Types of oil Cooler
There are two main types:
1. Air-Cooled Oil Cooler (Most Common)
This is the type you’ll typically see on performance cars, motorcycles, and heavy-duty trucks. It looks like a small, metallic radiator.
- Construction: It consists of a core of fins and tubes, often made of aluminum or brass for excellent heat transfer.
- Process:
- Hot oil from the engine is pumped through the tubes.
- As the car moves, cool air passes over the fins.
- The heat from the oil transfers through the tube walls into the fins and is then carried away by the air.
- The now-cooled oil returns to the engine to start the process again.
2. Water-Cooled Oil Cooler
This type is often integrated into the engine’s cooling system and is common in many modern passenger cars.
- Construction: It looks like a small canister or housing.
- Process:
- Hot oil flows through one set of passages inside the cooler.
- Cooler engine coolant from the radiator flows through a separate set of passages adjacent to the oil passages.
- Heat transfers from the hot oil to the cooler coolant.
- The coolant then carries the heat away to the main radiator to be dissipated.
This method is very effective for bringing oil up to temperature quickly from a cold start and maintaining a stable temperature, but it’s less extreme than an air-to-oil system.