[vinyvamos]

Hi guys,

First post here so a big hello to all you Nissan gurus! Here is my situation; I recently bought a Defender 90 which I am building into a competition Trayback. At some point in it's life someone has transplanted an SD33 into it. It's running lovely but I have one problem. The notorious "oil cooler filled with crap" scenario! Unfortunately it had gone so bad that the build-up of crap had started corroding the housing which now has many holes in it. I never noticed any leaks when buying it cos the crap was blocking the holes. Therefore I need a new housing. PROBLEM! Here in Ireland there isn't a trace of parts for SD33 engines. I have tried every scrappie from North to South. So my only options would be to get one from you nice fellas down under and have it shipped up OR...

Laser cut a plate that fits the block where the cooler went (I can do this where I work) with a hole in it for a pipe fitting to attach, then pipe in a seperate oil-water oil cooler between this and the banjo fitting to the head. I would then have to tap the oil filter housing to bring two hydraulic hoses from that onto the new cooler. Or I could ignore the water and use an air cooler.

Have any of you guys done this before successfully? I know you would have no reason too unless you needed better oil cooling. Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

BTW my engine is from an MK with the 5 element cooler...

 

[simonc3]

If it were me I would use an external Air Oil cooler!

 

[vinyvamos]

If it were me I would use an external Air Oil cooler!

Hmm I guess one of a nice size would work better than the stock cooler. Thing is though cos it's an offroader (only) the only airflow it'll see will be from fans. I'm currently trying to lock up the frigged viscous fan (any ideas there!?) but I could also add an electric one too (not good when wading though!). From what I've read I don't think these engines ever suffered from hot oil. Maybe I'm wrong?

I forgot to mention it's a N/A SD33. therefore oil won't be getting as hot

 

[Ric]

Somewhere on either this forum or Outer limits there is a thread on how to rebuild the viscous fan and add new silicone.

 

[neRok]

yer you havent got a turbo heating it up, so not much of a problem with heat. unless you were really ringing it for long periods, it wouldnt think it would get hot. but the water also helps keep the oil at a good temperature, which would be important in really cold climates i guess.

i think everyone that has done an extra oil cooler has got an adapter between the filter and the block, that give a bypass sort of thing. your way sounds good to me. why not cut a plate for where the oil comes out of the oil filter area and fit some normal barbs to this, so you can just use hose. a nice bar and plate cooler should do the trick, they are rather small and compact and are a lot more efficient than tube and fin.

 

[vinyvamos]

Somewhere on either this forum or Outer limits there is a thread on how to rebuild the viscous fan and add new silicone.

Cheers Ric I'll have a look for that thread now

the water also helps keep the oil at a good temperature, which would be important in really cold climates i guess.

Good point neRok! I hadn't thought of that. And it does get cold here! minus 18 Deg C over Xmas!

why not cut a plate for where the oil comes out of the oil filter area and fit some normal barbs to this

Good idea. then it would save me tapping the filter block. I'm Sh*t scared of cracking it to be honest and if I do I aint gonna fab up another! :-o

a nice bar and plate cooler should do the trick, they are rather small and compact and are a lot more efficient than tube and fin

So you're saying a water to oil cooler is more efficient? Cos it will actually be way easier for me to get hold of one of these. My mate has one spare. And it will then maintain the water-oil temperature dependance for cold weather...hmm!

 

[neRok]

So you're saying a water to oil cooler is more efficient? Cos it will actually be way easier for me to get hold of one of these. My mate has one spare. And it will then maintain the water-oil temperature dependance for cold weather...hmm!

they are still an air to air. i actually got the name wrong, seems they are called plate and fin, as compared to tube and fin. you can see them on the link below, the hydracool are better than the ultracool.
Oil Coolers

 

[vinyvamos]

Ah I see! Seeing as these are branded as transmission oil coolers I actually have a transmission oil cooler from a Grand Cherokee but I wasn't gonna try to use it because it only has push-on hoses with jubilee clips. I doubt this would take the pressure of the engine oil (about 4 bar?). Any thoughts on that? Maybe you've used these with no problems neRok? I'm still actually searching for a housing cos I'd prefer to keep the engine original but it's proving VERY hard here in Ireland! I've even been ringing forklift parts suppliers cos I have read that these engines were used in some forklifts. Has anyone any ideas as to where else they were used along with model names/numbers? Cos that's what I'm being asked by these parts suppliers and I haven't a clue

 

[neRok]

no i havent used one for anything other than transmissions, but im pretty sure they are all the same for trans, oil and even power steering.

yer the nissan fork lifts, whatever they are called (think it starts with P), also the sd33 was in IH scouts.

if you go to nissan4u.com, you can look up all the factory part numbers, might help you with your search. the MQ patrol is model 160.

 

[vinyvamos]

Wow that parts website is amazing! Thanks for that! I now have a P/N for the cooler. Unfortunately it looks like it all comes as one unit so if Nissan are still supplying them it could be big bucks :-/. If so, I'll keep searchin in scrap yards while at the same time try out a DIY job on it...

I'll be in Australia from 7th Feb until the 4th March and travelling around between Sydney and Adelaide so I might even find a few parts while I'm there . I'm sure my "better half" Lorraine won't mind rummaging in scrappies on our holiday! HA!

 

[Dazza MQ]

vinyvamos
If your in Adelaide City Dismantlers mite have what your looking for.:cheers:

Auto Parts Recyclers - Gepps Cross, SA
1800 062 084
City Dismantlers
[email protected]
Address
11 - 31 Port Wakefield Rd, Gepps Cross SA 5094, Australia

 

[neRok]

hi again, found out some new info. there are some special oil cooler kits you can get that have a thermostat much like the cooling system. this may be a good solution for a colder climate (or even a hot climate, because its best to get oil up to temp asap).
Remote Oil Thermostats

 

[vinyvamos]

If your in Adelaide City Dismantlers mite have what your looking for.:cheers:

Cheers Dazza! Unfortunately we won't be going to Adelaide now cos Apollo Camper don't allow us to travel into South Australia :-(. Thanks for the info though :coffeeti:
neRok, I assume that the SD33 filter block doesn't have a thermostat for the oil then? I didn't look too closely or dissemble it but I did see some kind of relief valve and a few other drillings. Then remote thermostats look very neat!

At the weekend I went on a hunt for a stand-alone oil cooler in local scrappies and found a nice air-cooled one on a BMW car! It's made by Behr and measures about 8x6 inches and has feed and return pipes so that should do the trick. Gonna mount it out in front of my Landy rad and use two big electric fans from a VW van. Mix and match! B-) I'd better find out the model of BMW though in case I ever split this cooler on a tree or something...hmm!

So that's the plan now I think!