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Thread: Oil cooler install on my Jeep SRT8

  1. #1
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Oil cooler install on my Jeep SRT8

    There is a fairly healthy amount of information about this mod on the LX boards, but hardly any on the Jeep forums.

    I've been looking for an oil cooler ever since I saw pretty high oil temps at the track (Just shy of 300). The traditional oil/air exchanger isn't an option for me, I've just got several problems with it, so the oil/water cooler it is.

    There is some speculation that it won't fit the Jeep because a frame/suspension component will interfere, so I'll see about that. I ordered the everything needed for the LX swap; the cooler, the T-Stat housing, a new radiator hose for the water supply, and a small hose for the return. All are OEM parts that were standard on the Police package LX cars. Total price was around $230, substantially higher than it was a few years ago, where it was some $70 cheaper. I ordered most of the parts from rockauto, they were the cheapest I found after a brief Google search, and I know they can be trusted. Probably go at this next Monday. The old oil filter nipple is apparently a real pain to remove. I'll soak it in a lubricant, give it all of hell's wrath in a torch, then try it with the proper tools, affectinately know as vice-grips.

    Stay tuned next week to see if the best oil cooler option will work, or if I'll have to go custom.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Wrider's Avatar
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    Re: Oil cooler install on my Jeep SRT8

    FWIW I thought RockAuto could be trusted too, until recently.

    I ordered a new radiator for myself, and it arrived nicely dinged, with a decent curve to it, and a bunch of fins compressed. So I contacted them and they sent me a new one with only a few fins compressed.

    I then had to order a radiator for my sister as well (Subaru radiators like to crack in the plastic end piece just FYI) and her first one arrived the same way, as did the second one.

    Then I ordered some wheel bearings. Yes I used their cheaper ones, but holy hell rock auto, I had them installed less than 4K miles and they went bad. Of course the warranty was only for the bearing/hub assembly itself, nothing for the seals I had to order a second time, and no help on the labor (I did my own front hubs, but don't have the right tools or access to them to do the rears unfortunately). And they required that I send back the parts first so that they could reimburse me for the new ones I ordered, which left me either out of pocket for a while or with a car sitting up on a lift for a while.

    Good luck with your install, hopefully your experience with them goes smoother than several of mine have.
    Have owned: '01 Volusia
    Currently own: '05 Z750S

  3. #3
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Re: Oil cooler install on my Jeep SRT8

    You're absolutely right with rockauto, they are NOT at all helpful in terms of refunds or exchange, and you have to be a bit picky with what brand you order because they carry a lot of cheap shit. I've never had a problem with damaged items on delivery, but I haven't ordered anything fragile either.

    These items are all Mopar OEM, so quality of parts will be top shelf, and they aren't fragile either so I don't expect any problems. But if I run into clearance issues I can't get around, I'm out at least $100 in trying to sell them used.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Re: Oil cooler install on my Jeep SRT8

    So the 6.1 engine in every other chassis puts the oil filter directly to the block, pointed straight down, and that's how the oil cooler is made to fit.

    On the Keep, there is a 4" adapter that goes from the block, then forward at a 45* angle down. Unfortunately the cooler won't fit at the end of the adapter with the filter on, as it interferes with the front sway bar. I'll see if I can remove the adapter and put it straight vertical like on the LX cars, but I'm not hopeful.

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