I think oilcoolers are a must for turboed cars....but make sure the setup you are going to use will work....wouldn't want to find out that the oil cooler stole oil pressure feed to the turbo and your turbo runs dry or something.....but oil cooler definitely..

 

Generally oil coolers are not a great idea for street SR20s. The problem is that the oil needs to get up to a high enough temp to boil off any moisture that gets in the oil. Even oil to air oil coolers with a thermostat can be a problem with cooling the oil too much and gunking. Your best bet for a road car is a oil to water oil cooler, similar to what is on the DET. I know they are available in the aftermarket as well. The advantage of the oil to water oil cooler is the engine coolant will help to keep the oil in a good operating range.

That said, that is my opinion. The part about oil to air oil coolers is Jim Wolf's opinion. The part about oil to water is mine. I have no data to back it up, but I think for a road car it's a good compromise. Dedicated race cars are another thing altogether (as they usually are).

 

Both good points, im considering the options now, another thing ive been told to watch out for is the oil draining back into the oil cooler as that would be located on a lower level, so i might even need some sort of non return valve up near the turbo inlet. But i like the idea of the oil to water cooler, but i didnt know the DETs had them. Ill looking into the GTiRs see if they have something like that.

 

Geo....I didn't know they made oil to water oil coolers...but why do some cars come with oil coolers stock? I have a '85 Toyota Corolla and it even has a stock air to oil cooler.

 

Geo....I didn't know they made oil to water oil coolers...but why do some cars come with oil coolers stock? I have a '85 Toyota Corolla and it even has a stock air to oil cooler.

I don't know the real answer, but I have a good guess.

Some manufacturers (and even some engines by the same manufacturer) rely on the oil for cooling more than others. I've observed that VW and Porsche (both of whom have a long history of air cooled and thus oil cooled engines) are more concerned with oil temperature than say Nissans.

I suspect that your Corolla also relied on oil for more cooling power than the SR20 does.

This is all just speculation on my part however.

 

Both good points, im considering the options now, another thing ive been told to watch out for is the oil draining back into the oil cooler as that would be located on a lower level, so i might even need some sort of non return valve up near the turbo inlet. But i like the idea of the oil to water cooler, but i didnt know the DETs had them. Ill looking into the GTiRs see if they have something like that.

Indeed the GTi-R does use such an oil cooler. I'm not sure you can adapt it to the SR20DE however.

There is still hope however. The BB DET oil cooler should be a direct bolt-on. JGY Customs should be able to help you out here, both as a source of the part and with installation issues.

 

hmmm...I see what you are saying...could an oil cooler make that much difference in temperature? Also on an engine that never had an oil cooler wouldn't you have to put alittle bit more oil than normal since there is now more space for oil to sit? Just a thought....

 

yeah, in theory, by the time youve installed the oil cooler, youll check the oil level anyways and fill it up back to the correct level.