Sagaris oil temp - never gets warm.

[minicooperturbo]

I drive about 35 miles to work each day, 40mins on A roads, and 20mins on the motorway. During that time, my oil temp tends to be about 40-45. If I get stuck in a queue for a roundabout, then it might reach high 50s, but as soon as I'm moving again, it will drop to mid 40s.

I was told that the oil temp had to be above 60 before you rev the engine above 2.5K (which is 65ish on the motorway).

Do any of you have the same problem? Or do you say to yourselfs "Sod it, I'm going to do motorway speeds, no matter what the oil temp is"? (This is after 40mins of driving)

Also, when I turn the car off, it will beep five times - it's not the alarm beep (when you leave a door/boot open), but the indicator/warning beep. What's that about?

[kmpowell]

It's the time of year i'm afraid mate.

On my T350T at the moment in Bristol im seeing it only just ticking 40 on the motorway at night time. Pootling round town it is lucky to just reach 60 due to stopping for traffic llights every now and then. In heavy traffic it can reach 65-70, but on average in these temperatures it's mainly about 50.

You just have to keep your right foot under control for now.

>> Edited by kmpowell on Friday 27th January 11:16

[_deejay_]

That does seem very low. The warming up figures aren't 2.5k until 60'c though, as far as I am aware.
Perhaps as you increase the revs slightly during the warming up cycle you'll get the engine up to temperature.

My (t350) does take quite a while to get up to temp in the winter months though.

D

[DJC]

OK, this is what I work to.

40 degrees and below is upto 2500rpm.
50 degrees and below is upto 3000rpm

Above 50 enjoy. I have my red light set to 7000rpm anyway so I dont indulge in that last 1000rpm much anyway.

Before joining a Motorway or dual carriageway/ 60mph cruising roads, I always spend about 10minutes or so in town traffic and pootling between idle and 40mph, otherwise the engine just doesnt warm up properly. In rain and colder temps your M-way cruising temps will drop into the 40-50degrees range. Up in the Borders last Oct/Nov going up to Edin. in a torrential downpour I had my engine temps between 20 and 30 degrees!

Normally however when I see my M-way temps down in the 40s I know its just my sensors being arsy and that my engine is happily warm enough. Indeed if you put your foot in it a little you will see your temps climb a bit.

[_deejay_]

I'm usually pretty cautious with my car, but does anyone know the figures stated in the manual?
I seem to remember reading 3k revs up to 40' and 4k revs up to 60'?

[Daftlad]

DJC said:

OK, this is what I work to. 40 degrees and below is upto 2500rpm. 50 degrees and below is upto 3000rpm Above 50 enjoy. I have my red light set to 7000rpm anyway so I dont indulge in that last 1000rpm much anyway. Before joining a Motorway or dual carriageway/ 60mph cruising roads, I always spend about 10minutes or so in town traffic and pootling between idle and 40mph, otherwise the engine just doesnt warm up properly. In rain and colder temps your M-way cruising temps will drop into the 40-50degrees range. Up in the Borders last Oct/Nov going up to Edin. in a torrential downpour I had my engine temps between 20 and 30 degrees! Normally however when I see my M-way temps down in the 40s I know its just my sensors being arsy and that my engine is happily warm enough. Indeed if you put your foot in it a little you will see your temps climb a bit.

50 deg still is cold oil. Would give it another 20 degress or so before getting near the bigger numbers on the tacho.

[Hilti]

I find my Tam's normal operating temp drops at thsi time of year from 64 to 58 degs. If i stop in traffic it climbs into 70's. The ambient temp at this time of year must have an effect on the cooling of the engine.

J

[purpleperil]

According to the 'gospel' your temperatures should be inline with the following:

Perhaps this should be made a sticky as soooo many people seem to get it round their necks?

Anyway 3000rpm is good for 80mph in top on a T350 so no fear of not being able to make progress!

[minicooperturbo]

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

I'm pretty sure that the Sagaris manual does not have that very useful information posted by purpleperil...

[purpleperil]

What worries me is the fact that 'everyone' says they have run their car in carefully but then you get all these questions about oil temps v revs

Just to add - the information is actually printed twice in the t350 manual - perhaps we got the Sagaris copy

>> Edited by purpleperil on Friday 27th January 14:19

[cptsideways]

Is there no thermostat system inline then???

[the pits]

The above is the same as what's in my Sagaris manual if that helps.

[targarama]

Someone mentioned the oil temp gauge was on the front/bottom of the oil tank where it gets nicely cooled by airflow on a fast road. I wonder how accurate the gauge is once the oil has warmed through to 60+ degrees.

Maybe we should be using cable ties to strap tin foil around the oil tank like people used to do to the radiators of cars in the good old days.

[dvpeace]

You will find that once you reach oil temp 40 you can open the revvs a little more and the temp will start to climb, unless you are running down a M Way at constant 60+ when the air flow will cool it all down again! Take it off the fast road and run down some back lanes, more fun and warms up much quicker. Once hot keep it there !

[holmsie]

But if your oil temperature is upto say 60-70 and then you head out on a motorway and it cools down to 40, does that mean the sensor has been cooled down to that because of all the cold air hitting it, or has the oil actually cooled down to this temperature? Or will we never know?

[DJC]

holmsie said:

But if your oil temperature is upto say 60-70 and then you head out on a motorway and it cools down to 40, does that mean the sensor has been cooled down to that because of all the cold air hitting it, or has the oil actually cooled down to this temperature? Or will we never know?

Er you run your car at 60mph+ for a length of time and oil temps do not drop! The sensor readings may/will drop but the physical temp wont be dropping.

[holmsie]

[purpleperil]

DJC said:

The sensor readings may/will drop but the physical temp wont be dropping.

So what do you suggest djc - can you lag/shield or otherwise to reduce the effect of localised cooling in the vicinity of the oil temperature sensor?

[tail slide]

Agree with DJC. Factory engineering advice last year was oil temp sensor reads from tank, not engine, which acts like a cooler for the oil; so actual engine oil temp will be easily 10C higher in winter, but closer in summer (still a bit lower - so a useful safety margin). I tried fully lagging it out of interest (proper foil + fibre sandwich type) and only degree or so difference.

So once engine not warming any more, and as long as water hot and oil reached at least 50C (usually 15 mins+ into journey!) the engine must be at 60C so it appears it's fine to go above 4k. But I still don't go above 6k until sensor agrees - never in Winter then! A sensor on the engine would've been good, but TVR's are mainly summer-use convertibles

I appreciate many will want to stick to the letter of the manual without hearing it from TVR themselves - if enough people ask, they might send out a dealer advice note or manual update?

>> Edited by tail slide on Friday 27th January 19:06

>> Edited by tail slide on Friday 27th January 19:09

[DJC]

purpleperil said:

DJC said: The sensor readings may/will drop but the physical temp wont be dropping. So what do you suggest djc - can you lag/shield or otherwise to reduce the effect of localised cooling in the vicinity of the oil temperature sensor?

Use common sense.