Optimum oil temperature
Discussion
Hello all
I have been doing some research with my new oil temperature gauge and I was wondering what the optimum oil temperature is for a Cerb.
I was wondering how hot the oil would get at this time of year without an oil cooler. My cooler burst a few weeks ago and I haven't had time to fit a new one but I still need to use the car every day for work.
Here is what I found this afternoon. Remember, no oil cooler.
Ambient approx 15 degC
When Water temp Oil press Oil temp
--------------------------------------------------
tickover 90 45 50-60
town 80 60-75 80-90
motorway 75 75 90-100
Had a small excursion to just under 110 on the oil when joining the motorway but it soon cooled to around 90. I only went one junction so I reckon it may have cooled even more on a long run.
Would I be right in thinking 90 deg C is about right as this is what it seems to stabilise at?
I think the Mocal oil stats are set at 90 deg. I will be fitting one when I fit the cooler before the weather warms up!
Just thought I'd share this with you all.
Cheers
Ed
I have been doing some research with my new oil temperature gauge and I was wondering what the optimum oil temperature is for a Cerb.
I was wondering how hot the oil would get at this time of year without an oil cooler. My cooler burst a few weeks ago and I haven't had time to fit a new one but I still need to use the car every day for work.
Here is what I found this afternoon. Remember, no oil cooler.
Ambient approx 15 degC
When Water temp Oil press Oil temp
--------------------------------------------------
tickover 90 45 50-60
town 80 60-75 80-90
motorway 75 75 90-100
Had a small excursion to just under 110 on the oil when joining the motorway but it soon cooled to around 90. I only went one junction so I reckon it may have cooled even more on a long run.
Would I be right in thinking 90 deg C is about right as this is what it seems to stabilise at?
I think the Mocal oil stats are set at 90 deg. I will be fitting one when I fit the cooler before the weather warms up!
Just thought I'd share this with you all.
Cheers
Ed
Yep 90°C is roughly ideal although the hotter it gets the thinner it gets which is better for performance but not quite so good for bearing loading.
Synthetic is good to 140°C-150°C before it starts to break down but I wouldn't like to run prolonged periods at that temperature on a 40 oil.
If I were you I'd replace your air to oil cooler with a cooling circuit to oil cooler. This imporves oil heat up time and thus reduces engine wear and also retains a more stable oil temp.
Synthetic is good to 140°C-150°C before it starts to break down but I wouldn't like to run prolonged periods at that temperature on a 40 oil.
If I were you I'd replace your air to oil cooler with a cooling circuit to oil cooler. This imporves oil heat up time and thus reduces engine wear and also retains a more stable oil temp.
ridds said:
Yep 90°C is roughly ideal although the hotter it gets the thinner it gets which is better for performance but not quite so good for bearing loading.
Synthetic is good to 140°C-150°C before it starts to break down but I wouldn't like to run prolonged periods at that temperature on a 40 oil.
If I were you I'd replace your air to oil cooler with a cooling circuit to oil cooler. This imporves oil heat up time and thus reduces engine wear and also retains a more stable oil temp.
Synthetic is good to 140°C-150°C before it starts to break down but I wouldn't like to run prolonged periods at that temperature on a 40 oil.
If I were you I'd replace your air to oil cooler with a cooling circuit to oil cooler. This imporves oil heat up time and thus reduces engine wear and also retains a more stable oil temp.
So plumb in a water cooled oil cooler?
Yep plumb in an engine coolant circuit cooler for the oil.
I've seen at least one Cerb with this already, a small Bowman heat exchanger.
An easy fix could be a Modine cooler as this would fit between your filter and the adapter head if there is room.
Bowman spec PDF doc
Example of between filter and take off head cooler, commonly called sandwich plate coolers (on right in picture).
I've seen at least one Cerb with this already, a small Bowman heat exchanger.
An easy fix could be a Modine cooler as this would fit between your filter and the adapter head if there is room.
Bowman spec PDF doc
Example of between filter and take off head cooler, commonly called sandwich plate coolers (on right in picture).
Also when looking at the pressures listed above in the first post bear in mind that the engine will be at different speeds and loads and thus the pressure will be different anyway.
Ideally you shoul drive at each different condition for a while and then stop on the side of the road and hold the revs at a specific speed.
This will give you an indication of oil pressure at certain temps without the varying engine speed.
Ideally you shoul drive at each different condition for a while and then stop on the side of the road and hold the revs at a specific speed.
This will give you an indication of oil pressure at certain temps without the varying engine speed.
copilot said:
I am due to replace my oil cooler. Is there any advantage converting to a water cooled oil cooling system?
Copilot
There is one. The water assists the oil in heating up initially, because the water temp rises faster than the oil temp. It's marginally better than an oil cooler thermostat, but you'll have to plumb it in somehow. The extra work involved with doing that suggests to me that sticking with the standard approach is going to be easier.Copilot
Steve.
FUBAR said:
Im thinking of replacing the clock with a oil temp guage. Analogue or digital? (like the idea of a digi one but then Id need to change them all and, quite frankly, I cant be arsed)
You gonna do it for me Steve? Or will I be waiting longer than usual?
Me sorting it out for you ... only after I've got mine done, so don't hold your breath! You gonna do it for me Steve? Or will I be waiting longer than usual?
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