Oil temperature

[Alexdaredevilz]

What is regarded as good running temperature?

Today I managed to reach 120 degrees and it was cold out side! and it wasn't like I was stuck in traffic either (apart from haircutmikes slow chim)

Im thinking I might invest in a oil cooler,

Thanks

Alex

[Tyre Tread]

Not sure of the condition of your car but check your radiator.

Saw on last week that looked fine from inside the engine bay but looking up through the front there were barely any cooling fins left and the tubes were weeping.

[Number 7]

Not the same car, but the well tweaked 4.3 in my Wedge normally runs around 80 deg. c. I do sometimes see 120 deg.c on a trackday in the middle of summer (ambient around 80 deg. c). If your gauge is accurate, you need a cooler. Where is the probe located? Mines in the remote filter mount, and doesn't suffer from radiated heat from manifolds, for example.

[phillpot]

Number 7 said:

(ambient around 80 deg. c)

That would be a hot summers day !

[Number 7]

phillpot said:

That would be a hot summers day !

Not at Zolder

[Tyre Tread]

Number 7 said:

Not at Zolder

So 176 deg Fahrenheit. I think not. You'd be dead!

[Number 7]

Tyre Tread said:

So 176 deg Fahrenheit. I think not. You'd be dead!

Silly me - getting my C's and F's mixed up.

[Bluebottle]

I wouldn't want to see anything above 110 deg on a regular basis, especially if we are still in single digit temps. As siad above, I would by looking at the cooling system and considering adding an oil cooler

[drlloyd]

My 1995 Chimaera normally runs at 70 degC on the coolant gauge, going up to a max. of 90 degC.

I would be concerned if I was regularly seeing temps of 100 deg.C and above. Is your gauge accurate? Is your cooling system working correctly? Do you get hot air out of your heating system? What temperature thermostat are you using?

[Tyre Tread]

OP can you confirm if you mean oil temp or coolant temp reaching 120 Deg C?

[haircutmike]

Tyre Tread said:

OP can you confirm if you mean oil temp or coolant temp reaching 120 Deg C?

He means oil temp, probably caused by trying to keep up with me .

[Alexdaredevilz]

Yeah oil temperature

Ive not calibrated it but it seems fairly good, today I wasn't spanking it and maintained a 80 degrees average, 70 on motorway, 90 in traffic which im happy with

But if I do give it some, or get STUCK waiting for Haircutmike to set a decent pace it goes up and up, even with the fan override on

Looks like im going to add a oil cooler and stat to my 'To do list'

Thanks

[Tyre Tread]

What level does the coolant reach?

[Alexdaredevilz]

Tyre Tread said:

What level does the coolant reach?

90

[Tyre Tread]

Don't think you have too much to worry about then. The oil is doing its job as a lubricant and a coolant.

[Alexdaredevilz]

Tyre Tread said:

Don't think you have too much to worry about then. The oil is doing its job as a lubricant and a coolant.

But im trying to point out that the oil is reaching 120 degrees, and im sure there's a point that oil starts to burn out or not in its optimum lubing temp

[spend]

Even 'good' oil begins to degrade above 110C IIRC ie the long slimy molecules breakdown into shorter not so slimy ones

[Alexdaredevilz]

spend said:

Even 'good' oil begins to degrade above 110C IIRC ie the long slimy molecules breakdown into shorter not so slimy ones

That's what I needed to know

Thanks Spend :-)

Alex

[slideways]

spend said:

Even 'good' oil begins to degrade above 110C IIRC ie the long slimy molecules breakdown into shorter not so slimy ones

Great technical description there Dave!

[spend]

I can always make the plebs understand me, even if I can't understand them or grasp theyre spelling