Proper Oil Temperature?

[M & M]

Running a brand new 427 side-oiler with remote filter and oil cooler.

I have been driving with outside temperatures anywhere from 40 deg's to 65 deg's and engine temperature has been real consistent at 180 deg's.

My oil temperature gauge starts at 140 deg's and the dial has never moved of the bottom yet. The gauge looks dead!

What should I expect as the normal oil temp?

Thanks,
Mike

[JoeLafives]

My oil temp ran about 230 from NJ to AZ on the trip

[Ken Oikawa]

The oil temperature in my replicar is about 220F in the summer.

[Hal Copple]

i have a failed Smith's oil temp gage, and an Autometer replica gage that was defective out of the box. I called Autometer about it, they did promptly send a replacement, and told me the mechanical gage's line and sensor was filled with Ether, to expand and cause the gage needle to work.

I was smarter the third time, as putting in a gage is a two hour job. Here is what i suggest to check your gage. Remove the sending unit, and put it in boiling water. Assuming you are at sea level, be sure it reads about 100 degrees C, or a bit less at some altitude. My first bad Autometer only got to about 60 degrees in boiling water.

It also depends on your sending unit location, when i had my sending unit in the oil filter mount, it read higher than when i had it in my sump. My Aviad pan has a sump port of sending units. IN my Windsor at steady cruise, in "winter" it will read a bit below my 80C water temps (185 'stat), in summer it will read a bit higher. It will get hotter, up to 100 C max in hot stop and go.

I bypass my oil cooler in the winter, in order to get my oil temps up to a reasonable temp. Too cool and it won't evaporate fuel and moisture, you should run about your engine temps to have your oil last the longest without contamination.

So, i suggest first checking your gage, easy to do. Let us know where your sending unit is, and if your cooler is hooked up or not.

[M & M]

Guys thanks so much. I think you have answered my basic assumptions.

The sending unit is in the pan. It would appear that even with an oil cooler there should be some reading above the 140 mark. At this point it should be and easy one to track.

I am using a Stewart Warner gauge.

Will keep you informed on my findings.

Regards,
Mike

[Mr.Fixit]

I like to see 180-200 F. some say that 230 is too hot for your motor's best interests. I try and make sure the motor's oil gets to 180 every time I drive it, before I stand on the loud pedal.

[Back in Black]

The temp is up to 210 in about 2 minutes... this is in 50 degree dry weather... will be hotter in the summer no doubt

Of course it is a new engine and MAY be running hotter for that

[Mr.Fixit]

Bib,
That is way too hot for oil to get that quickly. New motors run hot, but only for as long as it takes to break in the camshaft (assuming non-roller cam) One thing to check, when you pull your tranny to replace the O-rings in the hydraulic TO bearing, carefully measure the depth that the tranny's input shaft penetrates the scattershield. It sounds possible that the inout shaft is getting pressed into the crank, causing undue thrust loads on the thrust bearing. This will get the oil hot quickly, and destroy a motor prematurely. You can do the measurement with a straight edge, a one foot section of dowel or welding rod, and a magic marker.

of course yoyu probubly won't read this as I am most likely on your ignore list.

[Back in Black]

Dude... you're not on ignore

I will look into it asap, thanks !

By the way, that is as hot as she gets, so far.

[bmalone]

I agree, that is way too hot in such a short time.

On mine, it takes about 10 minutes of driving to reach even 180-190. On the very hottest day (116 degrees), my oil temp went up to 236 degrees.

And Fixit, I have adopted your advice about standing on it only after she reaches 180.

And lastly, am I doing this right? My guage reads C.

temp *9 /5 + 32 = temp in farenheit

[Chaplin]

BMalone-
You've got the correct formula. To make it simpler (although slightly less exact) I double C and 32 (wife is Canadian so I am constantly making conversion dam! Canadians )

[bmalone]

thanks

[M & M]

Since I started this thread I have to chime in!

Bill,

Can I ask you where your oil temp sending unit is located? Also, BTW, I sent you an email via the forum email link a few days ago and you never responded. I assume you did not received it. Maybe your mail address needs updating in the user area? The email was related to your remote oil filter mounting.

Update on my car -

After replacing the thermostat, gauge and verifying the grounds and wiring I am pretty sure my problem is that the sending unit is not getting up past my lowest gauge reading of 140 f. My sending unit is located in the bottom front portion of the Aviad oil pan. The lines are plenty warm from the engine out but after passing through the oil filter, cooler etc I think it is just too cool in the bottom of the pan. Water temp reads anywhere from 180 - 210 f. Any thoughts on this?

BinB,

Where is your sending unit located? If it is immediately following the oil out line or in the bock maybe this is giving a high reading and by the time it gets back to the engine it is actually cooler than 210 f?

Thanks,
Mike

[Back in Black]

Someone correct me ifn' I am wrong, .... the 210F part is acceptable for a new 514 600 horse... but that the time it takes to get hot is what is critical. I will time her next time and see if my time perception was off, and also do the measurement with the dowel, since the tranny has to be pulled anyway.

I will time her at idle and see how long it takes... I may have been timing this off the cuff, with a "still somewhat warm" engine from a prior drive, upon reflection ? She stays warm for some time, if left in the garage.

[Mr.Fixit]

210 is fine. You are not even putting a load on the motor, so it is less important anyhow. Chevy recommends that you don't run their motors hard if the oil is over 230, that's great, but not always possible under racing conditions.

You have a problem if the oil gets hotter faster than the water.

Larger capacity oiling systems don't run cooler, they just take longer to heat up and longer to cool off. So if your beast holds 9 quarts of oil, it will take longer to get to temp, but even after it has been parked long enough for the water to cool off, the oil will remain at elevated temperatures. So it may appear that the oil heated up very quickly, when in fact it could just be latent heat from a half hour ago when you shut the motor off.

[bmalone]

Hi Mike, no I can say I never did receive your e-mail. Please try again, the address listed is correct.

Mine is located just off the block. Sounds like you are on the right track.

Look forward to hearing from you.

[M & M]

Bill,

Just sent you mail via the fourm link...... let's give it another try.

thanks,
Mike

[Back in Black]

I mean quick.. in fact Vern has them wired so the fan is ALWAYS on when the ignition is on.. to turn it off at the present time, one only has to pull the spade fuse.. I am going to wire in a manual cutoff switch later tho.

I need to actually time her temps from a cold start, and get back to you guys, plus, the inspection will also be done, with the TO bearing, hopefully next week.

No way I can drive in this downpour anywho

[M & M]

BinB,

Just wait. When it comes to Cobra withdrawls, you have felt nothing yet. You think it is bad now...... remember just a little over a year ago we had about 30 straight days of measurable rainfall!

You gotta love it!

Answer........ go buy a dyno you can set up in the garage! All the run time you want!