CHECK Your OIL COOLERS Regularly..

As you know being a Series II Owner your Two (or One) front Oil Coolers have much larger openings for greatly improved surface area air flow, BUT, I have also noticed the OC's are more exposed to the 'elements' so to speak.

I regularly get a small Flash Light (Torch), get on my knees and look at the Oil Cooler FRONTS..

Make up a very small skewer or Kebab stick and a wire paper clip bent out as a straight piece of wire with a small hook on one end.

So, with this hook I gently clean out the BUGS and Very Small Road stones that get caught in or between the FINS.

One thing you will also notice are these FINS are VERY Delicate, even a Bee will bend them over or a Fly...almost ANY Bug will!

What I do after removing the "Bug(S)" is straighten up the "Bent" fins, this is where a Kebab Stick comes in handy....you sometimes won't get them perfect but better that nothing.

There you go, YES I know it is not all that BUT your Renny and Oil will like you for it..

Also, there is the option of installing FRONT Screens or Mesh to protect the Oil Coolers...look I am a bit 50:50 on this one as you need large enough mesh holes so you do not "inhibit" the Air Flow too much, and then if they are too large they serve little purpose in stopping Bugs, etc..

 

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I went with the "damned if you do".............I got screens!

 

But a fin comb.

 

^............Amen.
I got one for my A/C fins in the house, and of course I use that.

 

I figured the screens were more for stopping bigger debris like a rock that might do some damage rather than bugs or pebbles.

I need to go out and clean mine some time, I'm sure its filled with bugs.

 

I use a hair pick - not really.

 

get the RB oil cooler screens, they are perfect and cheap

 

Damn I didn't know Harbor Freight had a website. To think I've been driving down there this whole time. Well you can't see Michelle on the website... stalker... I know.

 

^Dude I been telling people to buy rad combs for the longest time lol

 

Thanks Jeff...
Had a look at the link...

Is that Comb small, as in would there be enough room, would appreciate a how to use it..

 

So wasps can bend fins?

Kind of reminds me of my August 2003 post -

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...80&postcount=3

Protect those oil coolers!

Just back from a trip to the big city, I found the oil coolers both had lots of bugs jammed in them. The moths etc. where just debris, easily hosed away, but the bees and wasps had done damage to the little fins of the coolers - I was amazed how much damage a wasp can do, and maybe some more serious damage from a small stone...

So I fabbed up some soft nylon mesh covers - black, with 1/8th inch holes - reaches right behind the fog lights all the way into the corners of the coolers - perfect.

If you want to make these for yourself, I have done the measuring- each side takes a piece 6.75 x 10.25 inches. (bigger than they look!)

A sheet of this nylon is exactly big enough for the two coolers, and cost me 67 cents!

 

I went through and straightened all my oil cooler fins this last summer. I felt very OCD

 

... I bought that fin comb and none of them fit too well into the oil cooler. Ended up using a few round wooden toothpicks in a pinch grip, that worked much better and faster for me. YMMV.

 

Yeah, frankly that Fin Comb looks like a load of BS, Mazda's fins are so frails it would do more damage, or you cant even get into the area because the Fin Wheel on the Comb gets in the way.
Unless it dismantles into a smaller tool..?
Might be OK if the Cooler/Radiator was out of the car...it just looks bloody awkward.

 

^...............not the one I got. Mine might work a little better than what Jeff proposed, but anything would be okay as long as you are careful.

 

Welcome to my nightmare!

 

That is the exact tool I use and it works perfectly.
You just gotta use the correct technique.
You start with the outside edges where the fins are relatively straight and work your way across.

 

You too mate...glad I am not the ONLY one

I guess this is what happens when you own any great car..

Even after a year of ownership and using it every day...I am disappointed at the end of my journey/day...I have had MANY cars, but never have I had a car do this to me....never.

 

Let's not bring religion and race into this.

 

Do RB grills fit exact or are there gaps to either corner????

As there are a few uk members that have grilles but not an exact fit. worst luck.

Cheers
Mark.

 

My Racing Beat oil cooler screen covers the hole oil cooler and no gaps

 

My experience with a Snap-On and a Napa comb. Ended up using a flathead eyeglasses screwdriver. Worked perfect.

 

......................very nice

 

Hate to bring up old topics, got back from break a little while ago and I (probably) dont have time to wait for two online orders so I figure I'll just ask. Does anyone know the # fins/inch on the oil coolers? I checked mine out of curiosity and found a nasty surprised that many (around 30%) on each cooler are bent. I was going to order one asap, but I have no clue on the specs.

 

New OEM Series II Oil Coolers, they are NOT the same as Series 1 and are expensive @ about $600 USD EACH!....sorry I don't have fin/inch specs, also OEM Oil Coolers have built in Thermostats.
Be careful IF you go non-genuine..re: oil Temperature..

N3R1-14-700 Oil Cooler LEFT SIDE
N3R2-14-700 Oil Cooler RIGHT SIDE

Again, Your Series II Oil Coolers are model specific and are not used on any other Mazda.