Cars and numbers go together. Horsepower and torque figures get the most attention but are followed closely by rpm and mph. Pounds of weight, millimeters of clearance, pounds per square inch, and coefficients of drag are thrown around every now and again too. Any of these yield bragging rights. Yapping about your 10-second, 600hp hatchback is easy to do. People will listen if it's true, sometimes even if it's not. Bragging about how low your engine's oil or coolant temperatures are though isn't quite so impressive. It should be though. The fact that cool air is worth horsepower is yesterday's news, but did you know that low oil and cooling system temperatures could also be good for a few horsepower and keep your engine alive longer? They could.
1) Oil cooling begins with...
1) Oil cooling begins with the cooler itself. MFactory's bolt-on kit includes an aluminum 19-row, front-mount, air-to-air unit with provisions for mounting it just about any way you can imagine. It's sized just right to allow proper cooling but not take away too much space underhood.
Oil Cooling
A common misconception concerning fluid dynamics is that cooler is better. Although generally speaking it usually is, there are exceptions. Before assuming you need the biggest oil cooler money can buy, it's important to understand how oil works and why your particular engine might benefit from running cooler. Oil needs to operate within a given temperature range in order to provide the appropriate viscosity the engine requires. Too high and it will overheat the system, too low and it will exhibit way too much friction. The same is true of oil pressure and volume: Excess of either robs power and can raise temperatures so be sure to think twice before your next top off. The key is using the correct oil viscosity and making sure it operates at the correct temperature. If you're reading this chances are you're already using synthetic-based oil in your engine. Synthetic oils are better suited for higher temperatures-at least 40 degrees F higher than conventional oils. However, neither synthetic nor conventional oils function well at temperatures below 150 degrees F. The only real way to know whether or not you would benefit from an oil cooler is to record your initial oil temperature readings and see where you're at. A properly set up oil cooler can do more than just cool oil. Oftentimes water temperatures will drop due to the oil's lower temperatures. It's not uncommon to see water temperatures drop by as much as 10-20 degrees F without ever touching the cooling system. Either way, if you're in the market for an oil cooler, make sure you pick something up that's sturdy and can withstand some abuse. Steel braided lines and AN fittings are also a must when it comes to a long-term oil cooling solution. MFactory Competition Products takes all of this into account with its universal Honda oil cooling system. The kit works with most Honda applications and bolts on with just a couple hours worth of work. Read on for proof.
 2) The kit includes a billet...  2) The kit includes a billet aluminum oil filter mount, which we found a place for on our EG's frame directly in front of the passenger-side transmission mount. The assembly fits nicely here and allows for a straight shot for easy oil filter changes down the road. |  3) MFactory's kit includes...  3) MFactory's kit includes the bracket shown bolted to the preexisting 6x1.0mm hole in the framerail. We drilled and tapped a similar sized hole in order to mount the filter assembly with two bolts although a self-tapping sheet metal screw would do the job. |  4) We're getting a little...  4) We're getting a little ahead of ourselves here but this is what the assembly looks like bolted up. Bolt the bracket to the frame first and then use the two supplied machine screws to fasten the housing to the bracket. |
 5) The kit includes two 1/8-inch...  5) The kit includes two 1/8-inch NPT provisions that can be used to supply oil pressure to a variety of devices like turbochargers or pressure gauges, -10 inlet and outlet nipples, and provisions for mounting the bracket to either side of the assembly depending on which direction you want the NPT orifices, inlets, and outlets facing. |  6) The fittings seal with...  6) The fittings seal with rubber O-rings against a chamfer-a design more than capable of withstanding the 70 or 80 psi worth of oil pressure our B18C puts out. |  7) We took advantage of the...  7) We took advantage of the NPT provisions and installed sending units for our ProParts Spek oil pressure and temperature gauges. What good is installing an oil cooler if you don't know whether it's doing any good? |