Noticed BulletProof Diesel is offering an air cooled oil cooler for 6.0 diesel. $1895.00 what are the experts opinions here?

 

I'm no expert, but I think the water to oil cooler is better. It can remove a lot of heat, or help temper the oil when it's cold. The relative oil to water temps stay pretty consistent, regardless of ambient temps. It will be interesting to read other opinions on this.

 

Just read the installation guide to oil cooler this is a big job, have to pull old oil cooler, evavcuate AC system to remove and reroute hoses, remove front bumper install cooler, because of hot air being dumper in front of Condenser they recommend installing an upgrade orfice kit for Ford AC. Would this orfice kit improve the stock AC?

 

I would rather stick with the H2O/OIL cooler, the oil will warm up = with the water.

$1,895 is alot to switch to an air cooled.

With a coolant filter there is nothing wrong with the stock design.

 

I read a fairly extensive write up on the system the other day about a long wait for the oil pressure to come up on the indash gauge. For that much coin I'd rather replace the factory oil cooler and not go through the rest of the hassle.

 

Here are the issues as I see it.

A) pressure

Does it materially delay the onset of "full pressure" for the engine?

It depends - where is the oil tap?

If oil is tapped after it comes off from the pump from sump, then yes.

It does add a delay (not counting the "priming" delay from the oil change).

A lot of times, a check valve will prevent oil from draining out of the cooler in between oil changes, so the real delay is minimal.


B) Normally an air cooled oil cooler require a thermal bypass valve, so the oil is not overcooled in cold climates.

Does this one have one?

C) Then there is the reliability issue of running more oil hoses, more radiator space that is additional parts to fail.. to be offset against sand clogging oil coolers / EGR cooler failures.


Put the whole thing together --- and not considering price ---- I am going to say, I would go for it under the following circumstances


A) a bona fide need for higher cooling capacity because of heavy loads --- you can always add a bigger air cooler.

An air cooler can have more cooler capacity by making it bigger, or getting more air across it (aux. fan, etc.) but air cooling, all things considered, is less efficient than liquid cooling with coolant.


B) the key to reliability is to keep oil warmed (at slightly below normal underhood temperature) so it is not too hot or too cold.

That is where lubricants do best --- not when it is very cold, and not when it is very hot.

A side benefit of the liquid oil cooler is that it warmed the oil as well as cooled it.

This rig will take that away --- the cooler becomes strictly a cooler.


C) One issue with air coolers is in extreme cold and with dino oil, it is conceivable for the cooler to be effectively jammed / frozen shut by molasses like oil --- something to consider in very cold climates.

In those applications, normally, there is a "bypass" that ensures oil flows --- in some cases, aux heating to ensure that oil in the cooler flows properly.



So if they gave me the kit for free.. I would test it.

 

On this subject....

Why haven't someone come up with an air cooled EGR cooler?

That would seem to make sooo much sense.

 

It's too much money for an aftermarket system that hasn't been proven to add any long term advantages to the situation. For that cost how many times can you get the OEM cooler replaced at the dealer? How many times can you replace the OEM if you do the work yourself?

 

$200 x 9 = $1800
Beer= $ 100

Total= $ 1900 or price of BP oil cooler

I can change the OEM myself, but with my coolant filter, it is unlikely it will fail

FTE information= Priceless

 

Well put!!

 

Dieselsite Coolant Filter only costs about $170 with the ball valves, shipped! Great investment.