Oil coolers...

[My10539isOK]

Bill Fisher's early book "How to HotRod Corvair Engines" (Revision III) discusses the various oil coolers fitted to the Corvairs and states that the early folded fin design (60-62) was the best. I don't see much mention of these anymore but do see people fitting the later 12 plate coolers to their earlier engines. What's the consensus? Is the 12 plate better or the folded-fin just too scarce?

[bbodie52]

My impression is that the 12 plate and folded fin oil coolers are comparable in their cooling capacity, but the folded fin type is more-easily clogged with dirt. It is important that the cover plate be removed periodically and that the dirt, leaves, etc be removed to allow air to flow. This is critically important if you have a folded-fin type cooler.

The following links and extract from the new book Performance Corvairs should answer your questions...

http://autoxer.skiblack.com/oil-cooler.html


http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.ph ... 807,823911

Performance Corvairs Sampler - Chapter 12 - Lubrication, Cooling and Breathing.pdf

Performance Corvairs Sampler - Chapter 12 - Lubrication, Cooling and Breathing

(1.78 MiB) Downloaded 58 times

[66vairguy]

Brad said it well. The general consensus by those who have tested them is the old folded fin and the newer 12 plate have about the same cooling ability.

I will add that you have to revise the engine tin to replace the ubiquitous 8 plate oil cooler with a 12 plate (used on 140HP, Turbo, A/C cars), but you DO NOT need to revise the tin to fit a folded fin in place of the 8 plate cooler - AFAIK.

Also if you install a 12 plate do install the end covers that were used on A/C cars to improve oil cooling. Clark's and others sell reproduction end covers.

I've cleaned about ten oil coolers and everyone had oil sludge build up inside that impedes cooling. I'm not saying they are all like that, but most come off older engines that were not well maintained in their later years. Cleaning out the inside of an oil cooler is time consuming. It takes several washes to get everything out.

[Corventure Dave]

Exactly what those guy's above said!

Corventure Dave

[Tom Z]

I'd like to see some 'data' comparing the folded fin early cooler to an 8-plate late with the sides blocked off (like an A/C 12 plate)..