operate within that range. Again, all opening the thermostat at 215f does it delay the inevitable...

It is indeed the Improved Racing thermostat but the cost is negligible in the context of the build. It's there to allow the car to be driven in the winter without overcooling the oil since the added heat exchanger area is not needed.

On the track the thermostat will open up just above the boiling point of water and essentially increase the ability to cool the oil under hard thirty minute track sessions but I have no illusions that it will manage the temperature at that setting, it can't, so I fully expect higher oil temps than 215F but more easily managed by the DME than they would be without the cooler in 100+F weather. Again, totally irrelevant for a street car.