Oil Cooler swap.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

A while ago I was at pick a part messing around for fun, and I found out you can swap a gmt-400 radiator in a square. One benefit was it has a internal oil cooler, and can be had cheap. I also seem to find fairly new ones, but the new cost is cool too.

Well since I got my dream job in HVAC I have a service van for work, and I am now going to use a 475hp 406sbc I have in my moms garage from a previous project that died electrically. I do not plan to do much besides re-gasket it a bit, rebuild the carb, and drop it in to the truck. I plan to mod the oil pan for more capacity as I have 3 extra's laying around. So I think the oil cooler would be a nice addition to the motor.

Are they leak prone or do they really not work well enough to justify the work. I do not plan to tow much with this truck, but mostly short Home Depot runs. So I would like to just use the basic in radiator cooler as to not mess with my AC system.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

You don't want your oil being to cold. That's actually much worse for the engine. Adding capacity to the oil pan and keeping a stock volume or 10%+ volume pump is plenty fine for general competition. Unless your racing mark Donahue and roger Penske at Laguna seca for several laps its not generally needed.

Good evidence of this is on the c4 vettes is when the switched from Dino oil to synthetic they dropped oil coolers as part of the package. Reason being synthetic is much more stable at higher temps. Full roller rockers reduce oil temps too. There's several other ways than an oil cooler that will give all the benefits and no downfalls IMHO