oil cooler results #2

[xschop]

thread length

hey TC, how far does that bolt thread into the case?.....I may need at least a 3 inch bolt.....

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Chop,

I thought you had already gotten the Nuts since you were making it with that design style? Thought you had found some thin ones that you had calculated in for your recess for the nut so that the filter will fit against the bottom??

I have some spare Nuts I got from a local bolt/nut shop, but they are massively thick at least 1/2", I cut one in half to see if that would work once!! If you can't find any locally, let me know and I can send you a couple.

Also, the bolt threads up about 1" into the case, that was included in my calculations with your dimensions you stated of 1.5" thick....- 0.67" for inner recess = ~0.83" added to the 1" that's in the engine, = 1.83", then allowed another .7" protrusion from the bottom for the filter to screw onto = total 2.5" long, what I sent!

I used a small drill bit first, drill almost all the way thru, but leave a little at the bottom, then went up another size about twice a big as first, the small hole you have can hold the cutting fluid when stood on it's end, drill again to almost thru, then finished with a 1/2" bit ALL the way thru, again the hole holding cutting fluid to cool the bit till you get thru the bottom.

Or you may put it on your lathe and bore it thru??
T.C.

[mrutah12]

oil cooler

well i hope it works out xschop in fact if you need help testing a proto type i would be glad to use my bike as a test vechicle if you need one just a thought. if it works i would be willing to buy the first one

[xschop]

Bolts and nuts

The Nut thichness is not the problem. The problem is the recess of the oil filter's threads. After the bolt spins up into the engine, goes thru 1.5" of adapter, I may have just barely enough thread sticking down past the lower SOFA plane to catch the oil filter's threads.... No biggie. I can use this bolt for an Oil Filter Relocating Adapter (OFRA)? if these Bandit headers are too close. Could you send a 3.5" threaded rod? and 2 locknuts....Pretty please....Check's in the mail PM me...chop

[TopCatGr58]

Resurrecting thread for more questions!

Hey Folks,

I've recently put my SOFA's back into production, have several folks waiting for them that have already emailed me, so I can't take a bunch of orders now anyways!

But....I'm looking very closely at attempting to make the aforementioned oil cooler adapter/SOFA combo plate!

Max mentioned 3/8" fittings, Wingnut stated 1/2" for the return from the cooler. Max, you said you made your hoses, what type size fittings does it use to attach to your cooler plate?

I've looked up some universal cooler plates, and some have listed using AN-8 or AN-10 fittings, but I don't know that much about hose fittings or standards. Also, my concern is for folks that already have a cooler, what their fittings are, since there are possibly both OEM's as well as Lockhart and possibly other brands?

What would be the best type of fittings to make for the plate? I was planning on putting them 90 degrees apart from each other, so that they could be positioned pointing forward and not 180 degrees apart where they are aimed at the tranny pan or the headers!?

As has been discussed, would use the larger/wider PH3950 filter to allow room around the mounting pipe/nut/washer combo needed to secure it since would need to be predictable for position of cooler line fittings, which can't be done with simple threaded spin on design!

Okay, thanks in advance for any and all input and info!
T.C.

[MAXIMAN]

Don't hold me to it...but I think the adapter plate I had was 1/4 NPT so I put 1/4 NPT to 3/8 serrated hose fitting. Then the oil cooler I had was 3/8 pipe (I think) and I stepped it down to 3/8 hose fitting and used 3/8 oil hose to connect the two.

I can find out for sure tomorrow.

[wingnut]

Not interchangeable

TC just to keep from confuseing the issue. Rember that AN (aircraft) fittings and standard fittings and hoses are not interchangeable. The angles on AN fittings are 37 degrees IIRC and standards are 45 degrees. So it you go with AN you will need AN hose ends. I think I still have a copy of the old A&P mechs hadbook. I'll see if I can scan the fittings page and send it to you. Might give you some options/ideas for fittings. AN bulkhead fitting would give you the option of putting the output and inlet fittings at any angle but would require and o-ring grove in the plate and clearance for the jam nut.

Dave

[randy]

1/4" NPT would be adaptable to anything available out there. I've got a cooler adapter with 1/4" NPT and it's adapted to all AN-10 fittings. Earls and Russell both make all of the fittings, hoses, etc.

[TopCatGr58]

Okay Max, Randy, Dave,

Thanks. I was wanting to be sure to use a fitting that would be fairly easy to convert as well as find possibly at the local hardware/Lowes for folks. I understood that the AN(Aircraft) standards were different, but didn't know exactly what? I thought they were for higher pressure levels, but that might have been the Hydraulics standards??? I know our pumps put out 70+PSI, and wanted to be sure to use something that would make a good seal and be large enough to flow adequately without restriction.

I know the input into the OEM chamber from the pump is 1/2" diameter! So...that's why I used 6 - 1/4" holes in the plate going to the filter to allow for flow since using smaller holes, both for friction resistance, different direction and turbulence possiblities, etc., and put a 1/2" hole in the mounting pipe that goes back into the engine!

Also wanting to keep this plate as thin as possible, so wanting to find the smallest size fitting that would flow adequately! It will NOT have a thermostat valve....I've seen them available for cooler kits in the lines so folks can add them as desired. These valves also act as a bypass incase obstruction occurs in the cooler/radiator lines, but IF an obstruction happens in the line below the valve, they will be SOL, just hope their engine light works!

Yes, Dave, I planned on using the O-ring and mounting nut/washer to provide the securing force required to seal and mount it vs. the original SOFA design.
T.C.

[MAXIMAN]

Originally posted by TopCatGr58
IF an obstruction happens in the line below the valve, they will be SOL, just hope their engine light works! T.C.

Of course a blockage "CAN" happen a any point in the flow scheme regardless of the presence of a cooler. But what are the odds.

As for me and my house...we will use a cooler.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Maximan, and anybody else,

I've been looking up the specifications for NPT fittings. As Max said, the 1/4" NPT size should be more than big enough for the cooler lines. After looking at some 1/4" NPT pipe at LOWES, and then checking the stats which says it's about 0.49" max diameter, can someone tell me WHY an NPT pipe rated at 1/4" is actually about 1/2" in diameter????

The drill size for a TAP for the 1/4" NPT was stated to be 10.7mm, or 0.42". A 7/16" drill is 0.4375, hopefully it won't be too big or cause the threads to be too small? The Local Harbor Freight store was out of stock of their 1/4;3/8;1/2" set of taps/dies, so I'll be ordering them online. Just wanted to be sure of what size hole to drill for the tap.

I got most of the machining done, just have to drill the holes, but it looks like I'll be able to make this combo OIL COOLER/Spin-on Oil Filter Adapter and have it be only 1.35" thick! Will have some photos to show tomorrow!
T.C.

[oseaghdha]

NPT is ID. (Inside Diameter)

[randy]

T.C.

The NPT (national pipe threads) sizing is roughly equivalent to the inside diameter of the fiitting, not the outside.

A/N (army / navy) sizing is is based on the O.D. of the tube in 1/16 inch increments, so a 6AN would be 6/16 O.D.

[randy]

Here's a .pdf that might help:

Earl's Plumbing sizing chart

[TopCatGr58]

Eureka, I think I've got it!

Hey Folks,

Well, I spent some time yesterday and today messing around with this thing, measuring and figuring out clearances and such.
Thanks to Dave Wales for sending me one of his oil cooler adapter plates to compare with!

And I know how we all love pictures, so here they are!

This first one shows the Original size/thickness of the 20mmX1.5mm nuts I had gotten a few years ago when I first thought about making the SOFA's screw on, but the depth of the recess for the washer and nut was quite a bit, and they were rather wide=1.50" and would have required a larger/wider oil filter than what I wanted folks to be able to use!

Beside it is the nut that's been cut in half, along with the washer and mounting pipe!


This next photo shows that the nut fits well into the filter recess so that only the thickness of the washer sticks up above the mating surface of the filter...but I cut a recess just a little deeper than the thickness of the washer to ensure that the filter would fit flush against the adapter and have some distance to tighten and compress the O-ring seal!



This next photo shows how little space there is between the edge of the washer and the sealing O-ring! About .45"! The washer is 1.50" wide, the sealing O-ring is 2.40" at ID!



This next photo shows the OCA/SOFA with the 1.50" wide 0.75" deep center recess, the outer 4.40" wide 0.25" deep recess, the O-ring, and the 1/2" oil supply hole going from the Engine side thru the plate and out the side to where the fittings will be. It also shows the return hole.


This next photo shows where I had to brain storm, cause the recess in the other side was 1.50" wide, and .75" deep. The oil supply that comes from the cooler thru the plate and into the filter needed to be positioned between the 1.50" washer and the 2.40" inner seal ring border...wasn't enough room for a 1/2" wide hole, would hit the recess on the other side!

Then I realized that I didn't need to use a ROUND hole, but could use a curved arch shaped hole like in the inlet bell of our carbs, so I made one 0.25"wide x 0.60" long, and this allowed me to have a 0.20" cushion away from the deep recess on the other side!



And this final photo show the filter in plate over the plate and the supply hole, the filter is ~3.7" wide by 3.0" high, same height as the 6017 filter being used with the SOFAs now, and this plate is only 1.35" thick vs. the SOFA's ~1.10, so only a 1/4" more, and it combines the features of an oil cooler adapter and the SOFA!
Tada!!!!

I haven't put the finish on the outside of the plate, nor have I tapped the 1/4" NPT threads into it, but aside from that, it's good to go. Dave Wales has volunteered to be the first to try it out on his machine. Then I'll be able to put them into production for the folks that wanted to keep their oil cooler and have the SOFA feature and not loose so much ground clearance! PHEW!
T.C.