Engine Oil Cooler Size
 

I'm running a 500hp in a 25'. I'm replacing the original mercury engine cooler due to damage with an after market cooler. I'm taking off a smaller cooler approx. 2" dia x 16" length compared to a 3" dia x 12" length, will it allow my engine to run to cool?
Is anyone running a heavy duty engine cooler on a single engine 500hp and having any problems with achieving enough oil temp to keep the moisture burnt off the oil?

You might want to add a t-stat to your cooler. Myself and a few others are running the permacool oil thermostats to bypass the cooler until the oil gets up to temp.

You will need a Thermostat, I use the KE oil filter/t-stat combo, the Permacool will work. Do a search here on Permacool & they have a good reputation. If you haven't bought a oil cooler yet ,check out Revolution marine. They have a nice cooler at a reasonable $
John

KE makes a sweet unit. Probably the way to go in a high po engine like the 500hp.

I am also going to a 3" X 12" cooler from a 2" X 12" on my 502 Mag. The 2" cooler was just not doing the job. I would see oil temps above 230* whenever I would cruise above 3500 rpm. I am also going to use a Perma-Cool T-stat. I had it on the 2" as well. I am not convinced that the P-C t-stat is all that effective, though. It still flows a lot of oil to the cooler when it is cold. I know Waterfoul has a 3" cooler without a T-stat on a 454 and his oil still gets up to temp. I think you will be OK with or without a T-stat. There is a lot more plumbing involved if you use a stat. I should have mine all rigged and ready to go by the end of this weekend. I will take some pics and post them when I am done. The engine is on a stand so it is easier to get to the cooler and lines. Next to impossible when in the boat. :rolleyes:

The Perma-Cool bypasses until 190 degrees, then opens up.
OSO member, Nordic Heat, clued me in on an Oil T-Stat called a "Mocal". You can custom order a desired temp range. He uses a 210 degree unit. 190 degrees is not warm enough to burn off any cummulated condensation.
I thought my Perma-Cool was working until the motor was torn down and there were signs of condensation contamination.
It is definitely a combination of cooler size and plumbing setup (crossover, bypass, no bypass, water recirc pump, T-Stat, no T-Stat, etc.) that will give you the desired or undesireable effect.

I also recently replaced my stock oil and tranny coolers with new larger coolers. I used Canton oil thermostats from Eddie Marine, they are designed to open at 210*F.

I'm making mounting brackets for them which I'll get powder coated this week and mount them next weekend.

The status of the KE unit is in limbo. Definetly a superior piece though. With that in mind, I'd still recommend going with the Permacool unit.

I have a used K/E unit sitting on the shelf. It's not perfect. It would need some fittings. I don't need it I would let it go for $200 if anybody is intrested e-mail me [email protected]. Doug

I'm doing a similar upsizing in coolers do to oil over heat problems. I am going to start with no thermostat. If I don't get enough oil temp I plumbed it so I can switch the flow direction of the oil through the cooler to lessen the cooling effect. Hope this works, but if not, I mounted the coolers so I can get to them and add t stat if necessary. I run closed cooling, so I think it may be fine the way I just set it up. Should know in a few weeks :)

BT :cool: