oil temp

[something_wild]

Hi guys,

Recently took the HSG over to Adeliade from Melb for a weekend bucks. Cruised there with zero dramas (first long interstate trip) and was quite comfy...the exhaust silencer helped lol.

Anyway just a small concern I had regarding the oil temp at freeway speeds. I have a digital oil temp gauge that's been installed properly and is reading correctly. Around town it sits between 92-96degrees once completely warm...which takes a good 10-15 mins. But sitting on 100k/h, it would climb over 100oC and settle around 102/104oC, and on 110/115km/h it would climb to 105/107o and during a few good hills and 2-3psi of boost was needed it even peaked at 110oC....I backed off and slowed to below 100km/h and it fell back to the middle figures of 105/6oC.

Is this normal, I don't remember it EVER going over 98oC before my last service even on the freeway. Could it be the oil grade/thickness. The workshop only use Motul but I don't know if they changed grade...?

Any other suggestions? Or anyone know the correct oil temp it should be sitting on. My water temp never changes from low 90's oC...I know that irrelevant but since I have that in a digital read also, It's good to know.

 

[bazeng]

What oil cooler are you using?

With my VR4, my oil temp pretty much matches my coolant temp.
I'm running an air to air oil cooler using an external oil stat which regulates how much oil goes to the cooler depending on the temp.

Basically it sites at about 90ish degrees which is what my water temp is set to.

I don't think its bad to have it over 100deg. I know alot of guys like the oil to go above 100deg in order to boil the water out of the oil.

 

[something_wild]

Hey baz, no after market oil cooler installed. I was thinking about installing one when I got home as I stared at the gauge climbing into the 107/8 mark....

Like you, mine matches my water temp in the low to mid 90's around town with normal driving, but once I go wot through a few gears for a couple of mins or sit on the freeway like mentioned, that's when it climbs.

I might speak to the boys at Springy eh, see what they would recommend cooler wise?

 

[bazeng]

What do rvrs have stock? If it is an air to oil, just purchase a cooler oil stat valve.

 

[something_wild]

I'm actually not sure....I'd assume It's air to air, same as early EVO's? I'll look into it with the Springy crew, cheers Baz

 

[grndsm]

In US, we used to have air/oil cooler in '90, but in '91 they switched to water/oil cooler, that was placed between oil filter and oil filter housing.

For years, most people considered '90 style cooler as superior and upgraded to it. Until one of the guys measured the temps of both coolers and found that there wasn't much difference between the two! Both were virtually identical to coolant temperature. He reported peaks around 110*C.

Before we go crazy trying to improve on this, do we know that it is a problem?

I see so many people in US run no oil cooler at all! And not have any problems as a result,

 

[something_wild]

Good point, I'm not actually sure if it is indeed a problem.

That's why I was asking if anyone knew the correct (or close enough) running temp so I could either fix it with a cooler, or not worry about it..

Seems as though it may be the latter....

 

[grndsm]

A good place to research this topic could be motor oil company! Ask them what temps their oil should be seeing.

Over the years of racing 4G63s, I cared less and less about oil cooling. To a point that my Summit has a forward facing oil filter housing (from a Mighty Max truck), so no oil cooling for me!

It is too soon to tell what will the result on such set-up for me, but countless DSMer have had good luck with this setup.

However, if I had a road race car, I wouldn't remove an oil cooler.

 

[brendanshort]

When your checking out the stock oil cooler on the HSG, I suggest you check the quality of the hoses going in and out of the cooler. One of many breakdowns of mine occurred when the line leading into the cooler perished and I lost all my oil over the space of 1.5km. Almost cooked the motor.

 

[something_wild]

Cheers shorty, will do that ASAP.
Turns out there is no air-to-air oil cooler like I had thought... Still running up over 100oC on the speed limit after last service, oil grade made no difference.
My only concern is that it never used to run up that high, just don't want any underlying things to be going wrong. Oil pressure seems spot on so motor isn't tired, and is super responsive under any throttle condition....hrmmmm

 

[penngwyne]

When they work out oil viscosity the test is done at 100C

Oil would have to get over 100 to get rid of any water in it

I guess that's why driving around town is considered arduous conditions and you have to change the oil more often?

 

[something_wild]

Hrrmmmm fair point dude.......^^

 

[LWNSLW]

my evo 1 powered coupe with external oil cooler from a vr4, at idle today i hit 110 ish. It was about 32d at the time according to my phone. car temp sensor was around 40ish(car is in the sun). i dont think that much over 100 is a bad thing, maybe if it was up round 130-140 then i would start to worrie maybe.?

 

[EVOCPE]

Most i seen in my car is around 115 degs, that an EVO2 engine with OEM oil cooler, but usually sits around 90 degs

 

[something_wild]

Ok but how long were you seeing these 110-115oC figures? The track for a short time, freeway, around town?

I just worry that sitting for hours (interstate trips) on 105-107 might be of some detriment to the motor.....but I'm prob worrying for no reason

 

[EVOCPE]

Around town, sits there for around 10/15minutes

 

[LWNSLW]

I have a evo oil cooler if you want one but you will need to get your hands on a evo oil filter housing with the banjo bolt holes for the cooler. If you fit one and still see highish temp get a lower oil thermostat, that should reduce the temps you are seeing....

 

[vr401]

Rvr has water cooled oil cooler same as aussie spec vr4

 

[penngwyne]

Ok but how long were you seeing these 110-115oC figures? The track for a short time, freeway, around town?

I just worry that sitting for hours (interstate trips) on 105-107 might be of some detriment to the motor.....but I'm prob worrying for no reason

Yes I know it's an older post

If you didn't have a temperature gauge you wouldn't know anything about it.
I really think you are worrying about nothing.

Very generally the flashpoint of oils is about 280c where the vapour will ignite if there is an ignition source
Boiling point is about 300c
Auto ignition at about 400c

http://answers.yahoo...10044614AAnDD7Y

 

[EVO-00X]

Mine's similar to Baz's results, but my oil filter housing hasnt been ported yet.
My modified VR4 engine and aftermarket oil cooler sits around 75-85'C during normal driving on hot days around town. With spirited driving and sitting idle it climbs up to the mid 90's.
Ive only experienced it pass 100'C (max 104'c) when I was sitting idle waiting in between some consecutive runs at WSID a couple of weekends ago. It was around 32'C ambient temp outside.
The temperature would then come back down into the mid to high 90's after a run... then climb to 100'C again sitting idle just before my next run.
I'd imagine that bigger turbos that run most their time off-boost during normal driving on the street wont be heating the oil up as much as smaller turbos that boost often during normal driving.