5 replies to this topic

[rendersonique]

Hi all,
I had a problem back in August which lead me to having to rebuild my engine after a big end bearing faliure. I am taking some time over the christmas break to get my car back on the road. I received the engine back from the engine shop back in September, dropped the unit back into the car 2 months ago, and two days ago set to securing the engine and adding all of the ancillaries.

So this is the position I am in at present, but am slightly paranoid about what could have caused the bearing to failure in the first place. Wanting to be on the safe side I am just looking at the arrangment around the oil cooler. Below is a picture of the hoses that go from the oil filter to the oil cooler and then back to the engine block.



As you can see in the middle of the image is a union that houses a thermostat for the oil (The lower fitting is for the oil temp sensor). Is this required? I was thinking that if this failed it could stop the flow of oil back to the engine.

Can I just say that I have owned the car for 4 years and I rebuilt it when I first got it putting it back together in the same configuration without question. Obviously I want to rule out any suspect / unnecassary item this time round.

Thanks in advance.

Andy

[Cooperman]

Hard to identify your bearing failure mode. Not many run an oil thermostat, but they can be a good thing in theory. All I do is blank off part of the oil cooler in very cold weather with a piece of baking foil. That seems to work and so long as the engine runs at above 70 deg C it should be fine.

[Paul Wiginton]

Why do you have an oil cooler?
It could be the cause of your problem. If your oil isnt hot enough its can be as bad as it being too hot.
My full race 1380 monster doesnt run a cooler. If I dont need it you probably dont either


Paul

[Turbo Phil]

I agree with Paul. Unless you monitor the oil temp how can you say you'll need a cooler ? I run a heavily modded Turbo motor & don't have an oil cooler fitted, the oil rarely gets anywhere near hot enough to warrant one.
If I was doing constant track day use or similar I'd say it may be needed, but on the road even under "spirited" driving it just doesn't need it.

[Cooperman]

I only need a cooler because I have a big full-length sump guard, 2 big spotlights with provision for another 2 for international historic events plus very low gearing and the oil would otherwise get very hot indeed.
My Innocenti has a 10-row cooler, but it's too much for normal driving and I blank 1/2 of it off except on very hot days (that's my 'stat'.).

[Ethel]

There are arrows on the 'stat. Connect the engine to a pair pointing in the same direction and the cooler to the pair pointing in the opposite direction. The temp sensor housing would be best between engine outlet & the 'stat so it shows the oil at its hottest with or without flow through the cooler.

As everyone as said, the 'stat should hardly ever open.