Aftermarket oil coolers

[B1 RMA]

Has anyone looked into replacing the oil coolers on their V8?

[V8 FOU]

Not looked into this, but an oil cooler is an oil cooler. If needed on my car I would be phoning Mocal or similar. Not difficult to fabricate brackets and hose ends.

It's all possible David!

[G4RTHV8]

It’s not exactly strait forward but it can be done from axel stands call S J Sports Cars or PNM who can both supply them. Be careful not to shear the aluminium couplings when removing the hoses.

All the best

[B1 RMA]

Not looked into this, but an oil cooler is an oil cooler. If needed on my car I would be phoning Mocal or similar. Not difficult to fabricate brackets and hose ends.

It's all possible David!

Exactly my thoughts, the potential problem may arise as I'm having the air-con rads replaced this week and I noticed that I have a small oily gathering on one of the pipes coming out which may cause a problem when the rads are got at. By all accounts the Lotus ones are £600 each which made my eyes water a bit as I bought a pair of coolers for my RX7 for £250 which were about the same size and never gave a problem over an awful lot of trackdays. There are not many things a good mobile Pirtek guy can't sort union wise. I may choose to have, or maybe have no choice other than to 'upgrade' the current system.

It’s not exactly strait forward but it can be done from axel stands call S J Sports Cars or PNM who can both supply them. Be careful not to shear the aluminium couplings when removing the hoses.

All the best

Thanks Garth, I'm very much a man who gets things done rather than do it myself as I see myself more in a more overseeing/making the tea capacity.

[Günter]

David, if you ever come to the point that you do real work there (or that someone does it for you..) -use aluminium fittings there between the oil-coolers and the steel coupling on the pipes .

As It is easyier (and cheaper) to repair an seized aluminium fittinging on an steel pipe-end ..than to undo an steel-fitting from the aluminium oil-cooler

Or let your oil-cooler hoses made with aluminium coupling all in all, as this means no material mix on the front end, and as such less risks on inter-corrsion effects if material mix would exist there

[B1 RMA]

David, if you ever come to the point that you do real work there (or that someone does it for you..) -use aluminium fittings there between the oil-coolers and the steel coupling on the pipes .

As It is easyier (and cheaper) to repair an seized aluminium fittinging on an steel pipe-end ..than to undo an steel-fitting from the aluminium oil-cooler

Or let your oil-cooler hoses made with aluminium coupling all in all, as this means no material mix on the front end, and as such less risks on inter-corrsion effects if material mix would exist there

Thanks Gunter I will pass that info on to the guy who will be doing this. One of things I will miss about the Esprit when I eventually move it on is the constant stream of little tweeks and improvements that can be made, it just makes you feel more involved with the ownership experience. One day someone will purchase a lovely well sorted Esprit from me but perhaps as time passes and cars get too homoginised I will be tempted to keep it. There is still a nagging voice in the back of my head that says the 997 911 Turbo S is too acomplished and lacks that certain something that blasting the Esprit through the back roads seems to give me, this could of course be white knuckle fear and adrenilin pumping overtime.

[Günter]

get both ..if you not spend so much on 'upgrades' there for the Esprit ..spend some money on refunds for an Porsche.

The Esprit can do much more than most owners can handle, even in stock conditions ..that's what all old motorjournal test show. For me it was so far impossible to go near to the performance numbers of those tests, so as long as I'm not skilled enough to get the most out of it there is no need for me to invest in upgrades, other than simple 'improvements'

Edited September 16, 2012 by Günter

[B1 RMA]

Does anyone know the dimensions of the oil coolers? I quoted the 52/01453 to a supplier but that number can no longer be traced.

get both ..if you not spend so much on 'upgrades' there for the Esprit ..spend some money on refunds for an Porsche.

The Esprit can do much more than most owners can handle, even in stock conditions ..that's what all old motorjournal test show. For me it was so far impossible to go near to the performance numbers of those tests, so as long as I'm not skilled enough to get the most out of it there is no need for me to invest in upgrades, other than simple 'improvements'

You're right there Gunter, I'm no trackday god by any means but an old, clever, pedantic old engineering genius I once knew always used to say that if something broke don't just replace it see if you can improve the item so it doesn't do it again and I like to think I have that mindset too.

Edited September 18, 2012 by B1 RMA

[Günter]

so this means you will end up in an close relationship with this car

[B1 RMA]

so this means you will end up in an close relationship with this car

Yes

[V8 FOU]

Yes

OOo er!! But I know what you mean. This is what has been ignored by DB and the like.

Passion, that's what we have for our cars.

[Garibaldi2112]

Dave

If you are still looking for replacement oil coolers for your V8 have a word with Serck Motorsport in Hayes, Middlesex

020 88137470.

Check out their web site and look for Elise oil cooler...

They are axactly the same as the coolers fitted to the V8 Esprit. I went up to them with one of my coolers and had a look at their drawings.... Fittings can be of your choise so you can get away from the BSP fittings on the Esprit.

In the end I managed to save my original oil coolers so did not need to buy new.... If I had had to replace I was going for a pair of these...

Cheers

Gary

Edited September 24, 2012 by Garibaldi2112

[B1 RMA]

Thanks I'll check them out.

[Alex Carter]

http://www.serckservicesmotorsport.co.uk/lotus/lotus-esprit-aluminium-radiator-88-92-2178755-187528-789771.php

can anyone tell me if this is the same for a 97 esprit it states earlier esprit but looks the same ?

[Winter]

According to the V8 parts book I am looking at, only one version of radiator was fitted.

 

Part number:  A082K4237F

[Alex Carter]

so the same winter ?

I was worried about core size or flow being 2 ltr or 2.2 or turbo or v8

 

 

so its seems sjs are the place to get them from

 

[Jacques]

David,

I hope your car is sorted long ago, but I just want to mention, that during my rad pack rebuild on my 4-pot Turbo SE, I had to destroy the two oil coolers. And yes, 600 gbp per side is pretty steep for what they are. So I called around, and pnm buys them directly from Setrab WHO makes them for Lotus. Exact same units. 160 gbp per side and no worries about china crap. Mine Works perfectly.

Cheers,

Jacques.

[Chillidoggy]

I sheared every pipe union taking them off the oil coolers, they were absolutely seized solid. Soaking the pipe ends in strong caustic soda/water solution has finally removed the aluminium thread from inside, but it took a couple of weeks, changing the solution once a day.

When I fit the new coolers, I intend to use some Duralac anti-corrosion paste on the threads, in the hope that whoever gets the unenviable task of removing them next time will have a much easier job than I did. I just hope it's not me!