A overheating engine can really ruin a day, but would having an oil cooler for your engine be the solution or a potential problem down the road?
The answer to whether your car needs an oil cooler will depend on multiple variables. Excess heat, such as when an engine overheats, can easily damage or kill any gasoline or diesel engine. It’s why every driver should know what to do the moment the temperature gauge spikes dangerously to the H (hot) zone, as neglecting an overheating engine means expensive repair bills at the shop. However, all engines produce heat, and maintaining a steady operating temperature is critical to efficiency, responsiveness, and outright performance.
It’s why car manufacturers design the cooling system of cars to allow the engine to heat up effectively without overheating and causing damage. It does it by circulating coolant inside the engine using pumps, radiators, fans, and thermostats. It also means that your typical compact or midsize sedan has optimized cooling systems that can keep the engine cool or maintain the ideal operating temperature, even in blazing hot summer traffic.
Generally, with a stock engine, a cooler isn’t necessary. Adding an auxiliary oil cooler might interfere with the heat balance and cause the engine to run cooler than usual, depending on the application. Just as an overheating engine is inefficient, a similar issue arises when the engine is running colder than usual.
