I'm pretty sure the oil cooler is leaking because there is oil all around it and the lines. Would this cause a low pressure problem? Is there a gasket that goes in between the cooler and the lines? Kinda like the ac compressor and lines?

 

Take it off and throw it away.Get the earlier long filter for it.Use 2-- 1/4" allen head bolts to re attach the screw on adaptor to the block.

 

Like he said, just remove it. A SIMPLE search will reveal how to eliminate it. There is a seal but most people would rather remove the adapter than mess with it.

 

Are you saying to remove the actual oil cooler itself? Don't I need an oil cooler?

 

Yes you can remove it. I believe 96-97's didn't have them. I know both my friends 97's didn't come with them.

 

So what side effects should I expect? What purpose does an oil cooler serve on an LT1? What purpose does an oil cooler serve in general?

 

No side effects except ya loose a oil pressure restriction and possible water leak.

 

Mine didnt come with and oil cooler but if it did i would remove it. Oil doesnt really need to be cool unless its under extreme heat conditions. Most all engines didnt have them in other cars and they all work fine.

 

Does this mean that it is for extreme applications like nitrous and superchargers?

 

No. From what ive read, extreme would be like racing in the desert or such. I wouldnt run one on my car. Oil works better when its at a higher temp not too hot but it doesnt really need to be cooled.

 

Ok, Ok. The purpose of an oil cooler is to cool oil. If oil temps go above 300 Deg. F, it is a bad thing-with non-synthetic oil at least. Usually the only place this happens is with a turbo or roadracing-or chasing criminals-which is why they come on the police package. I sought one out and bought it for the other benefits. Oil warms quicker and doesn't get too hot. My own personal belief is that when engines fail, the junk ends up in the oil cooler, the oil cooler didn't fill with junk and cause the engine to fail. Some people treat the things like the antichrist and for the life of me I can't tell why. Since the bypass is in the block above the filter (and the cooler) you could completely block the thing up and it shouldn't cause the engine to fail, oil just goes around the filter and the cooler.

 

Just the way the factory ones are designed seems very inefficient. I've seen some Ford Factory oil coolers and the oil is actually run through a small radiator in the front of the car, so the oil gets direct cooling from the air.

 

Oil to air is one way of doing it and is pretty common, esp. on big diesels, and is certainly one way of doing it. The advantage of water to oil is that the oil gets heated first by the water in the engine block which heats up first giving you quicker warmup and then starts cooling the oil as it heats up hotter than the water. In cold climates, the air to oil cooler requires a thermostat or it will actually get the oil way too cool-not a problem with water to oil. There is actually a much better transfer of heat from the oil to water than air so actually it is more efficient as well. If you have an autotrans, chances it has an oil to water cooler which is in the radiator. They're pretty standard.

 

There is NO need for a cooler on an LT1 unless ya are running Daytona.
If the oil gets hot enough to need a cooler ya better check your bearings or get it off of the dyno.