Oil cooler valve cover (attempted install, some issues)

[TrustMeImAnEnginee]

If you have one of these oil cooler kits or are thinking of getting one, it might be good to read.

I bought an oil cooler kit from alibaba that replaces the valve cover with one ported for an oil cooler:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832467152642.html







And I was looking forward to it being all good right out of the box, but that's not how it was. I found a couple issues with it.

First and foremost, the gasket pattern does not match the stock valve cover. This was the deal breaker for me deciding not to install it, but if others are having a fine time with ones that are also like this I may reconsider.

I made a paper cutout tracing kinda closely the inner edge of the gasket on the oil cooler cover, see how it looks:


IMG20230121165125.jpg
IMG20230121165213.jpg


I also looked at the positioning of the hole where oil goes in related to the bolt holes, the hole and gasket are set inwards a little:

(images in second post)



Here it is fitted (loose):


IMG20230121172725_-_Copy.jpg
IMG20230121172709_-_Copy.jpg


Second issue, and this one can be resolved, is the oil jets and first passage going to the oil cooler inside the cover were smaller than the stock cover. I CAREFULLY used a 2mm drill bit to enlarge the oil jets and a long 5mm bit to enlarge the first passage. (I took the time to do this BEFORE test fitting the cover and calling off the install)



I figure even with the oil getting sprayed out of the jets after running through an oil cooler which will help cool the head, it would still be good to have the same amount as stock for lubrication and not less.

The stock angled oil passage from the round inlet was 5mm so I drilled the oil cooler cover up to that from about 4 or so on the first angled section. The second section leading out to the cooler wasn't as small but still a little less than 5mm so I hit it too. The passage leading to the jets seemed fine.



InkedIMG20230121163907.jpg



I also noticed the plug they put in where oil would flow through the original route leaked a little when blowing out shavings and just experimentally blocking the outlet to see if any holes I couldn't see had been opened.

Anyways, that's my experience with one of these valve cover oil cooler kits. if anyone is running one that fits like mine and isn't having issues or solved the fit problem somehow please post a reply.

Would also like to hear thoughts about drilling out the oil jets and the passages to match stock. If anyone knows why they were smaller to begin with (other than not getting drilled out at the factory) let me know.

If I just bought the wrong valve cover entirely, DEFINITELY let me know where I can get the right one.