oil cooler = nervous me ??

97babyXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Metuchen, NJ
i am rebuilding my 4.0L and plan on installing an oil cooler with lines that run from where the filter mounts. I am getting concerned with a loss of oil pressure due to the extended route the oil will have to take to the cooler and back, has anyone run an oil cooler on a 4.0 before?
 
How much do these run for, ease of install (zip tie to radiator?), hook to filter mount or something? Anyone run a temp gauge to see the before and after? So basically with any temp gauge you run a T-connector into the line and thats it? What about the drainplug, or do you have to worry too much about ripping off the wires down there?
 
I would be more concerned with one of the oil cooler lines failing, I have seen it happen more than once. If you do run one I would either hard line with a short flex section or run aeroquip braded or push lock hoses.
 
there real easy to install as far as i know, you spin on an adapter to the filter threads and than put the filter on, the adapter has an inlet and outlet that you run the the cooler, i plan on putting mine behind the cross section behind the bumper. havent decided if i plan to use hard lines, because with hardlines there are more connections to leak, im thinking about using some sort of bradied hose.
 
I put mine in front of the radiator, I have a tranny cooler up there too that is the same size. They fit nicely right behind the grill. They come with a high pressure line that worked well. The only thing to do differently is to use 2(two) clamps on each end of each line. I used the one per fitting that they supplied and my oil pressure blew one line off and it showerd my hood and windshield with oil. Wasent too bad i killed the moter when I saw it happened, however I had to clean it, ick. Have not had a problem since.

My kit ran about 50 from advance. If you want you could upgrade and get a stacked plate design, but I did not bother. I figure with a 3 core radiator, and a 8x12 in cooler for my oil, and anoter one for my trans, I could do without out thae extra cost.
 
wolfpackjeeper said:
I used the one per fitting that they supplied and my oil pressure blew one line off and it showerd my hood and windshield with oil. Wasent too bad i killed the moter when I saw it happened.
Thats very reassuring :eyes:
 
That reminded me of the time my feed line to my turbo blew on my xr4ti and sprayed oil right on the exhaust manifold. Engine fires suck.
 
/Thats very reassuring/

Eh, wasent too bad, like I said, I double clamped it after that and I havent had another problem. I thought about bending up some metal line, but since I have not had another problem, I decided to leave well enough alone
 
In my opnion an Oil cooler is dubious on an XJ or just about any other Jeep that isn't a FSJ or M715 that sees lots of towing duty.

My Oil never gets over give or take 220 (Autometer oil temp gauge). Lee at Hesco has stated he'd like to see 240 to 250's for best efficiency power (lowest friction) and anti-wear. That's if I remember correctly. Anyway Oil generally speeking isn't something you WANT to cool unless you're driving a race car or a tow rig. where extremely high temps can actually break the oil down and ruin it's ability to function as it is designed. VERY FEW modern oils will break down under hard use at the temps they see in a Cherokee... And some synthetics wouldn't break down in an XJ even if you were abusing the hell out of it... it's just not a high enough reving engine.

At the very least if you're installing an Oil cooler look into the better systems that have a bypass filter and a thermostat. The thermostat controlled Oil cooler is the only type I would add.
 
(IMO) way to much gizmos stuff. Just mount a fan to blow down on your oil pan. Cheap (like me). The less junk in front of the rad the better. Works with engine off unlike a oil rad.
Will help move air under the hood at very low speeds. A good thing for over all engine cooling. Hood vents can help here to.
Just blow air on one of them over sized oil filter can help. The filter is in a dead air space behind one pump or another. Blocked off from much air from the mec fan.
==================================
The thermostat controlled Oil cooler is the only type I would add.
====================================
If you live were the nights get real cold. I would do that or some kind bypass anyway. Or just turn off my fan idea.:)

MODO: Cheaper way of doing things by the sick and twisted minds
 
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badron said:
(IMO) way to much gizmos stuff. Just mount a fan to blow down on your oil pan. Cheap (like me). The less junk in front of the rad the better. Works with engine off unlike a oil rad.
Will help move air under the hood at very low speeds. A good thing for over all engine cooling. Hood vents can help here to.
Just blow air on one of them over sized oil filter can help. The filter is in a dead air space behind one pump or another. Blocked off from much air from the mec fan.
==================================
The thermostat controlled Oil cooler is the only type I would add.
====================================
If you live were the nights get real cold. I would do that or some kind bypass anyway. Or just turn off my fan idea.:)

MODO: Cheaper way of doing things by the sick and twisted minds

Do you have picture of the fan mod????? Interesting?
 
1bolt said:
In my opnion an Oil cooler is dubious on an XJ or just about any other Jeep that isn't a FSJ or M715 that sees lots of towing duty.

My Oil never gets over give or take 220 (Autometer oil temp gauge). Lee at Hesco has stated he'd like to see 240 to 250's for best efficiency power (lowest friction) and anti-wear. That's if I remember correctly. Anyway Oil generally speeking isn't something you WANT to cool unless you're driving a race car or a tow rig. where extremely high temps can actually break the oil down and ruin it's ability to function as it is designed. VERY FEW modern oils will break down under hard use at the temps they see in a Cherokee... And some synthetics wouldn't break down in an XJ even if you were abusing the hell out of it... it's just not a high enough reving engine.

At the very least if you're installing an Oil cooler look into the better systems that have a bypass filter and a thermostat. The thermostat controlled Oil cooler is the only type I would add.

Has anyone put a guage on oil temp??? What were results?
 
badron said:
(IMO) way to much gizmos stuff. Just mount a fan to blow down on your oil pan. Cheap (like me). The less junk in front of the rad the better. Works with engine off unlike a oil rad.
Will help move air under the hood at very low speeds. A good thing for over all engine cooling. Hood vents can help here to.
Just blow air on one of them over sized oil filter can help. The filter is in a dead air space behind one pump or another. Blocked off from much air from the mec fan.
==================================
The thermostat controlled Oil cooler is the only type I would add.
====================================
If you live were the nights get real cold. I would do that or some kind bypass anyway. Or just turn off my fan idea.:)

MODO: Cheaper way of doing things by the sick and twisted minds

Do you have a pic of this mod??
 
If (and that's a fairly big if) you can find one, you might be able to use the oil cooler from a diesel XJ, they came with one as standard.

Don't know if it was due to the engine being worked hard (small engine, big car) or because it was expected that they would be used for towing, but someone obviously thought it was a good idea.
 
Steve (Correze) said:
Don't know if it was due to the engine being worked hard (small engine, big car) or because it was expected that they would be used for towing, but someone obviously thought it was a good idea.

I don't find that very reassuring, someone at Jeep thought the Libby was a direct replacement for the Cherokee and would step right in and enjoy the huge owner loyalty and repeat buying that XJ's did :) Then when that failed they resurected the Cherokee name added IFS and made it nearly impossible to distinguish from a Grand, were disapointed, and came up with the Commander which was supposed to appeal to older XJ owners who now have larger familys, and now the Patriot Yet another mid size overly complicated SUV trying to recapture the XJ owners that no longer buy new Jeeps...

I'm just sayin'

Seriously my Stroker's Oil runs colder than ideal oil temps even in rush hour traffic, an XJ that isn't towing a lot or spending a lot of time near the redline doesn't need an Oil cooler.
 
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