I’ve been upgrading all of the relevant areas for track use on my NC 2.0, and so far so good. All new brakes and suspension, and the engine is in fantastic condition with only 49,000 miles. At the track on Saturday, it didn’t burn a single millimetre of oil and took everything I gave it on the chin.
The one thing I’m paranoid about is the oil temperature. I’ve not got a gauge, and it hasn’t got the OEM oil cooler from the later models. Does anyone have any experience installing an oil cooler on an NC? There’s plenty available for NA’s and NB’s, but the NC’s seem to be £400-£500 for something that’s relatively simple. Maybe even retrofitting the NC2 oil exchanger is a possibility?
Secondly, how hard is it to fit an oil temperature gauge to these cars? Would I need to add a sandwich plate, or does it give this information already allowing me to piggyback it somewhere?
I’d be interested to hear peoples thoughts. Thanks!
My understanding is that the latest 2.0 NC’s don’t have an oil cooler fitted at all. That was was only fitted for the American market. I am sure if you can find a diagram for one of those cars it should make your job easier perhaps?
Mods for the NC2
New forged steel crankshaft (minimizes vibrations at high engine revs)
Forged steel connecting rods with floating wrist pins
Revised fully floating pistons with stronger wrist pin bosses
Stiffer valve springs to suppress valve bounce at high revs
Higher-durability materials for the connecting-rod bearings
** Engine oil cooler added (US market only)*
You won’t need an oil cooler in the uk, we have done endurance racing whilst logging temps & oil analysis after the race…all you would be doing is building in a ‘potential failure point’
We fitted an oil cooler and temperature gauge to our 2006 2.0 NC, specifically for the trackday work we planned. It cost just over £150 for the cooler, braided pipes, remote filter plate and gauge.
We have a removeable flap which can be cable-tied in front of the oil cooler (it’s never been taken off), the oil temp tracks the water temp usually trailing by -5 to -10C. We fitted a proper pressure gauge at the same time and are very pleased with the consistency of pressure around Corum at Snetterton.
Should the oil temperature not be run above the water temperature? I know it is another ‘black art’ but I would be interested in the thoughts of those that ‘know’. If Rodders does not run one then his oil temps. must be well above the water temps. when racing and he sees no issues.
Or to put it another way, can the oil be too cool to be effective?
It should track water temperature certainly, I’m not too sure about always running above though. Synthetic oil e.g. Mobil One is fine up to about 125C, if temperatures go above that, you probably need racing oil, Millers or the like.
My GT86 Cosworth used to run oil temp at 125C when racing (on Millers), the MX has gone to a max of just over 105C on a trackday.
When you guys go on trackdays, I’m getting the impression you get out that pitlane at 9am and pound around hard all day til 5pm ?
My 6 last trackdays sees us doing half hour stints with a 10-15 minute cool down period (for me AND the car).
I run an OBD port reader to my phone and the water temp never gets above about 90 odd degrees or so, so if the oil temp is a touch higher, I’m reading, it should be fine ?
I’m in an '07 NC1 if that counts and I assume, no oil cooler from OEM ?
I thought they all had oil coolers as standard, unsure which ones don’t if so.
Look at the housing where the oil filter screws onto, if it’s a black steel block with two hoses coming off it it has one. It’s really a heat exchanger, but works as an oil warmer (when cold) or cooler when hot.
I would rig up a temporary oil temp sensor for a trackday and see how temperatures go during the day. If it stays under 100c, no need for the cooler. I would be more concerned with loosing oil pressure if using grippy tyres and a tuned engine so a baffled sump would be first on my list.
Old thread I know, but worth chipping in. I have an NC2 2.0, and even at blyton park last weekend, in 32 degree heat, with extended sessions out on track, the engine oil and coolant temps were rock solid the whole time. You’d have to be exposing the car to some amount of heat for the standard cooling to be insufficient i suspect.