how to make sure oil cooler is clean...
 

I'm installing a larger engine oil cooler with a thermostat and an external filter on my 383 and am somewhat worried about making sure I don't introduce any crap in the mains while doing so. I'm putting a second hand cooler in - not from a blown motor so it was just feilled with somewhat dirty oil. I tanked it and then had it dipped and pressure checked by a local radiotor shop that works on heat exchangers as well.

Would I be best off to plumb it through the cooler first and filter second for a while to be sure and just go easy while it's like that and then route it correctly after I put another 10 or 15 hours on it? I've still got some break in time on the engine build anyhow. Thanks very much for any advice. Cheers!

The only way is to buy a NEW one:drink:

I also bought a used one that cost me an engine after 10 hours. There is no way to clean one peroid. I tried to clean one after a spun bearing and cut it apart. The shavings hide everywhere. Trust me there is no way to clean one easily.
I have heard of people running the cooler before the oil filter so if any metal is there it goes thru the cooler first.

My first thought was to add a temp filter after the cooler but then as I thought this thru I thougth about the bypass might open up with 2 filters.

I like your idea plumbed after cooler for a while, then replumb.

The cooler is a take off from a running 502 - not from a blown engine. When I emptied it and the lines, nothing but oil came out that I could see.

I fully appreciate that even a tiny bit of crap pumped into the mains can spell some serious disaster.

I've got a new standard volume oil pump, a heavy spring in the adapter bypass on the block and a 7 qrt pan.

I'm thinking that plumbing the cooler before the filter wouldn't hurt anything and would give me some piece of mind - especially since the loop through the cooler is thermostatted.

That's what I think I'm going to do unless someone has a word of caution to the contrary.

Thanks very much for the helpful comments - they are appreciated.

I would plumb the filter after the cooler. Many are set up that way and have no problems. If you run thick - high viscosity oil just get some heat in the oil before running hard which you should do anyway.
The remote filter housings with a thermostat are set up to run oil through the cooler once the oil is up to heat then through the filter anyway. Just my .02.
But then I block the oil by-pass in the block and run a oil filter with no by-pass also which is another hot topic for some. :evilb: