12 replies to this topic

[MontpellierVanMan]

Not expected to be to everyone's taste this, but these pictures might inspire someone else looking to do things differently.

 

Spare me your imprecations about vulnerability, stone-chips etc (continues p.92) - it's never rallied or driven off-road, and the idea of chucking the calories outside the engine compartment rather than straight back in has always appealed to me, as has not choking up the engine compartment with a behind-the-grill mounting.

 

 

Well aware also that most cars don't need these, but very hot summers, fast prolonged motorway work, and a 1380, started to give the oil temperature a hard time, see below.

 

http://www.theminifo...arlier-a-block/

 

The bumper has yet to get its finishing scallops Tigged in around the hose exits, but it all fits nicely. I couldn't bring myself just to poke the hoses through the grill slots, so made an acacia (hard) matrix and pressed the wavy shape in to suit the van grill.

 

The hose-run works best with a 45° on the RHS (upper) hose, and a 90° on the LHS (lower) one.

 

 

The double-crimp on the top banjo gives ample support to the thermostat. I eased the hard/sharp edge on the outlet stubs that take the hose-clamps (necessary to be able to dismantle the thing) otherwise removal of the hoses was next to impossible.

 

Below shows first testing with standard hoses and Jubilee clips.

 

 

Followed by the final version - I should have made the RH leg down to the filter about 30mm longer to give a tad more clearance around the vacuum-advance.

 

 

 

Here are some measuring / layout shots, you can't buy these brackets and I don't do perforated strip.

 

 

 

Next time would make these shallower, and bumper cutouts smaller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next time the car's off the road I'll get the bits plated, I promise.

 

Temperature Result ? After the very hot start to September that provoked the work, I got a test in just before it started to get cooler - the thermostat quite clearly works as announced and the oil temperature stayed below 100°C.

 

 

[Magneto]

Beautiful workmanship!

One question, does cooling the oil make any appreciable effect on the water temps? We've been having that discussion on another Mini board here in the states.

[nicklouse]

I would not have done the routing like that.

Any vibration on the thermostat will be acting on the banjo with no hose to absorb it.

I would have routed the hoses down and then across.

[MontpellierVanMan]

There's a surprise !

 

Where is the "vibration on the thermostat" going to come from ?

 

Perhaps from the banjo, certainly not into the banjo, and these will be from the block ?

 

Yet is the water-thermostat insulated from block vibration any more than the oil-thermostat is now likely to be, and do water-thermostats fail from vibration ?

 

A picture of hoses that are routed "down and then across" within the available space would be helpful, after many hours careful thought I was unable to find a satisfactory hose run that addressed all the conflicting issues.

Edited by MontpellierVanMan, 26 September 2016 - 05:07 PM.

[Will16]

I like !

[MacGyver]

Was going to do something a bit different too, but as you said, it is innovative and inspiring. 😎
Thank for sharing!

[Richie83]

Those mounting brackets look the biz. Did you make them?

[Stevie W]

Montpellier Van Man,

 

I really admire your engineering skill and for-thought on this oil cooler, those brackets and hose routing have been very well though out!

 

Cheers, Steve.  

[Mini Manannán]

I like the look of your engine bay MVM, that yellow is a nice shade of different

[Spider]

Very tidy work as always. The brackets in particular look 'manufactured'. I do like to have that look about bracketing etc and I can honestly appreciate the time it would have taken to do them.

 

While I don't generally like Oil Coolers my only comment or rather question on this set up from a technical view point - is there at least half decent air flow there?  I don't know and so I'm only asking.

 

The other thing that like Nick I also picked up on is I don't know how well the Oil 'stat will stand up to vibration with all the Oil Hoses hanging off it like that, it's only die-cast and those tubes hanging off it don't have much meat to them. Time will tell I guess.

 

Very neat.

[nicklouse]

The stat is hanging of a threaded connection and it can have a tendency to provide an undoing action on the banjo.

Also I woul position the temp sender in the filter housing. Then you would be able to what the cooler is actually doing.

A support for the stat. Would be an idea. Or a big low pressure warning light.

[MontpellierVanMan]

Regarding the thermostat vibration issue, I really don't buy this - there is in fact a bit of spring in between those ferrules, despite appearances, which are anyway on a bit of springy braided hose, and the residual efforts in the pipe-work are derisory ; and as for unscrewing - sorry, I can't think of a set-up less likely to come unscrewed !

 

That 1/2" (?) or 5/8 banjo bolt has a 15/16" head, and it's there and that big for a reason - to take a torque to seal copper washers

 

But don't take my word for it, since we actually have Exact France (one of France's biggest distributors of Motor Racing hoses/radiators/thermostats/pipe-fittings/brake-parts etc) just 10 minutes up the A750 from us here

 

https://www.exactfra...m/info_tech.htm

 

- they make all our hoses - and they have two Minis in the family. Their complete staff examined the whole thing over a beer last Friday evening and thought the fittings were perfect, and that the thermostat needed no bracket - which Mocal actually confirm on their technical bulletins (accessible on the Net) where they state that the hoses are more than capable of supporting the weight of this, their smallest stat.

 

However, yes, the idea of moving the temperature sensor to the oulet end does indeed make sense - it's a shame it's not such an easy place to fit it !

 

What choices do I have to get a tidy fitting down there - any ideas ?

 

Like you, Moke, I hate making stuff that looks "hand-made" ! I'd get a lot more done in life if I used perforated strip but just can't hack it ............ it's amazing what brazing, threaded insert rivets, a bead-blaster, and a bit of bi-chromate plating can do. I even treated myself to the little plate on the grill-cage for a bit of "branding".

Edited by MontpellierVanMan, 26 September 2016 - 08:46 PM.

[nicklouse]

DSN Retrosport do a filter head that can take a sender.

Yes I may be being over worrying about the (if any) force that may try and undo the banjo but it is the only thing that concerns me.

And me being me state it.

If I was doing it I know what I would like to route it but don't know if it would work. Been a very long time since I fitted an oil cooler and stat. Found a cooler was not needed in sunny Yorkshire.