Should I ditch the oil cooler?

[ChrisDixon]

In the process of overhauling the carbs on my 3.8S, and while they are off its an opportunity to do some other jobs while I can get at things. Like the hoses. My car also has an oil cooler and the pipes are in the way generally, and particularly of the bottom hose. Given the car gets limited use I wonder if the oil cooler is doing anything useful, or worse, when really hot is the oil pump working harder pushing oil through the cooler?

I'm assuming the oil filter head with cooler takeoffs was sourced from another Jag, so if I removed it I'd need to either replace it or blank off the connections. I'm also thinking of fitting a spin off oil filter and have seen the Flexolite product. But if I replace the filter head is there one from a later car (XJ6 S3?) that has the correct pressure relief valve and will fit my 3.8, removing the need for an adaptor?

[PPV]

Hi, do you have a gauge recording the oil temp as I would have thought that a cooler would cause more issues than benefits with the car having limited use in that the oil may not get up to operating temperature so any petrol type contaminents would not flash off and working parts may not be effectively lubricated? I have a modern car in addition to my Mk2 and that has oil temp gauges for the engine and 4wheel drive system and it takes ages (10+ miles at least depending on driving technique) for the oil temp to come up to anything like normal whereas the water temp is up to normal very quickly indeed.
The cooler may have been put in place due to arduous use of the car as the normal water cooling of the engine is a bit limited if the car is pushed.
Unfortunately my car is bog standard so I have no experience of the chage to spin off filters etc but I am sure someone will offer advise on that front soon.
Regards,

[ChrisDixon]

Hi Paul I don't have an oil temp gauge but I know what you mean. I removed the filter head and discovered that the cooler pipes go on an aftermarket adadper so I can ditch it and keep the canister filter for now.