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aftermarket oil cooler questions

Mikey von

Mikey von

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Location
Burney, CA
I am looking at getting a oil cooler from pmdcable or lubercation specalist. These are designed as bolt-on replacements for the nbs trucks with 6.5l engines. My 6.2l '89 originally had the oil cooler in the radiator, but I would like to use one up front.

Anyone use one of these kits on a obs truck or suburban???

I figure I would have to fab up a mounting bracket or get one from pick'n'pull and make it fit.

What about oil line length??? Are the lines long enough??
 
I would think greg or leroy could make custom length hoses if needed. The routing of the hoses is different from the oe lines on your truck. With either of the kits, the hoses follow the block and run under the motor mount. So any difference in length would be the difference from the front of the engine to the core support. There is a couple of pics of the pmdcable set-up in this thread http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showthread.php?t=18104
 
IMHO

If you want to run an after market cooler, great.

Yank the grill, find a suitable spot for the cooler (that allows hose access) and bolt it in.

Make or get made a set of oil lines (stainless braid is nice) using JIC fittings and hook up the lines and your set.

This is not rocket science and you have lots of latitude.

Have fun


Missy
 
I kinda wonder if that is better or not. The factory Rad in the OBS trucks is tremendous and can probably cool the oil better.
Ie:
Alot of people disconnect the factory trans coolers from the rad to run external aftermarket ones and end up running much hotter because they can't cool as well as the factory liquid cooled one. Of course the debate begins with the fact that GM later went to external Air cooled Oil coolers on the 6.5 which runs much hotter temps so I'm not sure on this one but to me the best possible scenario would be to keep the in rad one and add the external in the loop....
Opinions ?
 
Once I ditch the th400 for a NV4500, I plan on "upgrading" my radiator. My new one will just handle water cooling with no other internal radiators such as the oil and trans.

Trying to figure out if I should buy a kit (greg says many folks have used his kits in older 6.2's) or if I should get a big block gasser oil cooler and have napa make the lines???
 
ak diesel driver said:
Leroy advertises his from 88-00
Click to expand...

yes 88-00 trucks. Suburbans, K5's, and crew cabs run the obs through '91. His kit (and greg's) are for nbs rigs. Greg just informed me that his kits (as I am sure Leroy's are also) are good to go on the obs trucks and I am ordering one up as we speak.
 
Only bad thing about the factory coolers were they had the same issues with leaking crimps as the newer 6.5s have as well. Seems GM could never make a line and the ones on our vintAge are harder to fab as they run across the rad and are stupid money to replace.
 
Yup

A good aftermarket cooler thats about a foot square or close connected using Braided reinforced line with JIC fittings works sweet.

The factory lines as mentioned are crazy spendy and notorious for leaking after a couple years.

Just helped a friend with a cooler line issue on his GM Van.

We used an aftermarket cooler and the reusable fittings and line.

Cheap compared to the cost of the new lines.


MGW
 
Acesneights1 said:
Only bad thing about the factory coolers were they had the same issues with leaking crimps as the newer 6.5s have as well. Seems GM could never make a line and the ones on our vintAge are harder to fab as they run across the rad and are stupid money to replace.
Click to expand...

Don't remind me. I had to buy the portions that run across the rad from the dealer. it's a dealer only part even 20+ years later.

Mine are leaking too. The front shock is covered with what seems to be an oily mess and there's a drop on the bottom of each oil cooler line at the crimp.

Can the crimps be cut off and hose clamps be used in their place? I've been debating that since that's the only spot where it leaks.
 
I've got one of the aftermarket ones. right now it's just running straight(no rad) the only problem is the oil get's awful thick this time of year. they do make a bypass/thermostat for it just gotta wait for funds to arrive.
 
iamdave0887 said:
Don't remind me. I had to buy the portions that run across the rad from the dealer. it's a dealer only part even 20+ years later.

Mine are leaking too. The front shock is covered with what seems to be an oily mess and there's a drop on the bottom of each oil cooler line at the crimp.

Can the crimps be cut off and hose clamps be used in their place? I've been debating that since that's the only spot where it leaks.
Click to expand...
If your careful I have hear of people doing it successfully. Use a whizzer.
 
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