Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods Oil Cooler?

This is correct. The SVT has a water-to-oil type oil cooler. It is sandwiched between the block and the oil filter. Coolant is circulated through dozens of small tubes inside the cooler. The typical 250deg+ engine oil is cooled close to the 195deg coolant temp. This water-to-oil design is the best for everyday street/track driving. After a cold start-up in the morning, engine oil needs to heat up to operating temp quickly. Once warmed up, the oil is kept close to the coolant temp.
With an air-to-air design, the oil is circulated through it's own small radiator. After a cold start-up, it takes the oil much longer to get up to operating temp. Also, a small amount of oil pressure is lost due to the extra plumbing. A higher volume oil pump is sometimes needed. Typically, race-only cars benefit from this type of oil cooler. Your SVT cooler works really good and should be more than adequate for you needs. It would be a nice upgrade for a nonSVT Duratech owner.