Disconnect Oil Cooler???
 

Okay we all know that a wonderful way to injest water into your loving crank case is through this pathetic oil cooler made out of recycled dog **** that is in the toughest spot to ever get to on an engine (yeah wonderful design there Mr Mercruiser)
Anyway
WTF
I have twins, one power steering pump is just hooked through this toilet and cycles oil back into itself
Went to Mercruiser parts.com and 185 each I dont think so !
Not for this little piece of garbage

My questions are simple
Is it really necessary to cool the engine oil when the motor only runs about 140 to 160 degrees all the time?
Is it necessary to cool off the power steering fluid, I rarely ever see cars with Power steering coolers and cars run way hotter than these boat engines and accessories do
So what is the dilly Yo?

This boat is just about putting me in the poor house and I want to replace as much of this origional junk as I can (especially stuff mercruiser wants you to be tom thumb or snap your forearm in 4 places to reach)

Is this thing 100 percent necessary or is this a way of getting more motors sold over the course of each 5-7-10 years?

Talk to me guys!
Thanks
Jason

If it will help,
 

I've got a steering cooler and oil cooler off a '97 carb you can have if it will fit. Do some more searching on parts. I found some place on the east coat that was selling combo coolers for $100.

I feel the oil cooler is absolutly neccessary. If you have an oil temp gauge in the boat you will see what I mean. Marine engines are under a constant load unlike a car. This builds high oil temps. Even with a cooler the oil temp will get over 210 running at around 4000 rpm. Without a cooler at WOT for even short burst you will smoke the oil. When the oil heats up past a certain point it looses its lubrication properties (thermal breakdown). Then you will need to by a new engine.

Yes the heat exchangers are expensive. Look around to see if you can find some used ones. Many people upgrade their coolers when upgrading their engines and will have the old ones laying around. Brads post says just that.

Good luck,

Ron

Jason,

RJ is correct about the need for an oil cooler.

Your oil temp should be 212 min, 220 is perfect, 270 is too hot.
Oil temp and pressure are the most critcle readings on your engine.

Oil will start to turn into a solid called "coke" around 290-300*
Also when the oil gets too hot it wont carry the heat away, if it's too cold, it wont flow through the small clearances it needs to.

I've been reading your posts. I wish you continued success in your quest for more power.
Even though you're having a tough time, it'll feel good when you're done.

Hey, what cam did you decide on?


DAVE

Brad, yeah im in despirate need, if you could let me know who sold them for 100 bucks that would be the best for my situation keeps getting worse and worse
Now my engines are on hold due to lack of funds so im scrounging for things to sell and raise money to get these things back already.
I dont want to install 2 brand new engines and put on my crappy old coolers and take a chance
Hell that could have been what lunched them to begin with for all I know
So yeah im going to need 2 of them and ill figure out where to get the mony from at some point.
Thanks for the info and Brad, Ill email you about yours.
Thanks bro
Jason

I can't find the link,
 

so try this first as well as cp performance. I will get the catalog of the company I am thinking of and post the name.

http://www.marinesupermart.com/

You have to run oil coolers. The marine engine doesn't have air blowing by the oil pan like a car/tk. So the oil is VERY hot and the water is very cold. Not good.

Many cars/tk have power steering coolers. You just don't see them. I just replaced one on a 2000 Chevy 2500 4x4 at my shop. It was up in the left front frame rail???? Full of mud and tree parts.

Jason,

Everyone is correct... I puked the oil cooler in the Bahamas and as usual no parts nor here in the states unless it came direct from Mercruiser... Thank God it was pumping the oil into the exhausted water and I saw the oil pressure dip... At any rate
the oil temprature jumped some 80-100 degrees under load and
I did not dare push that one beyond 3K rpm... They are a necessary evil... The classifieds are a really good way to find one unless it is an odd ball like my 525SC motors... A quick pressure check and cleaning will usually do the job...

Tnx, Karl

PS... The one from BAM had a cost of over $400

what about a ProCharged or WhippleCharged running no thermostat? Oil temps 140 to 180.

IND27,

That would imply that the H2O temp is below that number... Shouldn't hurt anything but if you brought the engine H2O temp up to the normal of 140-160 I would imagine that the oil temp would be higher than I like to keep it... I normally just try and follow manufacturer guide lines...

Tnx, Karl

Jayl13,
I read in one of your posts that your 330's are going to be built into 500 horse motors. Just remember that the original 330 oil cooler is pretty small compared to even the oil cooler on the Mag motors. I have both a Mag motor and a 330 sitting side by side at home and the mag oil cooler is about 5 inches longer. Just something to keep in mind when you pump up compression, RPM's etc.....

Scott

Should not be too bad to change to larger one is it?
Mine is pretty big though
about 14 inches or so long
I think it is a 1 or 1 1/4 hose that is on it as well and then the oil lines and the PS lines as well

Not sure how much of it is the OIL cooler itself and not the PS cooler

Just a thought but I wonder how much it would cost buying piece by piece to put a mercruiser 330 HP engine together
Probably about 45 thousand bucks?
Okay ill quit my *****in
Thanks scott for the advice
I think ill take you up on it
Jason

Jayl13,
Maybe you do have the larger ones. I'd have to measure them when I get home. I have an extra one off my 330 if you need it. Like I said, it's pretty wimpy looking and came of a 1989 330, but is in good shape. Your welcome to have it. I have a whole 330 parts motor that is going in a dumpster in a couple of weeks (took water, internals gone).

Scott

Jay: Man you crack me up big time. I just love reading your descriptions on the parts :D:D

There are a couple other companies that you can check out. keith Eikhart, Stainless Marine, and Teague marine all have these things. You can also preasure test the ones you have. any radiator shop can do this. If you are concerned then give them a little more then the rated preasure for peice of mind. Then you can save yourself some money that way. They do not fail often from what I understand, but you are correct in wanting to look them over as they do fail.

Jon

Hey Jon, I am NOT going through another engine rebuild for a stupid freakin part again!
Wife is ready to chop my nutz off and hang them from her rear view mirror as it is
She calculated how much I have spend on this boat in the past 5 months and im just at 10 grand now with the engines.
So for 185 each I think ill just get anal slammed and take the new parts and have peace of mind that Im going to be able to run with no problems of water getting in the engines from the coolers, head gaskets are different story
Jason

I know it hurts now but $185 is cheap for a boat part. Get used to it. Your toy will always cost more money to maintain and run than you want to spend. With this hobby, or sickness, you either love it and dont mind spending the money or you quit.

Ron

Jay I just Emailed you. make sure you have the part # when you call them up.

Re: Disconnect Oil Cooler???
 

I'd be interested in that cooler if Jay isn't.
Thank,s Dan

Re: Disconnect Oil Cooler???
 

Damn, this thread is four years old. :eek:

Re: Disconnect Oil Cooler???
 

Jason -

I would not disconnect it unless you have an oil temp gauge. If you do have a gauge, bypass the cooler and keep an eye on the temps. Maybe you can eliminate the cooler as a source of your water/oil problem. Or, like Audiofin suggested, a radiator shop would probably test it for much cheaper than the gas would cost to go on a test run. Maybe you don't need a new cooler afterall. Save the $$$$.

I run a Whipple setup (crossover and no t-stat) and was having a problem getting oil temps up to 200+ degrees. I was also getting water into my oil so I disconnected the cooler to eliminate it as a potential source of the leak. I notice that even just cruising at 4200 rpm for 10 minutes or so will heat the oil to 250 degrees which is a bit warmer than I like. My leak was not the cooler. I am going to plumb it back in ASAP.

In any case, I understand your frustration. I only have a single drive. I can't imagine two of these things!!

Good luck.

Greg

Re: Disconnect Oil Cooler???
 

Yeah well I have sold the boat that had this problem and I did end up buying 2 new oil coolers from mercruiser and everything else the boat needed. This thread can go poof at this point, this is from 2002.
J