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Author Topic: Aftermarket Oil cooler  (Read 3526 times)

Offline bobby_fodge

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Aftermarket Oil cooler
« on: January 08, 2020, 10:15:28 pm »
Has anyone fitted an oil cooler? What brands have you used?

Offline LC5F

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2020, 10:29:47 pm »
I’ve not fitted one to a Mk5, not sure how without a spin on filter.
But I have had a Mocal sandwich plate set up in 2 VW’s they are good quality and have a long history.
Setrab have a nicer finish, but are more monies, they do a really good bracket that also fits standard Mocal cooler.

If it’s a road car go for the thermostatic option.

They don’t usually come with a planned location - you need to work out brackets, the strips in the Mocal kit are pretty crappy - thus setrab bracket. Also to consider is...

Mounting - in order of best to worse - hose connections top cooler below, horizontal connections, worst is connections bottom cooler top

Hoses - original kit came with fixed lengths,  better to make them up, you could go full AN fittings, but the aeroquip rubber hoses are good.

Last time I checked Matt Lewis racing tended to be the most competitively priced.

Offline pudding

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2020, 05:09:19 pm »
I wouldn't bother on a MK5, the oil doesn't get hot enough to need one during normal driving.   Decent synthetic oils can handle 130-140 degrees and the highest I saw mine get to on a long cruise was 98 deg.  Track days are a different story and would be the only time I'd consider a mocal or similar cooler.

Despite using an 80 degree sandwich plate and a smallish 13 row cooler on a few older VWs, the oil never got up to temp over winter and I ended up blocking the cooler!


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Offline LC5F

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2020, 10:00:41 pm »
Only 98! -My old daily mk3 valver used to sit at 110 on the commute, after adding oil cooler it sat at a very steady 90 come rain or shine whatever I did with no issue of over cooling - sounds like something wasn’t right with your old set up Pudding

Suppose it depends what the op wants to do - Personally, if the engine oil is regularly over a 100 Celsius I feel its too hot, I would rather have the spare heat capacity + at least 1/2 a litre extra oil. does much of the engine cooling, so uprated oil cooling takes pressure of coolant system.

Offline pudding

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2020, 03:49:11 pm »
Yup!  I was surprised by that given my old Corrado VR6 used to sit at 120 degrees most of the time!  With a mocal 13 row it dropped to 98ish which was much better, but over winter it struggled to get over 86.  Nothing wrong with the setup, it was just too efficient at dumping heat in the colder months.  I guess I could have experimented with higher temp sandwich plates but I just gaffer taped a bit of plastic over the cooler instead  :grin:


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Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2020, 03:56:11 pm »
Yup!  I was surprised by that given my old Corrado VR6 used to sit at 120 degrees most of the time!  With a mocal 13 row it dropped to 98ish which was much better, but over winter it struggled to get over 86.  Nothing wrong with the setup, it was just too efficient at dumping heat in the colder months.  I guess I could have experimented with higher temp sandwich plates but I just gaffer taped a bit of plastic over the cooler instead  :grin:

I've just today bought one online. I keep getting oil pressure warnings when my oil pressure is 20 psi at 1.5 rpm. I'm wondering if my oil is getting too hot and too thin which is the cause of the low pressure. Also bought a compression tester. 

Offline pudding

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2020, 04:05:27 pm »
Pressure does indeed reduce when the oil thins out, but not that much.  20psi at 1500rpm sounds a bit low but I don't know what the specs are for a TFSI engine.  2 bar at hot idle is normal though, so you're 10psi short.  Have you got VCDS?  I think you can read the oil temp with that.  I'd be surprised if it's higher than 100 deg this time of year.

Are you sure it's not just the classic pick up pipe blockage issue?  You shouldn't ever get pressure warning lights on the dash, even when the oil is roasting hot.....unless the pressure sensor has gone bad.


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Offline GVK

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2020, 04:07:28 pm »
2 bar at hot idle -2000 rpm is the spec (for most VW engines it seems!)

I think the OP has had a few repairs/ issues with this from the various posts.

https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,123746.0.html



« Last Edit: January 17, 2020, 04:17:29 pm by GVK »

Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2020, 04:08:25 pm »
Pressure does indeed reduce when the oil thins out, but not that much.  20psi at 1500rpm sounds a bit low but I don't know what the specs are for a TFSI engine.  2 bar at hot idle is normal though, so you're 10psi short.  Have you got VCDS?  I think you can read the oil temp with that.  I'd be surprised if it's higher than 100 deg this time of year.

Are you sure it's not just the classic pick up pipe blockage issue?  You shouldn't ever get pressure warning lights on the dash, even when the oil is roasting hot.....unless the pressure sensor has gone bad.

I do have VCDS. Do you know where in it to check the oil temp.

The pick up, oil pump and oil pressure sensor were replaced at Xmas.

My wallet is starting to hate the golf.

Offline pudding

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2020, 04:13:49 pm »
I can't remember which measuring block it is.  If you pull up the advanced measuring blocks list, it should be in there somewhere.

Do you get any clattering noises from the engine?  Hydraulic lifters and chain tensioners aren't fond of low oil pressure.


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Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2020, 04:17:18 pm »
I can't remember which measuring block it is.  If you pull up the advanced measuring blocks list, it should be in there somewhere.

Do you get any clattering noises from the engine?  Hydraulic lifters and chain tensioners aren't fond of low oil pressure.

Engine sounds like it always has, far from refined but nothing unusual.

Offline LC5F

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2020, 06:45:46 pm »
The pick up, oil pump and oil pressure sensor were replaced at Xmas.

Did the oil pressure problem start before or after that lot got changed?

Offline bobby_fodge

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2020, 06:53:28 pm »
The pick up, oil pump and oil pressure sensor were replaced at Xmas.

Did the oil pressure problem start before or after that lot got changed?

Before.

Offline shannon-ob

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2020, 01:45:28 pm »
Yes, I have fitted a Mocal oil cooler with a remote stat. Using the HEL take off plate.
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Offline Octoparrot

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Re: Aftermarket Oil cooler
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2020, 05:07:22 pm »
If you fit an oil cooler then you're really only fighting the symptoms and not the disease.