mocal and fluidyne have coolers that will work----you would have to change your plumbing fittings. Like MM says our coolers do not scrub heat well
i believe Jay Goldberg installed a 3nd cooler last year a low profile fluidyne one across the front-low part of the airdam.
The units are out there--speed source run mocals i believe. If I was to fi you better be damn sure I would install better oil coolers. And a better water pump(mazmart when it is ready!!) No flame to anyone on that meant.
I believe 260 on the street with those ambient temps. I also believe in ticking time bombs!
olddragger

 

dan what is the flow rates on those 2nd gen?
OD

 

sorry to going off topic for a split second, but olddragger I've noticed you kept on spelling "3nd cooler", but shouldn't it be "3rd cooler"? lol. Anyways, sorry, I am being very annoying.

 

when it comes to wasting your time, effort, and money I'm sure any place will do i.e. what exactly have you done to your RX-8 to justify said supporting mod?

 

^^ Another to the point post Who where you asking...exactly what

 

While I don't feel its very helpful or productive to ask me that, I'll dignify it with a response:

The car is bone stock. I'm planning on using it on HPDE days. I've never driven a street car on the track, but in the 9 or so years I've been road racing, I've spent my fair share of time panicing on the false grid watching my temps go through the roof. I've chatted a bit via PM with OD and his insights have led me to believe that I may face some serious cooling problems in the heat of summer, at least on the track.

I think rotarygod summarized my feelings on the subject nicely: You don't need to have a problem before you make something better or more efficient. I'd rather have too much oil and water cooling ability and then let the thermostats take care of it rather than having too little and wondering what will happen in the longterm. -RG

 

Couldn't a greddy oil pan act a third oil cooler? More oil, alumunum made...

 

keep in mind he's in Georgia and your in the northeast....

 

Does anyone know the size of the stock oil coolers off hand?

 

Lime Rock in july is like the surface of the sun. I dont know how any place in connecticut can get that hot, but it does!

 

The locatin of the coolers and their proximity to the asphault should not be underestimated.
There have been days that I have gotten on I-10 with an ambient temp of 105°F and watched the thermo display climb to over 130°F.
The actual surface temp can be as high as 160°F!

 

Like many others in this thread, I go to HPDE sessions also. I don't have anything but the OEM idiot gauges in my RX-8 - so I can't claim my temperatures. That written, last summer I tracked in bright and sunny 100+ ambient temps all day (8, 25 min sessions) with the OEM oil coolers and radiator with a 50/50 coolant water mix and full 5w20. The car never overheated, never pulled timing, and never missed a beat. There was a NSX, however, on track that day that couldn't go more than 10 minutes without starting to overheat.

Point being, in my experience, with factory, NA power levels our cooling system is more than up to task for HPDE events. I'd be more worried about better brake pads and fluids than this.

 

Personally, I think a third oil cooler is overkill on an "NA" RX-8. Oil temps running the "stock" dual oil cooler setup on my '93 RX-7 R1 roughly parallel my water temps. In fact, in the middle of winter I have a hard time getting my oil temps warm ENOUGH when running down the freeway. That being said, install aftermarket water and oil temp gauges, take it to the track, run a few sessions to gather data to FIRST determine if you have a problem, then take action (if necessary). Just my .02.

 

I guess it is a case-by-case sort of thing, then.

 

Regret usually isn't a trait that is associated with those who believe in overkill. The opposite isn't necessarily true though. I see no waste of time or money in making something more efficient or giving it extra capacity. I do see time and money being wasted by those who do things again though. It's not to say an upgrade is needed but you get the point.

 

I agree. My point was more to emphasize that the car - at least my RX-8 - has taken some extreme conditions very well. I don't believe anyone should be dissuaded from the track with their NA RX-8 that still has factory oil and water cooling capabilities. But if you want the extra insurance, knock yourself out.

 

lots of good things being said. i do agree on one thing in particular---get gauges and see were you are. You would not want to modify and cooling system--be it coolant or oil without gauges. So get them. Find out if your enviroment, in your car/set up, and your driving style whether there is a need and exactly what that need is(in reference to cooling).
From day one I have always said --get gauges. if your track in any car---get gauges.
i will guarantee one thing. if you are in the middle of a session on a 80f day and the red flag is flown, then you HAVE to stop ---right? Well once you do in about 15 secs you will start seeing the oil temp gauges moving straight up. If I had not had gauges I will bet you the oil temp would have been risen to 260. I shut her down(painfully) as the temps nudged past 240f and was climbing fast. it was another couple of minutes before the permission was given to roll again. The a/c trick to activate the fans(before i had early fan activation) did not help with the oil temps--coolant temps were not off the chart.
Temps on the street can rise very quickly also--but you always have options on the street.
As I get more experience on the track--and learn more--I start driving harder. That is when I think i am going to have to address the oil cooling . I think it may be this year. I think I will have to add a thermostat and replace one cooler with a better design. This remains to be seen. But it is my main look out this summer.
olddragger
olddragger

 

in that case 10 oil coolers wouldn't have helped you out as a radiator relies on air blowing through it to transfer heat out of the fluid and into the air. Your car had warm oil, the chassis has soaked in a bunch of heat, and your inches away from the hot pavement - without forced airflow your coolers are just sitting in an oven.

...which is exaclty what drift cars experience between runs and why that RX8 has blowers on the oil coolers

 

Larger oil coolers and oil cooler fans would probably do the trick.

You should not see oil temps ENTERING the engine exceed 210*F so if you are getting above this, you REALLY need to address the issue.

 

RG good idea--my site is the rb adaptor--measuring on return from the coolers would be an excellence thing to do----hmmmmmm

rotor-- thats right and thats why we have been talking about fans also
olddragger

 

I have the lotek pod waiting to go in. Now if the ProSport gauges I ordered ever come in, I'll be able to get a handle on whats going on with my temps.

While I apreciate the insights on to weather or not additional cooling is needed, this is a discussion limited to possible improvements to the system. This is not a debate as to weather said modifications are necessary.

I've spent too much money in my life on racing equipment damaged by overheating to not be concerned by some of the oil temp talk on this forum. This car is my daily driver, and it would be more troublesome to have it suffer some horrible fate at the track than my race car (which is sans motor, thanks departed valve seat!).

 

GOOD THINKING!
If it was me I would go with cooler replacement rather than adding the 3nd. Check out summitt racing--they have a good selection of fans available --I have my eye on the 7" one. They also have some pretty good coolers--I know they are a great company to deal with--great support. But if i replaced a cooler I think it would be with a mocal one. I know Jay used a 3nd low profile fluidyne cooler mounted in the bottom of the air dam right before the a/c condenser . He didnt use any fans.
As dan has said the 2nd gen cooler is a better one also. I like the idea of a single fan for when needed on the street and during those cool down times on the track. Thermostatic activation for the fan is available.
Do consider a thermostat as you also dont want to be too cool or have long warm ups.
I still do not advocate screens for the oil coolers.
This w/e there is a time trial 8 running--not in our regular group--i will see if he has modded anything concerning this.
olddragger

 

Do you know what our stock oil coolers are made of - aluminum - I assume?

Also, there is always talk about a more efficient water pump, but what about a more efficient oil pump? Maybe something Mazmart would be interested in...caviation is maybe not an issue due to the properties of the oil vs. water, but pumping more volume maybe? I don't know, just throwing things out there...

 

we dont have an oil pump.
OD

 

D'oh...haven't thought about this one, clearly. I guess I'm off to searching through some of your older cooling threads on this one...