Originally Posted by
Ian S
It might be better to not obstruct the radiator with the oil cooler as the water cooling might be the more marginal area. Certainly my 5 ran too hot when the rad was a bit blocked up with Bars Leak that someone fitted into the water. I had to get a new rad after that.
You don't want to over cool the oil, 90 or so °C is what Renault seem to have selected. So why fit a big cooler? On a track lapping car, maybe. With standard rad, my oil temp never exceeded 120°C, IIRC, on extended periods of full throttle at the hottest part the the year. And that may have been using 24psi boost. IIRC, it would quickly drop back to 100°C so, then down to 90°C.
Are you planning to block all that open area around the side of the rad, where the air scoop is? Or a lot of the potential cooling air will simply bypass the coolers and go in there instead. I presume you're going to use all the original cowling / ducting that Renault must have felt was necessary to get sufficient air onto the rad? The cup racers used it and would also use squirty foam to block air leaks past it, and also around the original intercooler.
In the photo, that air scoop appears to have a nasty flat area / ridge around the outlet that might cause some restriction with higher air flow, just when you want the lowest restriction. A proper 'trumpet' shaped inlet would probably do better, and also compressing the air as it goes in.
