radiator oil cooler on 230/250?

[waqas]

Hello all,

Has anyone ever tried using the transmission oil cooler compartment under the radiator as an auxiliary engine oil cooler? (this would only work on manual transmission cars).

I have access to a radiator from an automatic transmission car (mine is manual), from a 250 (which doesn't have the adjacent engine cooler and fan shroud), so I was thinking of somehow hooking up the engine oil lines to the transmission oil cooler partition to see if it would help with engine cooling in the Texas heat (I have A/C).

Opinions?

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[glennard]

Hey, Like the idea.  What about pressure, flow, cooling amount, metals, etc, etc?

[merrill]

waqas,
I added an oil cooler to my beetle in high school,  the only big thing we woried about was making sure there was enough oil.


on the sl, I guess the same apples.  maybe e mail gernold at sl tech and see what he says.  

Matt

Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

[JPMOSE]

Standard on 250SL and optional on late 230SL models was an oil/coolant heat exchanger that works quite well.  I think you could adapt your car to this configuration and it would be authentic equipment.  However, it may be costly!   It should be noted that 280SL models had a separate oil cooler to the side of the radiator that was deemed the most efficient setup...but the heat exchanger was quite effective...I like it because it is a bit more "strange"!

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL

[waqas]

Some background is in order:

My radiator has sprung a small leak, and may need to be replaced. I can tell that it's been refurbished at some point in the past, so I'm not sure it can still be repaired. In the meantime, I seem to have found a functional original (heavy-duty) radiator which was originally used in an automatic (hence my present line of inquiry). If I get this radiator, I figured I'd ask the experts here whether there's a possibility to put the transmission oil cooler to good use (my car is a manual).

Regarding the original oil/water heat exchanger mounted on the left side of the engine: it probably works, since I already have it installed beside my 250. Texas gets really hot though. (the engine's been experiencing frequent temp hikes to 200+)

Besides, this is an interesting question to discuss.

Regarding Glenn's questions: I haven't a clue besides what Matt mentioned about increasing the amount of oil in the system. How about connections? Where would I route the oil lines from? Could the radiator oil cooler be placed in series with the heat exchanger? Would having two oil heat exchangers (effectively) have any detrimental effects to oil flow and how much work the oil pump needs to do?

So many questions...

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[ja17]

Hello Waqas,

I suspect that the high pressure in the oil system, especially when cold will blow the soldered seams apart and ruin the radiator. The oil cooler units are steel and brass welded to hold the high oil pressure.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[waltklatt]

Waqas,
That might be difficult to do as the radiator hangs so close to the ground anyways.  
Might want to put a high efficiency aluminum and plastic one from a later model Benz into there with the oil cooler on the side.  Make sure you get the one with the seperate reservior tank with the filler cap.  
Walter
1967 220SL- diesel

[merrill]

waqas,
I took my radiator to devines off of st johns and n lamar, just before airport.  they recored the unit with a new core for 225.


I finished off the unit with a fresh coat of mb black and looks great.

the new core was 3 row high efficiency ,  car runs ok to me

matt

Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

[waqas]

Thanks Matt!  I think I'll try recoring it before anything else.

WAQAS in Austin, Texas