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RacingLine Golf MK7 Oil Cooler

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Uploaded pics above of the oil cooler bumper fitment in an edit. Overall it is great and would be better with banjo fittings or upsidedown to get a few more rows with direct exposure but didn't have either. Don't think it will affect cooling that much. Fits great in the bumper area and should be solid for the track. Let me know if you want to see anything specific.
How did the first day go at VIR?
 

bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
How did the first day go at VIR?
Only driving today so between sessions currently. My take is an oil cooler is a necessity for anyone track driving in the south.

For a 40 minute track session, I could push the whole time without recovery laps and maxed at 268f on a 80-85f day. Met all expectations compared to last time where I hit 275f+ after 3 laps and had to ease it down.

This was also the first day with my Spulen V2 catch can and iAbed baffled oil pan and everything is working great. Unfortunately my tires are crap and my front left tire actually depressurized and fell off the rim during the session so I'm done for the day most likely, I had checked pressures before the session so who knows.

Interestingly as well, I swapped my ARM FMIC for a stock mount Majesty bar and plate intercooler due to the oil cooler install and my IATs were bad like 25-30 over ambient on the straights. I think it is because I have the engine intake side blocked off so that heat is just trapped and was going to experiment there. Probably need to think about hood louvers or remove the block off. The ARM IC gave me sub-10 delta temps but the air had a place to escape.

Edit 6/9: Cleared out the Spluen v2 catch can today, about 1:40 of track drive time and captured 0.25-0.3L of engine oil. Also pulled off the engine intake plastic plate to test around town to check IATs for new SMIC.
 
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Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Good news on the Oil Cooler then. My first event is at the end of Aug, so I am likely to see 90+F ambients at VIR.

I will definitely be adding the Verus Hood vents based on your feedback. Allowing the hot engine air to vent. That should help your temps as well.
Would like to keep temps under 260F if I can.
IS38 with APR tune. I need to think on whether I replace my VWR CC with the added boost. Wasn’t an issue on my IS20 until I added a tune.

What size tires do you run? That must have had some pucker factor at VIR, having a tire go down.

My AMS IC does a decent job on the street regarding IAT deltas when I run real-time gauges on my tablet with the OBD11. It will also be interesting to see what my coolant temps do after the oil cooler install.
 

bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
Good news on the Oil Cooler then. My first event is at the end of Aug, so I am likely to see 90+F ambients at VIR.

I will definitely be adding the Verus Hood vents based on your feedback. Allowing the hot engine air to vent. That should help your temps as well.
Would like to keep temps under 260F if I can.
IS38 with APR tune. I need to think on whether I replace my VWR CC with the added boost. Wasn’t an issue on my IS20 until I added a tune.

What size tires do you run? That must have had some pucker factor at VIR, having a tire go down.

My AMS IC does a decent job on the street regarding IAT deltas when I run real-time gauges on my tablet with the OBD11. It will also be interesting to see what my coolant temps do after the oil cooler install.
Yea I may opt to do AMS+CSF radiator in the future since they place nice together, are you also blocking off the engine-side air intake? Also my coolant temps did drop maybe 10-20 degrees on average with the oil cooler installed, it normalizes on heavy track use. My tires are 235s Federal SS595 which I found out it got punctured on track on the sidewall so new set and those are bad track tires anyway, probably going Hankook RS4 17x245.

Also why has no one ever talked about the cheap OEM DSG trans breather box for track use? My driver side wheel well is covered in trans fluid and just found out yesterday somehow that there is an OEM DSG transmission breather box that most 2016 and older GTIs don't have and it's a $30 VW part. The stock breather under the airbox has a plastic cap that barely does anything for track use and at high temp it overflows and spills all over the driver side wheel well and suspension.

OEM DSG Trans Breather Box: https://www.shopdap.com/02e-301-472-e.html -> Takes about 5 minutes to install
Quick thread to identify if you already have it (its a box attached to the left side of the battery tray): https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/inde...dsg-covered-in-fluid-heres-likely-why.312256/

I had bought the Spulen DSG catch can not knowing there is an OEM part and they didn't supply any instructions so I'm sending it back to install the OEM part, this should be a mandatory check for Mk7 track use with a DSG.

I think I overflowed enough trans fluid that I'll need to add some back and do the leveling procedure again. I peaked at 255f trans fluid temp so I'm going to give the billet DSG housing a try and maybe upgrade the size of the DSG heat exchanger. Doubt I'll do a DSG fluid cooler and instead just upgrade to the CSF radiator but we'll see if I can get my Majestic IC temps down before switching to AMS+CSF.
 
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Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Yea I may opt to do AMS+CSF radiator in the future since they place nice together, are you also blocking off the engine-side air intake? Also my coolant temps did drop maybe 10-20 degrees on average with the oil cooler installed, it normalizes on heavy track use. My tires are 235s Federal SS595 which I found out it got punctured on track on the sidewall so new set and those are bad track tires anyway, probably going Hankook RS4 17x245.

Also why has no one ever talked about the cheap OEM DSG trans breather box for track use? My driver side wheel well is covered in trans fluid and just found out yesterday somehow that there is an OEM DSG transmission breather box that most 2016 and older GTIs don't have and it's a $30 VW part. The stock breather under the airbox has a plastic cap that barely does anything for track use and at high temp it overflows and spills all over the driver side wheel well and suspension.

OEM DSG Trans Breather Box: https://www.shopdap.com/02e-301-472-e.html -> Takes about 5 minutes to install
Quick thread to identify if you already have it (its a box attached to the left side of the battery tray): https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/inde...dsg-covered-in-fluid-heres-likely-why.312256/

I had bought the Spulen DSG catch can not knowing there is an OEM part and they didn't supply any instructions so I'm sending it back to install the OEM part, this should be a mandatory check for Mk7 track use with a DSG.

I think I overflowed enough trans fluid that I'll need to add some back and do the leveling procedure again. I peaked at 255f trans fluid temp so I'm going to give the billet DSG housing a try and maybe upgrade the size of the DSG heat exchanger. Doubt I'll do a DSG fluid cooler and instead just upgrade to the CSF radiator but we'll see if I can get my Majestic IC temps down before switching to AMS+CSF.

I did have the small block of plate installed at my last event, but removed it when my oil temps hit 275. It should help IATs. i don’t think it would impact air flow through the IC/Radiator. I have since reinstalled it.

An oil cooler is required for us track rats. Especially on tuned cars. I’ve being trying to delay the inevitable by installing the larger radiator.
 

bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
I did have the small block of plate installed at my last event, but removed it when my oil temps hit 275. It should help IATs. i don’t think it would impact air flow through the IC/Radiator. I have since reinstalled it.

An oil cooler is required for us track rats. Especially on tuned cars. I’ve being trying to delay the inevitable by installing the larger radiator.

So my theory on the plastic block off plate is with that installed, there is nowhere for the engine bay heat to go and it just soaks the IC. Options would either be to remove it and suck in hot engine air into the intake as VW intended or more ideally keep it blocked off and install hood louvers to evacuate the heat naturally which seems best for track use to only intake fresh air. I wanted to get another run today with the block off plate removed to compare but unfortunately the tire issue cut my day short. I'll try it around town to see if it changes a bit.

Since you have an AMC IC, the CSF radiator fits it well so that is probably a good option to help all temps but a direct oil cooler has the biggest impact since that fluid temp is the biggest track issue. Comparing CSF radiator oil temp change to a dedicated cooler would be an interesting test, both is even better but you may have issues getting the car to temp on non track days. My coolant temps today never went above 225 I think and DSG fluid at 255 which both are a bit high but ok without any additives. DSG temps could be fixed with a larger heat exchanger or even you could get something like the Racingline DSG cooler but I'd take the CSF first over that.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
So my theory on the plastic block off plate is with that installed, there is nowhere for the engine bay heat to go and it just soaks the IC. Options would either be to remove it and suck in hot engine air into the intake as VW intended or more ideally keep it blocked off and install hood louvers to evacuate the heat naturally which seems best for track use to only intake fresh air. I wanted to get another run today with the block off plate removed to compare but unfortunately the tire issue cut my day short. I'll try it around town to see if it changes a bit.

Since you have an AMC IC, the CSF radiator fits it well so that is probably a good option to help all temps but a direct oil cooler has the biggest impact since that fluid temp is the biggest track issue. Comparing CSF radiator oil temp change to a dedicated cooler would be an interesting test, both is even better but you may have issues getting the car to temp on non track days. My coolant temps today never went above 225 I think and DSG fluid at 255 which both are a bit high but ok without any additives. DSG temps could be fixed with a larger heat exchanger or even you could get something like the Racingline DSG cooler but I'd take the CSF first over that.
Did you top off your dsg fluid since you had some leave? I've never had mine get that hot. 235 was peak I've seen, but my understanding is that's okay. 60-100c is the normal "warm" range, but not unusual to go over. I have not had the dsg stop, miss, or slow a shift.
 

bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
Did you top off your dsg fluid since you had some leave? I've never had mine get that hot. 235 was peak I've seen, but my understanding is that's okay. 60-100c is the normal "warm" range, but not unusual to go over. I have not had the dsg stop, miss, or slow a shift.
I'm buying trans fluid to fill it back up and do a leveling procedure, not sure how much actually came out but the wheel well and inner tire were caked with fluid.

This should be resolved when I install the OEM DSG breather but unfortunatly didn't have it before the track and Spulen/USP didn't get to me on how to install it on the Mk7 platform (they have instructions for Mk7.5 but different kit).
 
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victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
I'm buying trans fluid to fill it back up and do a leveling procedure, not sure how much actually came out but the wheel well and inner tire were caked with fluid.

This should be resolved when I install the OEM DSG breather but unfortunatly didn't have it before the track.
I've got a 2016 dsg and never had an issue, so I must have the breather. Definitely didn't know it was a thing!! The dsg has been the most reliable part of my car on track. Everything else has needed a lot of work over time, but the dsg has been solid.

Good luck! Hopefully it goes well :).
 

bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
I've got a 2016 dsg and never had an issue, so I must have the breather. Definitely didn't know it was a thing!! The dsg has been the most reliable part of my car on track. Everything else has needed a lot of work over time, but the dsg has been solid.

Good luck! Hopefully it goes well :).
Do me a favor, look in your engine bay and check the left side of your battery tray, is there a little plastic box hanging off the side? Should be close to the turbo outlet over the charge pipes. Sounds like they came stock on 2017+ but hit or miss on the 2016s.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Do me a favor, look in your engine bay and check the left side of your battery tray, is there a little plastic box hanging off the side? Should be close to the turbo outlet over the charge pipes. Sounds like they came stock on 2017+ but hit or miss on the 2016s.
Not sure what I'm looking for. The dsg filter is there...
 

ShagginGSW

Go Kart Newbie
Location
MD

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bobivy1234

Go Kart Champion
Location
Greensboro, NC USA
Car(s)
2016 VW Golf GTI
Nope, don't have it.

Hmmmmmm
Buy it, costs $30 and you won't spray DSG fluid everywhere under you air box when temps are up at the track.

Think I put the part # up a few posts. Mine comes in today and I cleaned out the overflow fluid yesterday and was all over my driver side LCA, fender liner, everything that side of the engine bay.

Takes 5 minutes to install, it all snaps in easily.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Buy it, costs $30 and you won't spray DSG fluid everywhere under you air box when temps are up at the track.

Think I put the part # up a few posts. Mine comes in today and I cleaned out the overflow fluid yesterday and was all over my driver side LCA, fender liner, everything that side of the engine bay.

Takes 5 minutes to install, it all snaps in easily.
Thing is i haven't noticed any fluid spray and this car has seen a good amount of track time at 1.1G.

I HAVE noticed a super crappy engagement of the dsg on take off, but only after a second start up after a short drive. I wonder if that's related...

Ugh, this now being my daily and having a dedicated track car, I have a pile of things to be done to un-crap the car as a street car... Get the coils off, align it like a street car, water pump, replace dogbone mount with factory rubber, replace poly bushes with rubber. Not sure if the breather will make the cut, but then again car prices are nuts right now and it only has 39k on it, maybe it's time i cut my losses?
 
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