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Oil & water radiator differences

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stirlinggaz
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Joined: 22 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: 16:29 - 12 Jan 2019    Post subject: Oil & water radiator differences Reply with quote
Hi all,
Another stupid question but what exactly is the difference between an oil coiler/radiator & a radiator intended for water cooling?
They are both sealed & if they have similar amounts of cooling fins do they do the same job?
Could they be interchangeable?

cheers,
GAZ
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WD Forte
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Joined: 17 Jun 2010
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PostPosted: 16:49 - 12 Jan 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote
Basically, surface area.
They're both heat exchangers where the hot fluid loses heat
as it passes through an area cooler than the engine
Coolant heat exchangers tend to be lerger and often fan assisted
as the engine carries more coolant than oil

Interchangeble?
mmm, yeah ,kinda, in way
BUT
Oil pressure is higher then coolant pressure so an oil cooler would serve as small radiator better/safer than a small rad as an oil cooler.
you're looking at roughly 100psi vs 12 psi
I wouldn't do it.
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Riejufixing
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Joined: 24 Jun 2018
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PostPosted: 16:52 - 12 Jan 2019    Post subject: Re: Oil & water radiator differences Reply with quote
stirlinggaz wrote:
what exactly is the difference between an oil coiler/radiator & a radiator intended for water cooling?
They are both sealed & if they have similar amounts of cooling fins do they do the same job?
Could they be interchangeable?


They both do the same job of cooling liquid, but (I assume) an oil cooler is likely to be able to handle a higher pressure but a lower flow rate. ICBW. I'd sort of doubt that they're interchangeable.
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MCN
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Joined: 22 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 19:21 - 12 Jan 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote
WD Forte wrote:
Basically, surface area.
They're both heat exchangers where the hot fluid loses heat
as it passes through an area cooler than the engine
Coolant heat exchangers tend to be lerger and often fan assisted
as the engine carries more coolant than oil

Interchangeble?
mmm, yeah ,kinda, in way
BUT
Oil pressure is higher then coolant pressure so an oil cooler would serve as small radiator better/safer than a small rad as an oil cooler.
you're looking at roughly 100psi vs 12 psi
I wouldn't do it.


The oil is probably cooled on it's path back into the sump so it will not have much pressure in it apart from some resistance due to restrictions of the tubes.

Cooling systems are (for argument sake) pressurised but the pressure in the cooling system is for a different reason
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stirlinggaz
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Joined: 22 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: 09:09 - 13 Jan 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi all,
& thanks for the replies.
So in THEORY could an oil cooler system be used as a water coolant system?
Providing the rads were of very close volume/size?

cheers,
GAZ
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MCN
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Joined: 22 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 09:38 - 13 Jan 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote
stirlinggaz wrote:
Hi all,
& thanks for the replies.
So in THEORY could an oil cooler system be used as a water coolant system?
Providing the rads were of very close volume/size?

cheers,
GAZ


Well not really.

Oil porting is very much narrower than coolant porting.

10mm pipes v 30mm pipes.

Engine cooling relies heavily on flow rather than pressure (of the flow).
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stirlinggaz
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Joined: 22 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: 10:43 - 13 Jan 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote
MCN wrote:


Well not really.

Oil porting is very much narrower than coolant porting.

10mm pipes v 30mm pipes.

Engine cooling relies heavily on flow rather than pressure (of the flow).


Hi,
Gotcha!
That makes more sense to me.
I was just interested in the differences, as my simple mind was telling me they do the same thing.

cheers,
GAZ
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Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 7 years, 2 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
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