How effective do you think this oil cooler is? (with pics)

[Klutch9]

These are pictures of the oil cooler on our Carnival. It sits right next to the oil filter housing. It's about 3-4" square. I'm assuming it's a water-to-oil cooler, but I cannot find any info on it. I even have the oil system schematic from the FSM and it mentions nothing about it or its effectiveness. How much do you think this lowers the oil temps? Oil sump temps range from about 220 to 240 when fully warmed up, depending on driving conditions. Coolant typically sits around 210, unless the weather is really hot, then it sits around 190 or lower (likely to help with AC condenser effectiveness).

 

[bdcardinal]

It probably just keeps the oil temp within a certain delta of engine coolant temp, just like a 6.0L Powerstroke.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

Its main purpose is to help warm up the oil. Then after that, it will just help keep the oil within a certain delta like @bdcardinal said. Under extremely high loads, it might help keep the oil from getting as hot as it would have without the cooler but under normal driving conditions it is probably mostly just warming the oil.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

These are pictures of the oil cooler on our Carnival. It sits right next to the oil filter housing. It's about 3-4" square. I'm assuming it's a water-to-oil cooler, but I cannot find any info on it. I even have the oil system schematic from the FSM and it mentions nothing about it or its effectiveness. How much do you think this lowers the oil temps? Oil sump temps range from about 220 to 240 when fully warmed up, depending on driving conditions. Coolant typically sits around 210, unless the weather is really hot, then it sits around 190 or lower (likely to help with AC condenser effectiveness).

View attachment 294794

View attachment 294795

Technically it's a heat exchanger. They're used to warm the oil as quickly as possible.

 

[IndyIan]

https://www.heat-exchangers.uk/online-calculator/
Probably with this and some heat gun readings you could get a good idea. With sump oil temps that high I'd think its doing something as there could be a 40-50F temperature difference between the oil and the coolant.

 

[Astro14]

It probably just keeps the oil temp within a certain delta of engine coolant temp, just like a 6.0L Powerstroke.

That’s what I was going to say - and it’s probably pretty effective. Similar to the oil cooler on all of my old Volvos and on the Tundra.

 

[Klutch9]

https://www.heat-exchangers.uk/online-calculator/
Probably with this and some heat gun readings you could get a good idea. With sump oil temps that high I'd think its doing something as there could be a 40-50F temperature difference between the oil and the coolant.

40-50F seems optimistic, since the coolant sits around 210F. Only 20-30 degrees cooler than the oil.