Oil Cooler & piston ring size

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:45 pm

The car is a Model B, engine is a Chevy 383 stroker, .060 over etc.

The question concerns the oil cooler. Is it possible to have too large an oil cooler?

RS say a 16 row Mocal will do the job but I was thinking of using a bigger one as it is fitted horizontally between the chassis rails so it won't get much airflow. I'll fit a themostat and a temp gauge so it will only kick in once the oil is up to temp.

If I use a bigger one will it potentially rob the engine of oil? I don't have room for a kicked out sump so only have the standard volume of oil available.

Second question, is it best to use the oversize rings and file to size (and is it difficult) or easiest to get a set of rings already .060 over?

Thanks

Post by **katanaman** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:02 pm

A bigger cooler so long as it has a stat wont do any harm. It could possibly be a good thing as the larger cooler will flow more oil so long as the plumbing too and from it allows.
If you want tighter ring gaps I would find the right size of rings but ones that don't have the ring ends finished. Going too big a ring and file the end could leave you with rings that aren't the right shape as they will be compressed too much. There used to be a time when all rings had to be gaped but these days its less common and they fit out the box. If its that important to you then maybe see if you can find a set of zero gap rings to for your engine.

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:33 am

Thanks for the response, much appreciated.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:28 pm

the rings on my +30 chev pistons were for the size of pistons but were still file fit, you need a filing tool, mine was about £10 off ebay, but esential to do the job right. The job took an most of a day to do right, but well worth the time spent.
Mike

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:33 pm

A filing tool seems to be like the Holy Grail, only one came up on an Ebay shop and they are out of stock.......

Any ideas apart from getting one from the States where I can get my hands on one??

thanks

Post by **katanaman** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:40 pm

machine mart sell them under the product of diamond file.

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:58 pm

katanaman wrote:machine mart sell them under the product of diamond file.

Cheers, but unless I'm looking in the wrong place, nothing like it seems to come up.

I've tried Agriemach and Frost ... Looks like it might be from the States then ... booger...

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:03 pm

Where abouts in Bucks are you?
I have one I can lend
Mike

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:14 pm

kiwicar wrote:Where abouts in Bucks are you?
I have one I can lend
Mike

Mike, that was a great offer thanks .... hopefully I've found one and will update the forum when I get home tonight ...

I'm in Milton Keynes ...land of the roundabouts... (and the nice quick bits in between) ...

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:20 pm

MK as well
Mike

Post by **katanaman** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:16 pm

sorry if you search under hone you will find them.

BCoupe · Post by **BCoupe** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:59 pm

I managed to source a tool from an Ebay shop.

He was mega helpful and had it despatched by next day courier at no extra charge and I got it today.

He has some nifty tools so thought a link may be useful. Not too sure if he is good on price, but sometimes, as my old Dad would day "If you can't make it yourself, you have to pay someone else to make it"...

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Davethetoolss-Emporium

PS, thanks to all for your help