Adding an external oil cooler to a 97 3500

[tanman_2006]

my 97 k3500 does not have an oil cooler of any kind. It has an aftermarket aluminum radiator with internal and factory external trans cooler. The truck also has the ac pusher fan. Being its my tow rig I think it is fairly important to have an oil cooler.

How/where could I easily add a cooler?

 

[letitsnow]

The OEM oil cooler on my 3/4 ton is mounted to the core support, in front of the radiator. One should fit between the ac condensor and radiator, I think?

 

[Supercharged111]

Do you even know what your oil temps are? Too cold of oil is worse than reasonably hot oil. Towing in and of itself isn't necessarily hard on oil, high RPM is what gets it hot. If your coolant is around 200 then it's doubtful your oil will ever get hot enough to do anything.

 

[454cid]

my 97 k3500 does not have an oil cooler of any kind. It has an aftermarket aluminum radiator with internal and factory external trans cooler. The truck also has the ac pusher fan. Being its my tow rig I think it is fairly important to have an oil cooler.

How/where could I easily add a cooler?

So consider yourself lucky because the lines always leak.

 

[tanman_2006]

Hydraulic hoses are cheap and last for ever if you make sure they don't rub. Common problem on 6.5's

 

[454cid]

Hydraulic hoses are cheap and last for ever if you make sure they don't rub. Common problem on 6.5's

On the 454, you've got to use the quick connects on the block side, otherwise there will be no flow. One is restricted in such a manner that causes a pressure differential. If you just connect open line, you'll get a dead loop of oil. The factory ports are also small. Boats usually bypass it, and use a filter adapter for the oil cooler lines, instead of the oem ports in the block, according to what I''ve read on it.

 

[Supercharged111]

My near 10 year old Dorman hoses on the 1500 are only beginning to leak, I can't say new stuff has been problematic for me. Except PS lines, I'm on my 3rd or 4th.

 

[tanman_2006]

Are both ports supposed to be above the filter mount?

My thoughts were to use an oil filter mount with oil cooler ports. I wouldn't mind doing a relocation so I could use a bigger filter and put the oil cooler in line maybe

 

[454cid]

My near 10 year old Dorman hoses on the 1500 are only beginning to leak, I can't say new stuff has been problematic for me. Except PS lines, I'm on my 3rd or 4th.

Really? The Dorman I bought only last about a year before it started leaking. I ended up just plugging the block ports.

 

[Supercharged111]

Are both ports supposed to be above the filter mount?

My thoughts were to use an oil filter mount with oil cooler ports.

On a 350 they're in the filter adapter. On a 454 they're in the block. You never said what your actual oil temps are. What are they?