Oil Temprature
 

This topic generaly surfaces at this time of year. I have never had what I felt was sufficient oil temprature. I run a cooler (Humm?) and because of that and even though I run a piece of clear lexan covering it, the oil temps generally are about 160-180, with water temps at 180, this being in the summer. I am sure some minor amount of heat is being disipated through the cooler lines and I have considered wrapping them in some sort of insulation but more importantly I have researched the available oil thermostats and bypass valves and have come up with 3 in line thermostats and 2 manual valves; Mocal, Canton, and Hardine Marine. Are ther others? Is anyone using one of the manual valves?

Mmmm, is changing oil to a 0W40 synthetic, covering the oil cooler and longer warm up not sufficient? It's what I do in outside temps of 50 degrees minimum. Below that, I just wax and polish. :LOL: ;)

Oil really needs to be over 212 to work correctly...........from what I have been told anyways.

Also, oil should be hotter than water.

SPO 1862, 351 W, was delivered with a 160' thermostat. Water temps met the 160 level; oil generally ran around 140-150' when ambient temperatures ranged from 70-80'. I replaced the thermostat with a unit rated to 180'. At the same air temps, the oil would usually get as hot as 200' but more commonly runs 165'-170.' When air temps exceed 100', the oil maintains 190'. Oil temps will exceed 200' but only while the car is being driver hard - 4800-6200 RPM; oil temp quickly returns to 190 at sustained 2900-3200 RPM.

The oil cooler is not connected. I use 15-50 Mobil One and an 8 quart capacity sump.

I have a 12 quart pan, I'm lucky if my oil temp equals my water temp. It rarely exceeds water temp. No oil cooler.

Rick

The Canton Thermostat uses a Diesel Truck thermostat inside of the canton housing..... it works very good and the temp is always 215*degrees...regardless if I'm driving 3000 rpm's or on the track at 7000 rpm's.....

Inaddition ..... the oil is up to temp within 5-7 minutes........ and on aluminum motors you need that temp before you do anything.....

Morris

Morris forgot more than I know, but bottom line, get that oil up to temp.
JB ;)

Hey Morris,
where did you get the Canton thermostat? I don't want to overcool the oil, but I want an oil cooler anyway. Thanks,
Jerry

Jerry

We got it from HRP Racing.... big race shop and have it all....

http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm

Morris

Thanks Morris

Morris,
Is this the one you are talking about ?

http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/...ermostats.html

so then what is the best/safest oil temp? mine runs about 150-180 cool weather(but usually falls back to 150-160 quickly), and in hot weather 170-190. what temp is best for engines?

Morris do you still have pictures of how you plumbed the oil bypass valve? If so could you post one of two.

Clois

PS I finally finished the suspension book and will be drawing some lines on my garage floor over the holidays.

Oil temps should be 210*degrees to 220*degrees for the motor to operate at its most efficiency

Fred

Yes sir that's the one...... it's a bit larger then the Mocal one.... but it works much better.....less oil restrictions.....

Clois

I'm traveling out in L.A. right now but will post some photo's at a later date....

And yea ...that sounds exciting .... lines on the garage floor and measurments are great ...let me know if we can help out...

Morris

I wrapped my oil cooler in hotrod insulation(the foil backed stuff) and saw a rise of 15 to 20 degrees. Just blocking the cooler still allows dissipation of heat from the unit itself,albiet at a slower rate than unblocked.

I just recalled a shocking moment of realization I had when working on Formula Ford race cars. A number of drivers were complaining of water and oil temps generally being to high (usually at the end of a race). So I tested 4 or 5 cars with a calibrated thermometer as well as other primitive methods to compare the readings to the GUAGE readings.

What I found was that the first one or two inches of the sensor lead as it left the sensor itself would easily influence the guage reading! In some cases the sensor would pick up heat from the headers. Or be COOLED by air flow. Then there was the simple fact that some of the guages read incorrectly by up to 10 degrees (high or low, 20 degree spread) under 'perfect' conditions.

Bottom line, I insulated the sensor sending wire\tube as it exited the sensor itself for better reliability of a 'true' reading. Something I HAVEN'T done with my ERA, but it's on 'my list' of things to do... :LOL:

One such 'primitive' test was: Take off the radiator cap, run the engine and wait until the water 'boils'. THAT is 220, read the guage, does IT say 220? Primitive, but I think fairly effective. As to oil temp, WHERE are you measuring it? Oil splashing off the head is WAY hotter than the 'average' oil temp within the pan. I'm not sure 'average' oil temps below 220 (guage reading if you believe it) are necessarily a 'bad' thing. Any residual moisture is dissipated when the oil comes into contact with the very hot head and cools as it returns to the pan.

...not a big fan of oil coolers in general, but they look good!

In the cooler weather I place a piece of plexiglas in front of my cooler. It allows my oil to come up to temperature and it's invisible to the general public. I also use 5W-30 (synthetic) year-round and it supplies plenty of pressure while flowing well in cool temps and at start-up.

Bob

Does anyone use a manual bypass valve instead of a thermostat?

A thought popped into my head. Would it make sense to come out of the oil cooler and then go into a heat exchanger in the radiator (like for an auto tranny), and then back to the engine? I realized sizing of the lines and not reducing oil flow is crital. However when the oil cooler gets the oil too cool (which is often) this would heat it back up to operating temps.

Thinking off the top of my head here. So if this was a dumb idea, feel free to explain why.