Best Oil Cooler Location

[blandy 29]

Easy question is a oil cooler better off in front of or behind the radiator?

 

I'm coming to the end of my supercharger install. My bm rad should be here this week enabling me to get it all up and running but one thing in stuck deciding on is what to do with the oil cooler and charger oil cooler. I see a lot of other charged cars are putting the coolers either side under the headlights but would they be better behind/in front of the rad?

[boldy205 75]

Mine is in front of rad, after its first S/C track day it semed ok. As you said a lot of people mount them where the driving lights are.

[blandy 29]

Before the charger it was in front of the rad and no issues but thinking if I can put it behind I can then run 2 fans instead of 1. I've searched on google and doesn't really give a definitive answer wether in front of behind is best.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

1 rad fan should be more than adequate really. All it has to do is be able to control temperature when the car is stopped after being running along at speed.

I have always put the oil cooler in front of the rad.

Here is some brackets I made and welded into one of the Bbm radiators.

[Ryan 99]

I can't see it making more than a couple of degrees difference. As long as there's enough airflow it will work either way.

[boldy205 75]

As stated general rule of thumb is place it in front of rad, oil temp when driving flat out on track will soon rise! I run 1 fan (aprox height of the standard rad) which is more than enough for the set up, bearing in mind a standard 1.9 Gti only uses 1 fan.

[petert 586]

Bends on the -10 hoses might be a bit tight if behind the radiator. If in front you can make nice, sweeping bends.

Edited September 21, 2015 by petert

[engine killer 6]

We run 2 fans as standard in Hong Kong as the temperature here can reach 34 degree celsius for a couple months and in a traffic jam 39.

I have the cooler mounted at the front and survived a couple trackdays in the summer.