When it comes to cooling, we have this common name in our
minds I.e. Coolant or Antifreeze. Though
your engine can be cooled down by these substances but if you are loading your
heavy vehicle to the Max, or you are driving at high speed in summer climate,
then you might need another add on which is called oil cooler.
You might have wondered when you saw the auto engine oil cooler on Parts avatar website that when you have cooling liquids present, then why
spend additional money on oil cooler.Cooling is essential to remove the high
amount of heat from the engine.
car Oil cooler is an
essential component of an engine that helps cars, SUVs or trucks run smoothly.
Oil coolers are essential for every extreme weather and driving condition so it
is very important for them to be in working condition. Oil coolers are
generally overlooked by the drivers as we solely depend on coolant. By time,
oil cooler would start showing the signs of aging and wear so it is important
to keep it maintained.
In this article, let us read about the essentials of using
oil coolers and how to detect a bad oil cooler.
Why do we need Oil
Cooler?
The very basic purpose of oil cooler is to remove the excess
heat from the oil. These are generally water to oil type coolers. When the oil
gets hotter, it becomes less viscous and due to film strength once the bearing
surfaces touch, the metal is removed and the oil pressure drops and engine
failure take place.
Thus the cooler is very essential, as
keeps the oil from warmest extremes of extreme road conditions and increases
the power and decreases the fuel consumption.
It should be noted that the oil to be used should be of standard viscosity. The design of any car will ensure
that sufficient cooling by airflow across the sump takes place under normal
conditions of use to keep the oil of chosen viscosity at its design
temperature.
Advantages of Oil over
water in engine with respect of cooling
1. as we know that oil has high boiling point than water, so
it can be used to cool the items at temperature of 100°C or higher. But pressurized water cooling may exceed the
temperature of 100 °C.
2. Oil is an electric insulator thus it can be used for direct
contact with electric components.
3.Water can increase corrosion but oil naturally helps to
prevent corrosion.
How long does an Oil
cooler last?
If the heat in engine does not escape, it can damage almost
every component inside.Ideally, oil cooler is supposed to last for the lifespan
of your car.Oil cooler is required to work whenever the engine runs. Oil at
high temperature would just ruin your engine. So there are some symptoms by
which you can detect whether the oil cooler needs replacement or not.
1. Engine coolant
leaking from oil cooler.
An external oil cooler failure may lead to leakage of coolant
from the engine. Coolant leak eventually leads to overheating of engine. Overheating is very bad for a car’s engine as if not cured, it may
ultimately damage multiple under the hood components.If the leak is small, you
will notice small amount of oil being puddle underneath the car on the ground.
A large amount of coolant leakage results in steam to pour out of the hood.
It does not matter how big a leak is, its end results are
always dangerous and damaging. So it is wise to call the mechanic immediately,
whenever you notice the leak as ignoring this could lead to multiple mechanical
component failure.
Make sure to turn off the engine whenever you notice any
symptom of overheating, as if the driving is continued, expensive repairs would
have to be done.Always keep a proper level of auto coolant/ Antifreeze in the engine.
2. Lack of lubrication
due to engine oil being slipped in cooling system
If the cooler adapter fails, due to high pressure built on
oil, the engine oil forces its way into the cooling system. Due to this, engine
components do not get oil for lubrication and further the components could be
damaged if the problem of lubrication increases.
3. Coolant in the oil
pan
In the cases when the engine is idle and the cooling system
is pressurized, then coolant can forcibly make its way into the auto engine oil pan.High
levels of oil pan can damage the engine by the crankshaft slapping the oil as
it rotates.
Thus save your engine from further damage by calling a
professional and get the oil cooler flushed or replaced as advised by the
professional.
4. Loss of oil due to
oil leaking from oil cooler
The oil cooler adapter is a vital component of oil cooling
system as it connects oil lines to the cooler and another adapter sends the cooled oil back into the oil
pan. As read above, the adapter failure leads the engine oil to leak into the
cooling system and it is very dangerous for the engine.
Engine must be protected from the leaks. So it is recommended
to contact your professional, whenever a leak is detected. If ignored, engine
parts would start wearing prematurely due to lack of lubrication and high
friction.
Other symptoms may include loss of engine power, black
exhaust fumes and engine misfiring. In any case, contact the mechanic sooner.
Oil cooler Repair
Oil cooler’s main purposes are lubrication and cooling. It is
not a DIY thing and you will need a professional to solve this issue.
Neglecting to act when the problem is detected can lead to severe damages and
expensive repairs.
So take help from a certified professional and don’t make
the damage worst by repairing it yourself.
Repairing and installing the oil cooler requires removal of
defective oil cooler, installing new cooler with the help of clamps and then
checking for leaks. Due to several conditions oil cooler may need replacement
every 50000 miles.
Make sure to use good quality oil and coolant for your engine
and keep it maintained.
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