What I did was tap the opening between the inlet and outlet side of the oil cooler, and put a bolt in there, with plenty of lock-tite.



The car takes a lot longer to fully warm up when its really cold outside, but I just run a thinner weight oil in the winter to make up for the colder oil running through the engine.

I had my cooler professionally cleaned and serviced by a FAA certified cooler shop. They c;eaned and tested the cooler including the valve. If the shop you used did not do a recirculating hot flush, then how did they get the cleaning fluid and crud out of the cooler? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

8871-14-810 is the part number for the pellet, banzai and i pay $45 for it, we have to eat so i can sell it for $50....

[quote name='mazdaspeed7' date='Mar 20 2005, 01:24 AM']What I did was tap the opening between the inlet and outlet side of the oil cooler, and put a bolt in there, with plenty of lock-tite.



The car takes a lot longer to fully warm up when its really cold outside, but I just run a thinner weight oil in the winter to make up for the colder oil running through the engine.


[/quote]



From the inlet side right? so you tapped aluminium, and you used a steel machine screw w/ loctite and still used a plug in place of the valve assembly, or just left the assembly there? Do you think putting a nut on the other end of the machine screw would offer a little more strength? I don't drive it in the winter, so ambient temp will be 75+, and I never jump in it and go, it will have 15-20 minutes to warm up some



[quote name='banzaitoyota' date='Mar 20 2005, 05:29 AM']I had my cooler professionally cleaned and serviced by a FAA certified cooler shop. They c;eaned and tested the cooler including the valve. If the shop you used did not do a recirculating hot flush, then how did they get the cleaning fluid and crud out of the cooler? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


[/quote]



I don't think the cleaning process worked, if the valve didn't open. The bypass area is as clean as a whistle, but the cooler rows are probably still contaminated





[quote name='j9fd3s' date='Mar 20 2005, 07:49 AM']8871-14-810 is the part number for the pellet, banzai and i pay $45 for it, we have to eat so i can sell it for $50....


[/quote]



I haven't deceided which way to go yet but I will keep this in mind, thanks

[quote name='89 Rag' date='Mar 20 2005, 07:05 PM']From the inlet side right? so you tapped aluminium, and you used a steel machine screw w/ loctite and still used a plug in place of the valve assembly, or just left the assembly there? Do you think putting a nut on the other end of the machine screw would offer a little more strength? I don't drive it in the winter, so ambient temp will be 75+, and I never jump in it and go, it will have 15-20 minutes to warm up some

I don't think the cleaning process worked, if the valve didn't open. The bypass area is as clean as a whistle, but the cooler rows are probably still contaminated

I haven't deceided which way to go yet but I will keep this in mind, thanks


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I guess I should have been more clear. When you take out the thermal valve, there is a bypass hole in the divider between the sections of the drivers side end tank. Its where the oil flows through when the valve isnt blocking the hole. You can only get to one side of it, through the bolt you took out to get the thermal valve out. I tapped that bypass hole, and put in a bolt. You really need to take the valve out and look at it to understand. Its kinda hard to explain if you dont know what youre looking at, but once you look at it, its very clear.

[quote name='mazdaspeed7' date='Mar 20 2005, 03:37 PM']I guess I should have been more clear. When you take out the thermal valve, there is a bypass hole in the divider between the sections of the drivers side end tank. Its where the oil flows through when the valve isnt blocking the hole. You can only get to one side of it, through the bolt you took out to get the thermal valve out. I tapped that bypass hole, and put in a bolt. You really need to take the valve out and look at it to understand. Its kinda hard to explain if you dont know what youre looking at, but once you look at it, its very clear.


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I assumed you tapped it from the inlet side, with the hose/fitting removed you see the other side of the bypass area. When I measured into the inlet hole and into the thermal valve hole, the material in between is thicker than I imagined.

I don't like the idea of putting a steel bolt into an aluminum part, especially from the bottom side, odds are it can/will fall out, aluminum will expand faster, and the oil may not reach optimum temp at all. Besides, the new part is the most cost effective way of doing it.



J9fd3s: PM sent