oil cooler on C20LET?

[Crana]

Had look around and a few searches and still a little confused, do I need to pre fill the oil cooler on my let? seem people say the cooler is only used once the oil reaches a certain temperature? is there a simple way to 'bleed' it?

[bigron1988]

yes fill it up before fitting

[richiecs3]

Don't connect the spark plugs and turn the car over 2 or 3 times then reconnect and start up

[Crana]

The same as priming the turbo? Cheers

[nigelhe]

Don't connect the spark plugs and turn the car over 2 or 3 times then reconnect and start up

That won't work there is a thermostat build into the housing that the Cooler lines bolt too. I just made sure my engine oil was on the full mark then ran my engine until I could feel heat in the cooler lines then rechecked the oil level.

[Crana]

Sure it doesnt use the cooler till the oil temp is high though?

[Topbuzz]

As mentioned here ALWAYS prime ANY oil way before turning/running an engine - especially after an engine rebuild. You do the same for the oil filter when doing your oil changes (right?).
Put it this way, you won't hurt it by putting oil in it.

> Sure it doesnt use the cooler till the oil temp is high though?
its directly connected to the oil line path, ie its always using it, there is no valve or switch.

[Benn]

I've never filled any oil filter first^

If he's using a std pump, then they have a thermostat in them to open when hot.^

[Topbuzz]

I've never filled any oil filter first^

Its always been good practice to fill the oil filter with oil before fitting it onto the engine - as they tend to be about 0.5L. Not so important on engines that have already been running (as everything inside has already got a coating of oil on them) but more important on engine rebuilds as they will have very little or no coating oil inside and starting off with no oil until that 0.5L filter gets filled.

If he's using a std pump, then they have a thermostat in them to open when hot.^

Hmm....I don't remember any oil thermostat when I was rebuilding my c20xe or c20let. There is a pressure relief valve in the oil pump otherwise that's about it inside. Or are you talking about the sandwich plate that the oil cooler plugs into? The reason I say is because when I was rebuilding my engine I primed the oil cooler but left one end (the outlet) of it disconnected, then turned the engine over (but no fuse 19 in so not actually starting the engine) and after about a good 10min oil started to be pumped out of the oil cooler - so I knew the oil was in the system.

[Benn]

As sorry, i was thinking you ment on any oil change.(when i rebuild my let i didnt, but priming the engine should fill it) I checked the levels after priming

The sandwich plate should have, or as far as i've been told there is one in that. As when the oil is cold it doesn't need to be running thru the cooler,(as you want the oil to get up to temp to work best)

[tiff_lee]

Is the let not the same as an XE, thermostat in the sandwich plate with the oil cooler being in parallel with the oil system so it only comes in use when required (as Benn says)

[lee303]

if you don’t fill the filter at least turn it over with the plugs out till you get some oil pressure, i cringe when i see people start a car up after an oil change and count how long the oil light is on

[Benn]

*just in case^ i wasnt saying dont prime then engine or fill the filter..

[neil105]

if you don’t fill the filter at least turn it over with the plugs out till you get some oil pressure, i cringe when i see people start a car up after an oil change and count how long the oil light is on

Have a cilica here the filter is on top of the engine like the filter is upside down
cringe is not the word

[Crana]

also to to save me making another thread do I have to running water cooling on standard turbo? heard mixed views

[Frisco]

There is a stat in the sandwich plate. Oil doesn't flow through the cooler until it reaches temp.
You should fill the cooler though, the drop in pressure when the stat opens could be bad news if it happens at the wrong time

[Gordo]

Exactly, while the pump is filling the cooler and lines with oil, it's also displacing air into the oilways from the cooler and it's lines - even though it'll probably only be a bit of air as the thermostat 'shouldn't' open fully straight away, it's going to compromise the lubrication of the bearings.
Then there's also the drop in the sump oil level as the cooler assembly gets filled, it shouldn't be that much, but if the level is already a little low...

[Benn]

also to to save me making another thread do I have to running water cooling on standard turbo? heard mixed views

I would, it get bloody hot.