Engine Oil Cooler

[pm26]

Is this a stand alone option on a 1500 series pickup? I checked with a local Chevy dealer and all it is is a couple of prebent steel lines with a common mount plate routed to the radiator cooler fittings. My question is - do all radiators have provisions for these oil cooler lines? If so, why didn't GM provided these trucks with engine oil coolers with the heavy duty towing pacakage?

 

Anybody has one of these coolers installed? The price for the cooler is about $ 140. Not too bad. On the other hand, this is not an external self contained oil cooler, so its efficiency is questionable at best.

[pm26]

Nobody has an engine oil cooler in their truck?

[jro909]

what do you means by engine oil cooler? as in trans cooler? i have a trans cooler in front of my main radiator just behind the grill...its about the size of a book

[ChevyTech77]

Considering that engine and trans oil temps can run 30-50 degrees higher than engine coolant temperature normally does, routing these oil coolers through the radiator is VERY effcient. Not to mention that coolant temperatures come up before oil temperatures so it will help warm these oils in colder temps also.

 

Last I checked both oil coolers came with the towing packages. Could depend on the model year though, I guess.

[pm26]

what do you means by engine oil cooler? as in trans cooler? i have a trans cooler in front of my main radiator just behind the grill...its about the size of a book

 

No. As in "engine oil cooler". It is not an external cooler, but routes oil through hard lines to the radiator tank and out back to the engine.

[pm26]

Delete

[pm26]

Considering that engine and trans oil temps can run 30-50 degrees higher than engine coolant temperature normally does, routing these oil coolers through the radiator is VERY effcient. Not to mention that coolant temperatures come up before oil temperatures so it will help warm these oils in colder temps also.

 

Last I checked both oil coolers came with the towing packages. Could depend on the model year though, I guess.

 

Well, my truck has a factory towing package with an external transmission oil cooler, but no engine oil cooler.

[jro909]

i don't think half tons came with oil coolers, i think it was an HD thing

[06sierravmax]

My truck has a oil cooler. Also the cooler does not cost $140. That is the price for the lines. Also you will need a gasket that goes between the block and lines and you will also need to have the provisions coming out of the radiator on the driver side. If the lines can bolt up to a 5.3 I am not sure if you would need to do anything else to make the oil flow through the lines.

[gm4yrs]

I added an engine oil cooler to a new 34 in. Silla all-aluminum radiator with both trans oil and engine oil inlet / outlets. Two lines, gasket, engine block bolt, two line connectors, and radiator shroud clip is needed. Check Compnine.com for diagram, look up 99-00 2500 3/4 ton non HD. Your oil pressure will drop 10 psi. with lines connected.

[SouthCo]

Not sure about previous years, but my 2010 Sierra has the heavy duty trailering package and the heavy duty cooling package which included, a heavy duty radiator, auxiliary external transmission cooler and external engine oil cooler.

[06sierravmax]

Yes previous years had this package too. Mine has it.

Not sure about previous years, but my 2010 Sierra has the heavy duty trailering package and the heavy duty cooling package which included, a heavy duty radiator, auxiliary external transmission cooler and external engine oil cooler.

[SouthCo]

Yes previous years had this package too. Mine has it.

Not sure about previous years, but my 2010 Sierra has the heavy duty trailering package and the heavy duty cooling package which included, a heavy duty radiator, auxiliary external transmission cooler and external engine oil cooler.

 

 

 

My bad, I read your post, but was watching NY and NE play on ESPN.

[pm26]

I checked my radiator and it has no fittings provided on the driver's side of the radiator, which means there is no oil cooler built into that side of the radiator. So it would take a new radiator to install an oil cooler. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

My 1985 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel has a large external engine oil cooler mounted right next to the radiator. There is a thermostat in the oil filter housing to regulate the oil temperature and to prevent overcooling. That's a properly designed engine oil cooler. The engine oil capacity is 8 quarts.

[06sierravmax]

Another note is that it is just more places for oil to leak from. One of my lines is leaking from the crimp fitting where it goes to metal to rubber.

 

Another fun fact. My 2002 S10 4.3liter came with a factory engine oil cooler. It still hasn't leaked to this day.