Minimum Oil Temps ??
10-18-2010, 04:22 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Minimum Oil Temps ??
I noticed several remote oil cooler thermostats are on the market. Most seem to be designed for bypassing the oil cooler until temps reach 180-215F depending on vendor.
Anything to the claims of these vendors that are important?
I do wonder about the winter when the oil cooler keeps the oil below 180F of cold days driving over 50 mph.
If I am using a product mike Mobil 1 15w50, should I be concerned about running the engine hard on cold days?
PS> Is there an ideal oil temp?
Anything to the claims of these vendors that are important?
I do wonder about the winter when the oil cooler keeps the oil below 180F of cold days driving over 50 mph.
If I am using a product mike Mobil 1 15w50, should I be concerned about running the engine hard on cold days?
PS> Is there an ideal oil temp?
Last edited by Dan Wendling; 10-18-2010 at 08:45 PM.
10-18-2010, 05:18 PM
#3
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The B&M Thermostatic bypass valve that I got from Summit always flowed oil through the cooler. When oil temp was above 180 85% of the oil went through the cooler and 15% was bypassed back to the engine. Below 180 15% went through the cooler and 85% was bypassed. This keeps air bubbles from forming in the cooler lines. Since some of the oil always bypasses the cooler your average oil temp will go up but it does help immensely in cold weather since it gives the oil a chance to warm up.
Bill
Bill
10-18-2010, 05:35 PM
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Safety Car
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If the car is a dual purpose one - track and street - a thermostat is a necessity. I run the Mocal 150 deg unit on my cooler system. Without the thermo, I doubt that the oil temps would ever get to a satisfactory operating level in the winter. The Mocal unit bypasses 85% of the oil directly back to the engine until the temp hits 150 deg, then gradually opens up to allow full circulation into the cooler. Gradual opening keeps the engine from experiencing thermal shock when a very cold slug of oil in the cooler starts circulating.
10-18-2010, 08:04 PM
#5
Safety Car
I've blocked off my oil cooler with a styrofoam / heatwrap shield. Temps out today on the way in to work work in the 50's I think and still I get oil temps in the 180's by the time I arrive by highway, being light on the throttle (no WOT to warm the oil
).
I don't think that's bad at all. Maybe there will be a few months wherein I won't drive it, but then with the salt here, I didn't before anyway.
).I don't think that's bad at all. Maybe there will be a few months wherein I won't drive it, but then with the salt here, I didn't before anyway.
10-18-2010, 09:24 PM
#7
Safety Car
I don't know how often(? once a week??) you need to burn off impurities--mine has reached over 175F on every trip.
10-19-2010, 06:59 AM
#9
Burning Brakes
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Reference material for low oil temps
Thanks for the responses.
I see similar comments on other searches but have not found a technical reference to back up the beliefs.
Anybody know of such a reference that could be traced back to a manufacture or other expert?
I see similar comments on other searches but have not found a technical reference to back up the beliefs.
Anybody know of such a reference that could be traced back to a manufacture or other expert?
10-19-2010, 04:31 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Dan,
I've never seen any technical articles from GM on the proper oil temps for LSx engines, but I've learned here that the design point for the LS-1/6 engines is 190 oil temperature.
Below that, in addition to the comments above about evaporating out impurities/acids etc., if you don't get the engine up to temp it will run tight, which will eventually cause more wear in the engine. The flip side is that the t'stat adds four more connections to leak.
BTW, even with the 180 degree t'stat I have installed I still use a block off plate in the colder months to assist the engine in getting up to temp.
Have a good one,
Mike
I've never seen any technical articles from GM on the proper oil temps for LSx engines, but I've learned here that the design point for the LS-1/6 engines is 190 oil temperature.
Below that, in addition to the comments above about evaporating out impurities/acids etc., if you don't get the engine up to temp it will run tight, which will eventually cause more wear in the engine. The flip side is that the t'stat adds four more connections to leak.
BTW, even with the 180 degree t'stat I have installed I still use a block off plate in the colder months to assist the engine in getting up to temp.
Have a good one,
Mike
10-19-2010, 09:09 PM
#11
Safety Car
From GM (engineer) normal temp is 20 over coolant temp (with no external cooling)
Engine bearing material softens about 350 and temps in the valve train are about 50 above pan temps so Max in the pan is about 300
Blow by gasses turn the oil acid if allowed to accumulate.
all in all that translates to 180 -220 for 4 to 10 miles of driving to keep the oil ok (street driving) shorter trips more frequent changes the Oil life monitor keeps track of it for us
Track temps under 300
and if your oil is cool then 5-30 insted of 15-50 the flow is what you need not the pressure
