2512cc Opel 8V CIH Competition Engine

Oil & Water Cooling Systems

The oil system is fitted with a sandwich plate above the oil filter allowing the oil to flow through a 13 row oil cooler before it enters the engine.  The sandwich plate has thermostat control, which should allow the oil to be maintained at a reasonable working temperature, if the rest of the system is up to the job.  The oil cooler sits directly in the airflow to the radiator.  In addition I am using a Risse Motorsport heavy duty oil pump, giving 30% more flow than a standard pump, and a cast iron oil pump cover, from the Opel diesel engine, which is known to maintain more accurate control of the oil pressure. The cast iron pump cover (Vauxhall/Opel Part No. 3448844) has a steel pressure control shuttle, so it doesn't get deformed and stick.

The lower part of the water thermostat housing is supplied by Risse Motorsport and the upper part of the housing is from the 2.0L engine.  The radiator is from an early 2.0l 8V Vauxhall Astra, which is modified and has a 4 row staggered core.  It has a Pacet electric fan located behind the core.  The radiator air intake area has been made bigger and boxed in.  The pictures show the radiator air intake before the i240 body kit was fitted.  I will update the pictures as soon as the i240 front bumper is fitted.

With the previous 2.4L engine, I had temperature problems, which we finally tracked down to the head having very poor exhaust port flow capabilities.  With an EWP electric water pump and controller fitted, the water temperature on that engine was controlled much more effectively.  So with the new engine, the EWP system, which replaced the mechanical pump, there should be no problems at all.  The Electric Water Pump controller monitors water temperature in the engine block, just inboard of the water thermostat housing, and adjusts the speed of the pump to increase or decrease flow accordingly.  This means that cooling will no longer be dependent on engine speed and should be less dependent on air flow through the radiator.  With the electrics left on, after the engine is stopped, the EWP system keeps up a small flow to allow continued cooling, which helps wash out built up heat from the engine block.  I have modified my mechanical water pump housing to help reduce any restrictions to the coolant flow to a minimum.

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Last updated: Saturday, 25 September 2004.