[Mr. 5]

I'm curious if anyone knows which line is the ouput to the oil cooler and which line is going from the oil cooler into the housing.

I'm about to install my new oil cooler and I want to make sure I install the lines correctly.
I got the below pictures from Former Boosted's Stett OC article.

[Brian135i]

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by Brian135i

I know huh.
I think it's the right line because this is what connects to the top of the cooler. The left line connects to the bottom.
Unless, oil flows into the bottom and flows to the top.
I know water radiators work this way but I don't know about oil radiators.

[AltecBX]

Hope this helps

[Mr. 5]

This doesn't help at all but thanks for trying.
This doesn't show which line is carrying the oil from the pump to the cooler and which line is sending the oil from the cooler back to the pump.

This only shows that there are 2 lines going to the pump.

Originally Posted by AltecBX

Hope this helps

[Mr. 5]

bump for an answer.

[FrankiE90]

check out the PDF to this
LINK

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70021


from 2007 eingine management PDF

[Mr. 5]

Thank you but that still doesn't tell me for sure what line is transfering oil to the cooler. I could ASSUME that it is the right line, but they may have only made the picture like that because it was easier to put in a picture.

I wish someone knew for sure.

Originally Posted by FrankiE90

check out the PDF to this
LINK

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70021


from 2007 eingine management PDF
Attachment 480719

[KyLu II]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Thank you but that still doesn't tell me for sure what line is transfering oil to the cooler. I could ASSUME that it is the right line, but they may have only made the picture like that because it was easier to put in a picture.

I wish someone knew for sure.

How would this matter Mr. 5? The oil is still gonna travel through the same amount of surface regardless of direction right?

It looks like the hotter oil comes out the driver side connector...

[boom]

I'd get an IR thermometer and measure the temps of the lines at various places. The colder one is the oil coming back from the oil cooler. The thermometers are cheap at an auto parts store.

[AltecBX]

Originally Posted by boom

I'd get an IR thermometer and measure the temps of the lines at various places. The colder one is the oil coming back from the oil cooler. The thermometers are cheap at an auto parts store.

Or picking one up at home depot or lowes & returning it when your done.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by boom

I'd get an IR thermometer and measure the temps of the lines at various places. The colder one is the oil coming back from the oil cooler. The thermometers are cheap at an auto parts store.

I have an IR thermometer and I could even go with just feeling it, but there's a problem...My car is at the body shop and I need to install my new oil cooler on my car while the bumper is off. I can't start it because the old oil cooler is off.
I think that the ultimate way to cool the oil is to have the oil flow from the top and then flow to the bottom.
This is how all of the radiators are designed.
Hot from the top. Cool at the bottom.

Makes sense right? heat rises

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by maxnix

I am betting on the line that feeds the top.

Remote IR sensors are a great tool. Helps with tire set up too.

Is which line?
The return line or the incoming line?

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Return on bottom of cooler, feed on top. I do not actually know, but it seems like you could prime the pump and hand turn it in the correct direction and tell easily which orifice is feed, if that is what your are asking.

I agree with the first sentence but nobody is certain.
I don't think you can prime the pump by hand because the thermostat would need to be open and that only opens at around 200 degrees F.

Someone with an oil cooler go for a long drive and let the oil temp get up to normal operating temp.
Then go out and tell me which line is hotter.
PLEASE?

[DJKhan85]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I agree with the first sentence but nobody is certain.
I don't think you can prime the pump by hand because the thermostat would need to be open and that only opens at around 200 degrees F.

Someone with an oil cooler go for a long drive and let the oil temp get up to normal operating temp.
Then go out and tell me which line is hotter.
PLEASE?

It's 15 degrees outside. I just got out of the shower BUT just because you have done sooo much for n54 owners everywhere I went outside to see which oil line is hotter(I have just gotten home). The top line was hotter on mine than the bottom. This is of course using the scientific method of putting my hand on one line and seeing how long it took for it to burn me. The top one was hotter than the bottom.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by DJKhan85

It's 15 degrees outside. I just got out of the shower BUT just because you have done sooo much for n54 owners everywhere I went outside to see which oil line is hotter(I have just gotten home). The top line was hotter on mine than the bottom. This is of course using the scientific method of putting my hand on one line and seeing how long it took for it to burn me. The top one was hotter than the bottom.

Thank you very much!!
This confirms what everyone is saying.
The top line comes from the Driver's side.
Thanks!!

[BrianMN]

I think this answers it pretty definitively; The passengers side is the feed, The drivers side line is the return.

These pics were taken within seconds of each other. One thing that's very strange though: the thermostat wasn't opened letting oil flow through to the oil cooler. The gauge temp was at 200*, and the oil cooler was as cold as the air. Although one must still assume the feed/return lines are as seen above, I actually wonder why/if they should be so different in temperature from just being connected to the thermostat housing.

I'm very tempted to take out that spring and try to see if there's a way to have the thermostat open the entire time...

[boom]

Rats. Beat me to it. I saw in the realoem catalog that one line is labeled return and the other (IIRC) flow. The return (cold) was on top.

[BrianMN]

One thing that's very strange though: the thermostat wasn't opened letting oil flow through to the oil cooler. The gauge temp was at 200*, and the oil cooler was as cold as the air. Although one must still assume the feed/return lines are as seen above, I actually wonder why/if they should be so different in temperature from just being connected to the thermostat housing.

I'm very tempted to take out that spring and try to see if there's a way to have the thermostat open the entire time...

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by boom

Rats. Beat me to it. I saw in the realoem catalog that one line is labeled return and the other (IIRC) flow. The return (cold) was on top.

Thanks a bunch for pointing this out!!
I should have thought about this.

Originally Posted by BrianMN

I think this answers it pretty definitively; The passengers side is the feed, The drivers side line is the return.

These pics were taken within seconds of each other. One thing that's very strange though: the thermostat wasn't opened letting oil flow through to the oil cooler. The gauge temp was at 200*, and the oil cooler was as cold as the air. Although one must still assume the feed/return lines are as seen above, I actually wonder why/if they should be so different in temperature from just being connected to the thermostat housing.

I'm very tempted to take out that spring and try to see if there's a way to have the thermostat open the entire time...

Thank you very much to you for you to take the time to take the pictures.

This contradicts with the above and also contradicts with realOEM as well.
RealOEM states that the right should be the flow (higher temp) and the left should be the return (lower temp).

I'm curious if the IR thermometer was on the correct point because I know that the lazer is just a guide.
hmmm.

[BrianMN]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Thanks a bunch for pointing this out!!




Thank you very much to you for you to take the time to take the pictures.

This contradicts with the above and also contradicts with realOEM as well.
RealOEM states that the right should be the flow (higher temp) and the left should be the return (lower temp).

I'm curious if the IR thermometer was on the correct point because I know that the lazer is just a guide.
hmmm.

Yeah no worries

I'm positive the readings are accurate on the right hoses...I didn't just click once n done; rather looked/tested thoroughly and at different points, etc.

There is one FLAW with this, and I'm thinking now it might be even bigger and more important: the thermostat had not opened. This test tonight might be worthless. Since I took a good rip sesh getting the oil to 220 (back to 200 at home) and saw the hoses were [very] warm, I figured the thermostat had been open and oil had gone through the cooler. After I posted, I went back out to feel the cooler, and both lines and cooler were cold. So one must assum the hoses must have gotten warm from simply being connected to the thermostat housing...

That said, I don't see why the two lines would be so different in temp as there is no significant cooling going on between the thermostat venturis. Hmmmmjm

[AltecBX]

I guess must ppl did it already. Well here are mines.

First one is Top at 185F
Second one is Bottom at 175F