Is $400 About Right To Install An Oil Cooler?

[some_cs_student]

Hey,

Was making some inquiries about getting an oil cooler installed on an R33 GTR.

So far its going to cost $400 at one place, and another recommended a custom setup that would be about ~12-1500.

Is $400 a fair price for the installation?

I know its very hard and not something that I think I can complete at home

Regards,

Gareth

[R TUNE]

hi mate,

when you say GTR you open your wallet.

um for a GTR probably a decent price as it is cramped in the eng bay, but in all seriousness you can do it at home if you got the tools.

i did it my self on my r31 skyline.

i first removed the bumber to provided access to were i was going to located the cooler (i located mine in front of the radiator)

then i removed the oil filter and fitted the sandwhic plate.

i then fited the cooler to the radiator (i had a PWR which had cable ties that went through the fins)

i then ran the oil hose from the sandwhich plate to the cooler and cut to size.

i then removed the sandwhich plate and fittted the hoses and reinstalled.

i then conected the hoses to the cooler.

re fitted the oil filter

started the car up and made shore there were no leaks (may pay to use some gasket glue to safe gard agaenst leaks)

then re fitted the front bar.

mate i would also recermend you installing a remote oil filter at the same time to make changin the filter a lot easer.

most kits come with every thing to mount might just have to buy some extra hose

hope this helps mate

[some_cs_student]

when you say GTR you open your wallet.

mate i would also recermend you installing a remote oil filter at the same time to make changin the filter a lot easer.

Sorry, should have mentioned the main purpose of the oil cooler install is oil relocation kit, attempts to change the oil filter are absolute hell on an R33 GTR, and I have a weird looking oil filter on there too....

But the cooler is for the track sooo I'd love to put one in

[R31Nismoid]

Its easy on a GTR! Can think of cars that are much worse to change

So $400 is just installation, how much is the kit your buying?

$1200-$1500 sounds reasonable for a full supply/fit etc. It all depends on what you are using/doing etc

[95skyline]

If the oil cooler kit is 100% bolt on and the oil cooler is to be placed in front of the radiator like on a factory N1 R33 GTR than $400 is a bit too high

If the oil cooler is to be fitted in the driver side front bar than the $400 labour is very good as they have take the front bar off and mechanics love to charge for this.

All depends on where you want it to be located.

I would definitely try and give it a go yourself, that is if you have a good set of tools. If the kit is well made than it shouldn't be that hard at all to do.

[some_cs_student]

Its easy on a GTR! Can think of cars that are much worse to change

So $400 is just installation, how much is the kit your buying?

$1200-$1500 sounds reasonable for a full supply/fit etc. It all depends on what you are using/doing etc

Hmm, yes it might be easier after I get this weird oil filter off, I can get my hand on it but cannot turn it.

The oil filter I have on there is very strong, about 1/2 or 1/4 the length of a Z145A filter, and its black in colour with some writing on top starting with "A", tried a couple oil filter wrenches but can't get any of them in there properly to remove it.

I'm looking around at different kits, currently checking out the "permacool" kit in the group buy, and some second hand Greddy/HKS kits.

I've heard that the preferred mounting in an R33 GTR in LHS of the front bar, which I assume will be quite hard to do.

The other problem is my car will likely cost more than the estimate due to all the aftermarket parts sitting near the oil filter, currently there's no room to mount an oil filter near the drivers side strut tower

I might have to try it myself as it can't be that hard.....or can it

[LotusGTR]

From memory I paid around $1500 for supply and install. I'd imagine there is a fair bit of mucking around. Mine is tucked in behind one of the cutouts in the front bar, and required some of the internal parts of the front bar to be cut away to make way for it and its associated plumbing. It is a neat job. One I'd hate to attempt myself, but I'm no spanner-man. This price includes braided lines.

[R31Nismoid]

Hmm, yes it might be easier after I get this weird oil filter off, I can get my hand on it but cannot turn it.

The oil filter I have on there is very strong, about 1/2 or 1/4 the length of a Z145A filter, and its black in colour with some writing on top starting with "A", tried a couple oil filter wrenches but can't get any of them in there properly to remove it.

Just stab it with a screw driver and push it down/up or whatever depending on where you stab it from

[Omurru]

Wholly crap $400, I need to start myself a workshop Kit's are pretty easy to install, as long as your still running stock cooler pipes etc. I had a few probs with mine as the cooler pipes are all custom so it didn't fit in the RHS guard where it was supposed to go, had to make it fit in the LHS but my cooler is fully ducted as well which was a bit of work in itself.

[femno]

Yeah it is easy but it takes time...thats what youre paying for...duh.

A big set of multi-grips work well too to get the filter off.

Why do you have to put it in the engine bay? Put it underneath somewhere, mine is mounted off one of the supports of the sub-frame in the middle. A bit underneath the bottom pulley. Just make a bracket.

[khunjeng]

yeah takers time for the re-location kit and the cooler install. a few hundred would be about right for time and effort. Main thing is that its done correctly we dont want any faulty lines, connectors etc.

[some_cs_student]

A big set of multi-grips work well too to get the filter off.

Why do you have to put it in the engine bay? Put it underneath somewhere, mine is mounted off one of the supports of the sub-frame in the middle. A bit underneath the bottom pulley. Just make a bracket.

I've tried multi-grips but there's no room to move them, there is some parts to the right of the oil filter, to the left of it, and the transfer case or front diff just below it

I know a mechanic who might have the right part to remove it, we got an oil filter removal tool that requires a socket to work, but we need a tiny rachet to be able to turn the thing.

Screw-driver idea, yes....but what if I can't get the damn thing off properly? Then I'm really stuck so I'm avoiding that idea...

Back on the oil cooler, I'll definitely try to do the install, I'm looking at this kit in the group buy section:

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Oi...it-t228939.html

Oil-filter relocation, yes, I'll see where it can go, there's some room around, just not a lot of room

Yes stock cooler pipes, aftermarket radiator, do people still recommend the RHS guard on GTR's?

RacePace recommended the LHS guard on a GTR but I'm unsure if the kit will have long enough lines for the LHS guard.

[Swiper the Fox]

A certain Sydney (so-called) workshop charged a mate of mine $560 to install...it consisted of two bits of strip aluminium welded and bolted under where std airbox goes, and lines cabletied to front of subframe. The front bar etc was already removed and was not replaced by them...so a 1hr job tops!...These blokes should be in gaol for being such thieves.

Mind you they charged him $28,000 labour to remove, rebuild and reinstall his engine and gearbox...so $560 seems cheap!!

Edited August 3, 2008 by DiRTgarage

[khunjeng]

use a K&N filter, has a hex nut ontop and also is made form decent material internally, rated one of the better oil filters around but cost a bit more. If it helps I recently bought a 13 row Trust cooler kit with relocatoin kit and braided lines for $700 delivered.

[ferni]

Oil filter relocation kit, bit of a waste, good way to help reduce oil pressure to your engine, you know, in case you have too much

[hall sales]

i think that the price is slightly excessive. however considering the amount of customisation they would do to make if fit perfect and flow as much air as possible it may be viable.

but having said that, if they are just whacking a bracket on and plumbing shit on... not so. depends on what they will do.

how long it would take them of pure work is also a question as to end price

hope i have been of some help.

[Belsil80]

mate, you will find that if you get more quotes you will get a much better idea. most places charge work out at $70 hour min. I have that same oil cooler and it is huge. i struggled to fit it anywhere on my 180 so you will find they may have to do a fair bit to fit it somewhere.

if your car is your daily i would suggest buying the thermostat as without it the oil doesnt get up to temp. especially in the cold and wet.

[inark]

+1 fro screw driver idea... thats how i always changed mine on the 32.

So much easier and less hassle.

just make sure you drain the oil properly first can be a bit messy (even once its drained)

[some_cs_student]

if your car is your daily i would suggest buying the thermostat as without it the oil doesnt get up to temp. especially in the cold and wet.

Thanks, yes definitely looking at that, the oil temperature stays around 70 degrees during winter, and 80 degrees with a spirited driver during slightly warmer weather.

NOTE: running 5w40 oil so nothing too thick there either

I've got a quote for the cooler with thermostat, so no I just need to work out how to fit it myself