Oil cooler bypass 1933 Buick 57

[Chuck S]

Hi folks, I'm hoping Bob E. or someone with experience on the Buick external oil coolers can chime in here. 1933 Buicks are beginning to pile up at my garage... I've read several posts that recommend bypassing the external oil coolers as a core leak leads to coolant exchange into the oil, which I feel is a relevant concern.

 

I have 5 of these engines. 4 of them have the oil cooler lines Plugged. And on the 5th it is not hooked up at all. 

 

In my mind, bypassed means a loop of pipe that ties the input to output. The way these oil ports are plugged has me questioning if the oil circuits have the appropriate pressure. I assume the pump has a bypass of some type, or perhaps the system simply doesn't care due to it's design?

 

So my question being, is it ok to leave these plugged as is? And if not, is there a recommendation on the size pipe used in the bypass to keep the pressure balanced?

 

Hope all have a good holiday season.

 

Regards,

Chuck

Edited December 20, 2022 by Chuck S (see edit history)

[32buick67]

Hi Chuck,

The 32 and 33 oil systems are very similar, and you are wise to consider bypassing the oil cooler with a lower maintenance shunt or plug.

For what its worth, I still have a 90 year old oil cooler functioning properly on my 32, and I will be installing a newly tested and cleaned 33 cooler on my car this winter, which is an identical part between 32 and 33 (and maybe other years).

I ran my car pretty hard this year, high ambient temps, lots of inclines, lots of carb testing and tuning, and I never had any oil pressure issues, or radiator overflows, or fuel vapor lock, or oil cooler leaks.

I am a bit unusual regarding originality - I don't mind the extra maintenance and extra monitoring related to ensuring oil cooler function, and for now it seems like it is working well and probably doing something beneficial for the engine, especially on the hotter 90+F days.

However, I can't really prove yet if a fully functioning original cooler gains any performance or has any modern functional value, but I like to tinker and analyze, so I am going to continue with the original factory design as best as possible and try to learn about its value.

I was using SAE 30W, but now I am running 20-50W Castrol Classic Zinc oil, Wix filter, and so far so good.

Next week I will be dropping the pan after 3000mi, hopefully it all looks good.

The HD oil has really cleaned up the rockers and top side of the head, so hopefully the same will be said of the bottom end.

 

As you mention, hopefully Bob weighs in with his knowledge, and there are other forum members with good advice on their 31-35 Buicks for this topic, and also some older posts and pics of peer oil cooler solutions.

 

You won't harm the oil supply system if the original oil cooler ports are fully capped/plugged preventing flow, or if a shunt tube is installed hidden inside the oil cooler housing to allow flow.

My understanding is that the bypass valve just above the oil screen in the pan will manage the oil flow direction based on oil pressure/temperature, and the bearings and rocker arms and generator front bearing won't starve for oil if the oil cooler oil piping is either plugged and blocking flow to an absent oil cooler, or shunted with a short copper/brass tube.

Appreciate where your thinking is, but you won't have to overanalyze the flow dynamics.

Although oil management can be an interesting topic for some of us, I think if you make a shunt from a similar 3/8 or 1/2 tube, or keep the oil cooler internal ports plugged as they are now, you will still have a well running engine for a wide antique car ambient temperature driving range.

However, a fully functioning oil cooler might matter if you are driving in ambient temps below 0F or above 100F.

 

Below pic shows 32 oil management, which is the same as shown in the 33 manual.

The Buick manuals for 32 and 33 have the same language, ref below regarding the bypass valve sending all oil to the bearings when cold.

Warm/hot oil temperature was originally intended to close the bypass valve and send the oil to the temperature regulator core to cool.

 

Bottom line original design specs:

• Cold high viscosity oil opens the bypass valve and sends oil primarily to bearings.
• Warming lower viscosity oil closes the bypass valve and sends some oil to bearings, and some oil to the cooler.
• Hot oil closes the bypass valve to cool the oil.

Maybe we also need someone to weigh-in on 1930s oil vs modern multiweight oils, and the value of viscosity temperature management.

 

Be sure to check your two oil valves, clean and inspect them, springs, etc.

Search this forum for pics of a shunted oil cooler piping arrangement, there are some good posts about this topic.

 

Mario

 

 

 

[Marty Roth]

The one on my 1934 Model 57 functioned perfectly through 12 years of serious touring, and is a significant benefit to the engine in my opinion

[Chuck S]

On 12/21/2022 at 12:26 AM, 32buick67 said:

Hi Chuck,

The 32 and 33 oil systems are very similar, and you are wise to consider bypassing the oil cooler with a lower maintenance shunt or plug.

For what its worth, I still have a 90 year old oil cooler functioning properly on my 32, and I will be installing a newly tested and cleaned 33 cooler on my car this winter, which is an identical part between 32 and 33 (and maybe other years).

I ran my car pretty hard this year, high ambient temps, lots of inclines, lots of carb testing and tuning, and I never had any oil pressure issues, or radiator overflows, or fuel vapor lock, or oil cooler leaks.

I am a bit unusual regarding originality - I don't mind the extra maintenance and extra monitoring related to ensuring oil cooler function, and for now it seems like it is working well and probably doing something beneficial for the engine, especially on the hotter 90+F days.

However, I can't really prove yet if a fully functioning original cooler gains any performance or has any modern functional value, but I like to tinker and analyze, so I am going to continue with the original factory design as best as possible and try to learn about its value.

I was using SAE 30W, but now I am running 20-50W Castrol Classic Zinc oil, Wix filter, and so far so good.

Next week I will be dropping the pan after 3000mi, hopefully it all looks good.

The HD oil has really cleaned up the rockers and top side of the head, so hopefully the same will be said of the bottom end.

 

As you mention, hopefully Bob weighs in with his knowledge, and there are other forum members with good advice on their 31-35 Buicks for this topic, and also some older posts and pics of peer oil cooler solutions.

 

You won't harm the oil supply system if the original oil cooler ports are fully capped/plugged preventing flow, or if a shunt tube is installed hidden inside the oil cooler housing to allow flow.

My understanding is that the bypass valve just above the oil screen in the pan will manage the oil flow direction based on oil pressure/temperature, and the bearings and rocker arms and generator front bearing won't starve for oil if the oil cooler oil piping is either plugged and blocking flow to an absent oil cooler, or shunted with a short copper/brass tube.

Appreciate where your thinking is, but you won't have to overanalyze the flow dynamics.

Although oil management can be an interesting topic for some of us, I think if you make a shunt from a similar 3/8 or 1/2 tube, or keep the oil cooler internal ports plugged as they are now, you will still have a well running engine for a wide antique car ambient temperature driving range.

However, a fully functioning oil cooler might matter if you are driving in ambient temps below 0F or above 100F.

 

Below pic shows 32 oil management, which is the same as shown in the 33 manual.

The Buick manuals for 32 and 33 have the same language, ref below regarding the bypass valve sending all oil to the bearings when cold.

Warm/hot oil temperature was originally intended to close the bypass valve and send the oil to the temperature regulator core to cool.

 

Bottom line original design specs:

• Cold high viscosity oil opens the bypass valve and sends oil primarily to bearings.
• Warming lower viscosity oil closes the bypass valve and sends some oil to bearings, and some oil to the cooler.
• Hot oil closes the bypass valve to cool the oil.

Maybe we also need someone to weigh-in on 1930s oil vs modern multiweight oils, and the value of viscosity temperature management.

 

Be sure to check your two oil valves, clean and inspect them, springs, etc.

Search this forum for pics of a shunted oil cooler piping arrangement, there are some good posts about this topic.

 

Mario

 

 

 

Hi Mario, I can't thank you for all the great info you shared! That is a good reminder to check the springs out. I had gotten into the oil pan a while back to clean out the sludge and reassembled with a plan to do a second pass through there. 

 

I had read through a lot of posts where people were speaking of bypassing coolers but I really wanted a bit more confirmation on plugging vs shunting which you clarified well for me.

 

Also I appreciate the oil recommendation. I took a quick look at the Castrol classic and it looks like it may be a better option than the Napa 30w non detergent I've been running. 

 

Regards,

Chuck

 

 

 

 

[Chuck S]

10 hours ago, Marty Roth said:

The one on my 1934 Model 57 functioned perfectly through 12 years of serious touring, and is a significant benefit to the engine in my opinion

Hi Marty, thanks for the feedback! On all the ones I have they have, they had been plugged off long before I got them. Which leads me to believe they had failed and been terminated at some point in the distant past. 

 

I've had 2 of the cores out, and both looked to be in really good condition to the eye anyway. 

 

I have to bring one of the radiators to be repaired and flushed and I think I will bring an oil cooler along with me and see if they can do something with it. 

 

Regards,

Chuck

[Robert Engle]

The purpose of the temperature regulator was to compensate for fixed viscosity oils that needed to be warmed in the winter and cooled in the summer to control viscosity.  These cars have an open to atmosphere cooling system.  The water can pick up a lot of air to cause corrosion in the system.  Look at the problems with the water jacket covers. The issues I have seen with the units are, core leaks and cover leaks.  Both of my 32's had the units bypassed but left the cores inside. I removed the cores and made plugs for the housing where the tubes exited the housing.  The bypass  is a tub bent in a "U".  One had a core that was severely corroded at the tubes to the core.  Both showed heavy corrosion of the covers.  In fact one had been soldered to prevent leaks.  On several junk engines, I have found some of the bypass valves frozen and inoperable.

 

With modern multi viscosity oils, there is no need for the regulator.  With the cores removed I expect that there should be less cover corrosion.  Make sure to check the water temperature gauge and the oil pressure gauge for function and accuracy.  They will tell you if you have a problem.

 

I must admit that I haven't done any tour trips in my cars.  Most are just local cruises through the Virginia countryside.   

 

Bob Engle

[Marty Roth]

1 hour ago, Chuck S said:

Hi Marty, thanks for the feedback! On all the ones I have they have, they had been plugged off long before I got them. Which leads me to believe they had failed and been terminated at some point in the distant past. 

 

I've had 2 of the cores out, and both looked to be in really good condition to the eye anyway. 

 

I have to bring one of the radiators to be repaired and flushed and I think I will bring an oil cooler along with me and see if they can do something with it. 

 

Regards,

Chuck

Chuck, I don't doubt some folks may have bypassed the unit in the past as a "precaution".

The function?

Oil heats quicker than coolant, so the warmer oil helps the coolant to heat up sooner, helping the engine to run at a better temperature -

Then, the coolant continued to keep the oil at a better temperature.

Kind of an early version of an "INTER-COOLER" like is so important on engines with a Turbo-Charger.

 

With all deference to Bob's viewpoint, I believe the intended function of the unit is entirely valid, and with modern coolant and modern oil, there should be no negative issues.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[drovak]

39 minutes ago, Marty Roth said:

Oil heats quicker than coolant, so the warmer oil helps the coolant to heat up sooner, helping the engine to run at a better temperature

In the 1931 Reference Book, Buick suggests that coolant heats up faster than the oil.

 

I bypassed mine, and though I'm usually a stickler for originality, it seems this is the likely culprit for my oil/coolant mixing issues, so I'll keep it bypassed for the foreseeable future. 

[edinmass]

 

We recently cleaned out our 34 Series 56C cooler and have it functioning. So far, so good. I will probably bypass it before we start touring with it.

[Grimy]

Pierce began using an oil cooler with the introduction of hydraulic lifters--in the era of single-viscosity oils.  My two Pierces have had their oil coolers bypassed and I use 15W-40 oils which arguably negate the usefulness of a functioning oil cooler.  I consider a functioning oil cooler as just one more potential point of (future) failure.

[Matt Harwood]

Someone made this awesome bypass for the oil cooler in my '35 Lincoln K V12 and I intend to use it. As the experts told me, "Sooner or later, you'll have chocolate milkshake in your crankcase," with the stock oil cooler.

 

   

[edinmass]

 

Chocolate milkshake comment was from me. 

[Grimy]

1 minute ago, edinmass said:

 

Chocolate milkshake comment was from me. 

But you failed to copyright it!

[Marty Roth]

5 hours ago, drovak said:

In the 1931 Reference Book, Buick suggests that coolant heats up faster than the oil.

I bypassed mine, and though I'm usually a stickler for originality, it seems this is the likely culprit for my oil/coolant mixing issues, so I'll keep it bypassed for the foreseeable future. 

Interesting that the earlier reference (1931) showed just the opposite of what I'd been advised -

thank you for the note.

 

Our '37 doesn't incorporate the intercooler like the '34 did,

but newer vehicles do use the concept, some for both engine and transmission fluids-

let the evaluations continue ...

 

but if yours is mixing fluids, then I agree,

either repair or bypass.

Our Buicks are no longer "everyday" drivers, so to each his own.

Enjoying the drive is the best revenge.

[Buick35]

I changed the oil on my 35 40 series yesterday( no oil filter).I do it once a year since it doesn't get driving much.I noticed I had a little milkshake action going at the end of my oil dripping out.More like a gray color.I took a long small magnet on a flexible tube and fed it in the drain hole and fished out a lot of the milkshake. I didn't see any coolant I the oil on the dip stick,hope it's o..k.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Buick35
Spelling (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Oh crap!   Check the oil filler tube or whatever.

 

  Ben