oil temperatur gauge - anyone?

[Lotus-e-Clan]

I have one of the Laminova C43 series. The size I use for the Clan is the C43-180 which is just about right with my current engine set-up which produces no more than 120 Bhp from 1040cc @ 8500 rpm. I would think the C43-330 would be a better bet for the 912 engine especially given more power and more heat to dissipate? I don't know what area that works out to be. the following links might help?

Laminova info clicky

Laminova dimensions clicky

[smithersoli]

Size of the outer is 36cm by 5.5 so sounds like a similar scale. Don't think it's quite as trick with the channels as the lamina design, but guess I will have to try it once am up and running with a couple of thermocouples in it to see how effective.

Search on eBay for unused water to oil cooler ended today. Oli

[Lotus-e-Clan]

I see. A good price so worth a punt.

Yours has big water stubs so I suggest you fit it in the top hose to the rad. OK, it won't start to warm-up properly until the stat opens (unless you have an EWP with electronic temperature controller and no stat), but nor does the existing air to oil cooler.

The top hose should eventually keep the oil in the 75c - 95c bracket if the flow and surface area are right. If you fit an oil temp sensor, try reading the return oil from the exchanger..I use an inline sensor adapter from demon tweeks. It tells you how quick the oil warms and then tells you if the exchanger is coping when wragging it. On a decent length trip, the water and oil temp readings should more or less match if all is OK.

Watch the oil pressure in case the exchanger is introducing a pressure drop for some reason, if not then you're laughing at that price.

[smithersoli]

Assuming I am replacing the air oil cooler with this not adding to and need to be very careful that I have good quality hoses and very positive sealing to prevent any potential oil loss. Am hoping to replace the water pump with an Ewp in the future, but haven't got the funds at the moment.

I would be keeping the power steering though, I note you have posted on the subject a few times.

Oli

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Yes replace the air to oil cooler ...no point keeping it really.

I have screw-on joints on my Laminova but don't worry about your oil pipes being clamp-on. I've ran clamp on ones with no probs.

You only need to make sure the oil rubber pipes can take the max oil pressure if funds are tight and you don't need to bother with braided (very heavy anyway) if the new pipes are routed safely. BTW some oil cooler pipes are rated much higher than needed and you pay for it. In theory you could buy /make extensions for the existing oil cooler pipes ....the output pipe from the exchanger jointed via an inline oil temp sensor adapter and the input just screwed together then clamped at the exchanger end. ie What you're bought should be very simple to fit and should work OK.

Check to see if the weight of the exchanger needs extra support...you don't want a fractured top radiator stub. It might be possible to use HD zip ties to give the body some extra support other than the hoses themselves..but it should be obvious what's needed really.