So why did they do away with stock oil coolers on later LT1s?
I wouldnt think there would be any ill effects on keeping the oil temps at a reasonable level. I was thinking of putting one on my 97 Z. Are there any cons on doing this? 250 plus degree oil temp cant be good for bearings.

 

If I recall, the oil cooler was an option, not standard????......

 

Realy? An option, I didnt know that.

I was thinking of somthing like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/91-96...QQcmdZViewItem

 

If you haven't read this thread, it's informative: http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ght=oil+cooler

 

I saw someone had an oil cooler off an LT1 for sale. It's the oil filter adapter with coolant lines kind.

But I thought GM went to Mobil 1 because they didn't have room for an oil cooler on the LT1? Or at least that they went to Mobil 1 and no longer needed an oil cooler? Is that a myth?

 

Old thread!

The oil cooler had more negative effects than positive, most importantly that they had a tendency to clog and, on more than one occasion, have caused an engine to lose oil pressure. That and they are a pain in the *** to work around and offer very little in terms of oil cooling. Heck with 'em.

 

Chuckle..sorry don't agree. I've never had a single problem with my factory oil cooler..never clogged, never leaked, etc.

 

Glad to hear someone likes it! LOL I'm not speaking for every case of course, but a quick search on this forum will reveal alot of negatives. I've definitely read alot more "POS OIL COOLER" threads than "I LOVE MY OIL COOLER" threads. There has to be a reason GM dropped it after 1995, right?

 

I'm sure there is a reason...knowing the General it was probably cost. Cheaper is better, you know!

To be completely honest I'm not sure I like the thing as much as I like the idea of an oil cooler in a hot part of the world...like sunny Florida...chuckle.

 

My 94 came with the cooler. It was standard with the M6 trans on that year. I still have it in place, 17 years later, and have never had a single problem with it. The shop that rebuilt my engine found nothing wrong with it, and willingly reused it.

The Corvette LT1 did not get the oil cooler, and used Mobil 1 from the factory. The reason was because the oil would run a bit hotter without the cooler.

 

The Corvette H2O pumps are missing the coolant line output that goes to the oil cooler. I have one of these H2O pumps on my LT1 for my 94 Z, since my car didnt have the oil cooler option. Its just one more hose of of the way....

 

The coolant to the oil cooler adapter is a backwards way of cooling oil anyway. The b-body had two different oil cooler options(or none) one was an in radiator sidetank much like the tranny cooler which REGULATES temp and the cop cars got one mounted in front of the radiator because they must have felt that with hours idling with the AC on in a hot median that was a better idea. It offers no regulation of temp though.

I would guess the reason the f-body had coolant run to the adapter was packaging in the chassis. On the b-body they had room for whatever they felt was right.

All that said I don't run one anymore, extra plumbing is reduced flow to bearings, oils have improved in the nearly 2 decades since the LT1 was designed. IMO on a street or drag car it is not a big deal EITHER way, for a road race car I would have one though.