Replace oil cooler and lines after blow up

[Truckedup]

You guys with race cars that use oil coolers...Do you replace the oil cooler radiator and lines after an engine failure? Or do you try to clean it...? Just wondering...

[billet]

Replace, is always the best option.

However you can assume some slight risk or least reduce it a ton, by knowing how the system is ran and how much if any debris was made when the engine expired. If the cooler is after the filter and you have a really good filter (blocked bypass) and the engine made very little debris, then you could (BIG "COULD" there) be semi safe reusing. Again not recommended though

[4vpc]

I clean them - very thoroughly and never had an issue.
Soak it in water soluble engine cleaner at least overnight then flush it through for a while with the same. Then put a water hose to it and flush it through for a few minutes both ways. Compressed air through it and hang it up to drip dry.
That's my recipe, but then I'm a tightwad and never like to see anything thrown away.

[pamotorman]

I always worried the pieces could have damaged the inside liner in in the cooler lines.

[MadBill]

It's certainly not uncommon for a blow-up's consequences to be carried forward to the next engine. Some teams I know routinely scrap all dubious lower end coolers but sell off the big buck ones with a warning about the need for cleaning.

Philosophically, if the filter is upstream of the cooler there is much less chance of debris lodging in the cooler but on the other hand, if there is any debris in the cooler, it's comforting to have the filter downstream...

[pamotorman]

oil coolers can be made out of GM A/C evaporator cores

[tresi]

How cleanable an oil cooler is depends on how it is made. A simple single tube that makes a series of bends is easy to flush out. If it has header tanks on each side the only way you can clean those is if you can cut the tanks apart and reweld.