I am using an early 90s Audi V8 oil cooler for my R-TDI.� It is
mounted across the back of the van just below the edge of the sheet metal
- no fans or anything fancy.� No muffler there on my TDI conversion
so that position works well for me.� I never see oil temps above 110C
and usually it sticks around the 92 to 97C range.� Perfect!

David Marshall
VW Adventure Driver and BMW Adventure Rider

http://www.hasenwerk.ca

On Mon, November 10, 2008 22:17,
Bob Stevens wrote:
> 
> When I had an I4 TIICO in my van I
had a SETRAB oil cooler (w/fan) mounted
> in the base of the right
D pillar. Worked well. Thought about keeping that
> when I had my
current Subie 2.2 installed last Oct (07) but was assured I
>
wouldn't need it. I now have oil temps up to 270 degrees in summer and
> often 240 otherwise and am still assured that won't cause any
problems. I
> was reminded that in older engines oil temps often
got to 300 degrees with
> no problems and that the lubes we now
have can easily handle those high
> temps without deterioriating.
Oil temps rise when the engine is working
> hard at highway
speeds, not when idling around town. Pushing a large brick
>
through the atmosphere at 70 mph is "working hard". My coolant
is almost
> too cool with this new circulation system that goes
with the Subie
> conversion. Never above about 205 and almost
always at around 175-185 when
> I shoot the IR Thermo. at the
pressure tank. The reverse is true of
> coolant temps .... lower
at highway speeds,
> 
>  higher
>  around town
.... except up very steep grades ... but then, I'm not going
> at
"freeway speeds" then. ;)
> 
> By the way, one
of the better oil cooler "mods" is to put a '99 Forrester
> 2.5 oil cooler on the 2.2. It's a coolant-to-oil cooler, similar to
the
> w/boxer OE oil cooler, and is also installed between the oil
filter
> mounting bracket and oil filter. Parts are around
$200-250 from a dealer.
> The SETRAB set up, with hoses/fittings
is closer to $600.
> 
> Bob
> '87 Syncro Westy
>