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Greetings=20 again,

In the = previous post, I=20 labeled the ports on my radiator, and now I'm confusing myself=20 :-)

When I was = talking to=20 Bruce about my oil temp issues, he suggested that I run the (currently = plugged) heater output into the radiator inlet to produce some more = coolant=20 flow through the radiator. This would be in an effort to = increase the=20 efficiency of the oil/water heat exchangers when the thermostat is = closed, and=20 there's little water flow. If I prove that I need to lower my = temps,=20 I'll try this. Certainly, water will actually flow from the heater port = to the=20 radiator inlet tank, because Bruce said Mazda used to do this = with the=20 1st gen oil/water heat exchangers.

Since water = will flow=20 from the engine to the radiator inlet tank, why do they return the = heater=20 itself to the radiator outlet side. This is also true for the = AST, and=20 turbo as far as I can tell. I certainly plumbed my AST and = turbo=20 returns back to the radiator outlet tank, so in effect, they bypass = the=20 radiator. The volume of water is small, so it's probably not a = big deal,=20 but it just seems odd that they wouldn't return all the water to the = same=20 place. I initially thought that maybe they made an exception for = the=20 oil/water heat exchanger return, since it would be picking up heat, = and they'd=20 want to pass that through the radiator. Of course you'd = think the=20 same would be true of the turbo water=20 return.

I'm not sure = there's=20 really a question here, but if it happens to make sense to anyone, let = me=20 know.

As for the = oil temp saga,=20 I should have an oil temp reading into the engine by this = weekend. =20

Thanks,

Rusty (waiting for=20 oil temp sensor supplies)

Rusty, I = can't concieve=20 of a situation where you would need more oil cooling when the = thermostat has=20 not even opened yet.

Your = potential problem is=20 simply not having enough coefficient of thermal coupling between oil = and=20 water. If you don't, none of the proposed changes will = work. =20 Another factor: If the thermostat is throttling the water flow = through=20 the rad due to too much water cooling, the water at the cold end of = the rad is=20 *really* cool. The oil cooler at that end will provide all the = cooling=20 the oil could ask for IF there is sufficient thermal transfer=20 capability.

Just my = opinion but the=20 proposed plumbing changes would be a waste of precious=20 time.

Tracy