This otherwise baller JDM aftermarket company is trying to pass off what’s just a fancy oil filter dress-up kit as a real-deal heat sink.
Would you pay $126 for what amounts to a dress-up kit for your oil filter? Probably not, but that’s not stopping this aftermarket JDM company from trying its best to convince you there’s actual science behind this add-on to your oil filter. According to Buddy Club USA in a Facebook post they dropped earlier this week (Jan 25, 2018) they are really trying to pull a fast one with their Buddy Club Racing Spec Oil Cooling Heatsink. Check out a very scientific-looking diagram of what they’re trying to sell you below.
In theory, this oil filter heat sink works by slipping over the otherwise smooth surface of your oil filter. The ridges on the other side effectively increase the surface area of the exposed metal of your oil filter. Combined with what they’re trying to illustrate as cool air (inside the engine bay…right) passing over their “heat sink” supposedly this will cool the passing oil inside returning cooler oil to your engine’s vital parts. Everyone knows that excess heat isn’t always a good thing when you want to keep your engine operating at its optimal temperature.
A quick google search reveals that this product was first advertised as a Filter Cover and nothing more with three benefits including; enhancing your engine bay, reducing oil leaks, and giving you that authentic Buddy Club look.
What I think happened was that these filter covers weren’t exactly flying off their shelves and a bit of rebranding was in order, enter the oil filter heat sink.
First of all, like a short ram air intake, unless there’s dedicated plumbing shoving cool air over that oil filter, it’s just pushing off a bunch of hot air over your “heat sink.”
Next, there’d better be good contact between the filter’s surface and this device if you expect this to actually work.
Finally, if they wanted to actually design some real deal heat sinks, the fins would jut straight out or at least flared, but I don’t see how this is a possibility with the filter so close to the accessory belts.
For what it is, a cosmetic upgrade, I do actually like it. But to call it more than that is being a bit rich.
If anyone from Buddy Club is reading this and drops some actual hard data like oil temp readings with this heatsink and without it on I’ll happily retract this article and rewrite a new one! It shouldn’t be too hard to find a willing test vehicle already outfitted with an oil temp gauge.
