Oil Levels

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:13 pm

pablo wrote:Never thought about the air inside the cooler :roll: . Last year the pipes were on the top of the cooler so the oil basically poured in. After looking at a few others we have inverted it this year so it fills up from the bottom.

Then there's every chance there'll be air in it.

Pipes in the top would be better.

If you think about what's happening inside, the oil flows in and forces the air upward. If there's nowhere for the air to get out, it'll just sit at the top and compress when the engine starts. Think central heating radiator. There's a bleed screw at the top to remove the air. Otherwise the top stays cold because there's no water up there.

pablo · Post by **pablo** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:23 pm

That's a good point..........a headache for Alan working out how to rotate it

. Cheers Gerry we'll get on to it next weekend or at least Alan will. He tells me to sod off when it comes to jobs like this

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:25 pm

Or make it side fill .....

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:32 pm

duncan wrote:Or make it side fill .....

That's what I said. Which is how mione is.

blacky · Post by **blacky** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:34 pm

Gerry H wrote:
pablo wrote:Never thought about the air inside the cooler :roll: . Last year the pipes were on the top of the cooler so the oil basically poured in. After looking at a few others we have inverted it this year so it fills up from the bottom.
Then there's every chance there'll be air in it.

Pipes in the top would be better.

If you think about what's happening inside, the oil flows in and forces the air upward. If there's nowhere for the air to get out, it'll just sit at the top and compress when the engine starts. Think central heating radiator. There's a bleed screw at the top to remove the air. Otherwise the top stays cold because there's no water up there.

You've missed 1 thing Gerry, whats the pressure of the oil?? 6-7bar. This will bleed itself. I spoke this through with the bloke at Mocal and it doesn't matter if the inlet and outlet are both at the bottom. Only thing he said is that if the car sits unused for a while, say a month or so then its worth just priming the system before starting the car just to be on the safe side :!:

Mine is in from the bottom and if you feel the cooler once the car is warm then its very hot all over so there is no air stuck!

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:41 pm

You'll need a hell of a flow for it to shift the air, from top to bottom.

I don't care what the Mocal man told you. I've been told crap from plenty of so called experts.

Physics mate, air is lighter than oil.

6 - 7 bar will compress the air to ~ a sixth of it's volume but it will still be there. If you wait long enough it'll all get hot because of conduction in the materials of construction.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:43 pm

I'm with Gerry on this one Logan. Why create an issue that doesnt need to be there when turning t'other way up will solve it.

blacky · Post by **blacky** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:44 pm

But a oil cooler core is not like a radiator in your house Gerry! Its not just a big emply space. I reckon once primed there would be no air in it.

pablo · Post by **pablo** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:51 pm

This why I love this forum, I just asked one little question about oil levels and look at how much info I get back...fantastic. We spent a lot of time checking that the rad was hot all over but never once thought to check the oil cooler :oops:

blacky · Post by **blacky** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:55 pm

duncan wrote:I'm with Gerry on this one Logan. Why create an issue that doesnt need to be there when turning t'other way up will solve it.

Depends on fitment contraints tho doesn't it. Thats why mine was fitted that way. Also a couple of the kits come so they fit like mine as well. Can't remember their names but some of the expensive ones.

For a difinitive answer I'll ask one of the technical guys here at work....