V8 oil cooler - yes or no?

[Junglie]

Morning all,

My V8 has an adapter for an oil cooler on the end of the pump. Obviously the 2.5 NAD that it's replacing has no need for such a thing...but in reality does the V8?

Happy to plumb it in if consensus is that I should, but in all honesty if i don't actually need it then it's one less thing to buy, work out how to connect and then fix leaks on later.

90% of use will be just mucking about and being a light utility vehicle. I don't expect to do lots of off-roading (though there will probably be some) and I'll be trying to avoid sitting in heavy traffic going nowhere.

There's also a cooler takeoff on the new R380 gearbox which I believe is wildly unnecessary but I have no idea how to get rid of so will probably just blank off the pipe in/outlets. (If anyone can tell me the part number for the non-cooler bit that would be great - I can't find it). Don't want to have to open a newly rebuilt box to do it though...

[Paul C]

https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-rover-defender-gearbox/r380/extension-case_53547

The cooler adaptor or bypass is 18 in the parts diagram. If you have FTC2687 and want to sell it I would be interested. 

I have an oil cooler on my 110 engine and a gauge, in traffic on hot days or on hill climbs it does creep up but with the cooler never goes above halfway on the gauge, when it drops or normally running it sits at about 1/4 on the gauge, never had it without the gauge so can't answer on that. 

[Paul C]

FTC2104 is the bypass without temp sender, FTC4053 bypass with temp sender.

[Bowie69]

For the V8, I wouldn't bother in this country, you'll never get the oil temp really hot enough to warrant it unless working it extremely hard.

 

[Phill B]

If you're not towing a lot, or off roading, I wouldn't bother.

[Snagger]

I’m adding an oil cooler to my RRC’s R380 and had to buy that adaptor from Ashcroft.  I’m trying to eliminate the crunching on change up to second gear, which is typical of R380s, even with fairly low miles, once the oil is warm (the box is also being rebuilt).  I’d recommend keeping the cooler system if you already have it - the genuine system has a thermostat, so won’t overcool the oil but will work when it gets hot.  The standard northern installation of the bypass fitting is fine in most instances, but a definite downgrade.  It’s only benefits are a lack of maintenance of hoses and unions and it was cheaper in manufacture.

[FridgeFreezer]

I run two 4.6's both with R380's - no additional cooling beyond the rad on either, temperature tell-tale stickers on everything (oil filter, sump, rad, gearbox, transfer box) and nothing has ever got hot enough to be of concern.

All blanked off, less to plumb, less to go wrong or get damaged.

[rusty_wingnut]

On 6/11/2023 at 6:24 PM, Snagger said:

I’m adding an oil cooler to my RRC’s R380 and had to buy that adaptor from Ashcroft.  I’m trying to eliminate the crunching on change up to second gear, which is typical of R380s, even with fairly low miles, once the oil is warm (the box is also being rebuilt).  I’d recommend keeping the cooler system if you already have it - the genuine system has a thermostat, so won’t overcool the oil but will work when it gets hot.  The standard northern installation of the bypass fitting is fine in most instances, but a definite downgrade.  It’s only benefits are a lack of maintenance of hoses and unions and it was cheaper in manufacture.

No crunch on mine at some 320k miles

[Snagger]

9 hours ago, rusty_wingnut said:

No crunch on mine at some 320k miles

Mine only crunches on rushed change-ups, but it is a common problem that doesn’t get better without intervention.  A lot of LT77s and R380s suffer badly from it, even with slower gear selection, and some continue to do it after rebuilds.  It seems some synchro baulk rings are made with rounded teeth instead of triangular, which won’t work.

[rusty_wingnut]

9 hours ago, Snagger said:

Mine only crunches on rushed change-ups, but it is a common problem that doesn’t get better without intervention.  A lot of LT77s and R380s suffer badly from it, even with slower gear selection, and some continue to do it after rebuilds.  It seems some synchro baulk rings are made with rounded teeth instead of triangular, which won’t work.

I should of also said I've got a slick shifter thing that only adds to the speed of the change.....

[Snagger]

Well, I did say a lot of LT77s and R380s have the issue as they get used.  From around 60k onwards seems common.  I didn’t say it was normal, as it clearly is a wear defect, and I didn’t say it was ubiquitous, just common.

My point earlier is that adding an oil cooler may not be entirely necessary, though it could prove beneficial in cases like mine (I hope so, or I’ll have wasted a couple of hundred pounds) or for those who work their transmissions hard, and is certainly a downgrade when removing an existing system - the pipes are sited for decent protection, so the only real vulnerabilities are perished hoses (not that expensive to have replaced at a hydraulics specialist) or a stone through the oil cooler, which would be exceptionally unlikely with its siting.

[Snagger]

Coincidental but serendipitous timing, BritRest just did a video on the matter and released it last night.