98 catera oil cooler. Is there a way to bypass the oil cooler on a 98 catera ? I also have it

Answer 1

i did the same thing only I cut the lines above the filter housing, connected them with a hose and hose clamps to seal off the now unused cooler and then modified the remaining 2 parts like he described, never removing the plenum and the top half of the engine. I may yet go have a one piece part built to run from the oil inlet to the outlet and eliminate the homeade part. I recommend this to any catera owner who lives in a warm climate. 

Answer 2

Yes, there's a way to do this..........you need to have some mechanical "patience & experience" to make it through it.  I did this on my 2000 Catera & it worked fine.  First I removed the upper intake & lower intake to gain access to the top of the oil cooler plate.  I then removed the oil filter housing from the side of the engine.  By removing the oil filter housing, you can see where the two metal oil lines come out the side of the engine block (just above the housing).  I then shortened the correct size metric wrench and removed each line (unscrewed it from them from the side of the block).  Afterwards, I went back up top & unbolted the metal tubes from the cooler.  Went down to my local hardware store, purchased a couple bolts that had the same thread, cut them off a bit and screwed them back into the top of the oil cooler inlets.  I then removed the two metal lines completely from the engine(had to have some help on this one).....by twisting them around/wiggling them until they finally came out (from the top side).  Afterwards I cut each metal tube several inches from each end (where they bolt into the block).  This left me with two curved tubes.  I happened to have a piece of tubing that i could slide over the end of each tube.  With a little bending, was able to connect both tubes back together, so that they would not interefere with the oil filter housing (clearance) when they were installed again.  You have to sort of make a bend "upwards" and around a bit to clear the housing.  I welded them back together, using the metal tubing.  Simply screwed my new assembly back into the block & presto!  Problem solved.  The oil simply comes out of the block & goes back into the block..............bypassing the oil cooler entirely.........permanently eliminating the poor designed issue.  All of this took about 4.5 hrs to do..............i sort of "felt my way" through the project as i went along.  Now that i am familar with the process, could probably do it quicker & maybe easier.  Anyway, it can be done with some patience.