The Ins & Outs of Oil Coolers

What exactly is an oil cooler — and is it right for your ride?

Your engine is highly dependent on the oil within it. That means oil is not only the most important fluid it depends on, but also the most critical part of the engine to maintain. Despite how crucial it is, though, the vast majority of motorists do no more than change the engine oil and filter at regular service intervals.

Truth be told, there’s little more to do than that to maintain your oil. That is, unless you’re tracking your car, throwing a boost in the mix, or are beating on the engine to any degree. Then, you might consider adding an oil cooler to the mix.

Oil coolers do exactly what the name says, and that function makes them an invaluable line of defense in the right conditions. They’re also relatively affordable upgrades to make and are actually pretty easy to install. However, it’s still always a good idea to make sure they’re the right fit for your application before you go through the trouble of adding one to your vehicle, and that’s what we’re here to help you with.

Who Needs an Oil Cooling System?

Everyone knows that oil is used to lubricate the moving parts inside of an engine. What many forget, however, is that it also serves a secondary purpose of cooling the internals. Keeping those parts cool is just as important to longevity as lubrication is. Unfortunately, the conditions that the oil is exposed to will naturally heat it up, complicating its ability to perform either task.

An oil cooler works just like a radiator in an engine’s water-cooling system. In fact, the cooler itself is basically a small radiator that mounts in the same location.

While installation varies by the cooler and the application, it will generally tap into the oil supply near the pump. From there, it transfers the oil through the cooler – where air flows through and cools the oil – then returns it to the engine. Also, just like the water-cooling system, a thermostat helps maintain a set temperature for the oil to provide the best protection to your engine.

Do You Really Need An Oil Cooler?

If oil coolers are so important, then why didn’t your car come with one from the factory? Because the manufacturer didn’t design the car to do anything more than normal driving. The oil system it rolled off the assembly line with is perfectly adequate for that intended use.

As you start modifying your engine and driving it harder than you would in normal day-to-day life, however, an oil cooler becomes increasingly more important. These conditions cause the oil to heat more rapidly; the factory system won’t be able to maintain optimal temperature and your engine will experience excessive wear.

This isn’t just true for high-performance, track-bound applications. Towing and off-road vehicles are just as hard on engine oil. There’s no bad time to add an oil cooler to a car, as optimal oil temperatures are only going to help it. However, if you’re using your vehicle for any sort of hard driving, you may want to consider making the upgrade sooner rather than later.

What About the Transmission and Differential?

The engine is not the only part of the drivetrain that’s reliant on oil. Both the transmission and differential are highly dependent on oil to survive. Both also generate tremendous amounts of heat under extreme conditions, making it hard for the oil to do its job. Shouldn’t they be equipped with an oil cooler?

Either of these systems can be outfitted with a cooler at any point. (Again, optimal temperatures won’t hurt anything.) However, the demand for cooling of these components becomes increasingly important as driving conditions become more intense.

There’s no definitive threshold as to when they must be installed, but you certainly don’t want to do without them if you’re hauling heavy loads in harsh conditions, four-wheeling to the extreme, or spending extended periods thrashing around the track.

Other Oiling Modifications to Consider at Higher Levels

Oil coolers are an excellent upgrade to make to protect your engine. They’re far from the only modification that will give you the most out of your oil, though. Even without getting into dedicated racing stuff, like dry-sump systems, you can do a lot to make sure your oil is performing its best.

Below, you’ll find some simple upgrades you can make in tandem with an oil cooler to help optimize your engine’s oil under any circumstance.

• Oil Accumulators. An oil accumulator is used to maintain oil pressure in case oil isn’t immediately available to the pickup. Whether bashing around the trail or taking hard turns, these are life-saving devices that can keep your oil pump from suffering from dry spells that could destroy the engine.

• Windage Trays. Oil windage is a condition in which oil is slung around the oil pan, impeding the crankshaft’s rotation. An oil pan windage tray is used to prevent this from happening, freeing up power at high RPMs.

• High-Capacity Oil Pans. More oil is always better. It’s cooler, cleaner, and there’s less risk of sucking the pan dry at high engine speeds. A high-capacity pan offers more oil, which is a great consideration for all applications.

Meet Moroso

When you decide which oil upgrades will work for you, take our word for it — Moroso should be your first call. The company has been in the business of supplying aftermarket parts, including a wide array of oiling system upgrades since 1968. Its favorability among racers after all these years is proof that you can rely on it to keep your engine lubricated no matter what.

Moroso offers a long list of high-capacity oil pans, high-performance pumps, windage trays, and much more to make sure you get the most out of your ride. To learn more about the brand and its long line of quality performance products, head over to https://www.moroso.com/