Club Cobra - Oil Temp / thermostat

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Oil Temp / thermostat

So I have just learned that it is possible to put in a thermostat for the oil cooler, but is it worth the "dirty" work? My oil stays below 85, in the heat of the summer. now with cooler weather, around 70 and 50-60 degrees, barely registers on the gauge which has 60C as the min.

Oil has an operating range. Cooler is not better. Although the exact min temp is hard to find, it's generally accepted to be 180*F (about 82*C). Below that temp, the oil doesn't reach the proper viscosity, and the additive package doesn't work as well. You end up with a lot of strain on the oil pump and distributer gear - which can lead to an early failure.

For a pure street car, there's no need for an oil cooler. Complete waste of money, time, space, weight, and complexity.

But, if do have a cooler on a street car, a thermostat is a must.

A thermostat when closed will flow about 10% of the oil through the cooler. As the oil warms up, more and more gets directed to the cooler. That allows all the oil in the system to warm up at the same rate. It also keeps the oil from warming up at all if it's cold enough.

When fully open, about 90% goes through the cooler. That helps reduce pressure drop through the cooler.

If it's a street car that sometimes sees track duty, consider a manual valve that you can open first thing in the morning on track day. But completly close for street use.

My little 302 has the same problem. It runs too cool. Needle never leaves 60 for most of my driving. If I romp around in the mountains in third gear i'll get it to about 85. Only on the track, which God bless America, will be this October the 11th, does it get to 90C. So, I bought a Canton oil thermostat and just haven't put it in. It requires wrenches and all that greasy stuff and so I just haven't done it.

My fix was inserting two towels in front of the oil cooler. The temps still drop if crusing at highway speeds, but in normal local driving the oil temp stay between 75 and 90. . . . that works for me.

David, I am still looking for a rear half to make a trailer. Any available? PS HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Peace, Darren

Hmmmm,

Maybe we could come up with something. Do you have any pictures of what you want?

David
:):):)

So how do you know if you have a thermostat on your oil circ loop? The oil gets hot enough. But just want to know. Where do you look? I'd be surprised if I did.