Date:         Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:17:51 +0000
Reply-To:     mtbiker62@COMCAST.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Oil cooler, D-pillar, Syncro - question

When I had an I4 TIICO in my van I had a SETRAB oil cooler (w/fan) mounted in the base of the right D pillar. Worked well. Thought about keeping that when I had my current Subie 2.2 installed last Oct (07) but was assured I wouldn't need it. I now have oil temps up to 270 degrees in summer and often 240 otherwise and am still assured that won't cause any problems. I was reminded that in older engines oil temps often got to 300 degrees with no problems and that the lubes we now have can easily handle those high temps without deterioriating. Oil temps rise when the engine is working hard at highway speeds, not when idling around town. Pushing a large brick through the atmosphere at 70 mph is "working hard". My coolant is almost too cool with this new circulation system that goes with the Subie conversion. Never above about 205 and almost always at around 175-185 when I shoot the IR Thermo. at the pressure tank. The reverse is true of coolant temps .... lower at highway speeds, higher
 around town .... except up very steep grades ... but then, I'm not going at "freeway speeds" then. ;)

By the way, one of the better oil cooler "mods" is to put a '99 Forrester 2.5 oil cooler on the 2.2. It's a coolant-to-oil cooler, similar to the w/boxer OE oil cooler, and is also installed between the oil filter mounting bracket and oil filter. Parts are around $200-250 from a dealer. The SETRAB set up, with hoses/fittings is closer to $600.

Bob
'87 Syncro Westy