Is an Oil Thermostat bad??
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Is an Oil Thermostat bad??
I track the car (C6, A6, recently blown) only a few times a year. After putting it off for a year or so, I finally took it out for a run at MSR-Cresson, clockwise. Had a lot of fun, and this was the first time with the blower and hood. Took it easy the first round, to see how the car would do, and it had no issues. Second time out, pushed it, and oil got over 290 by the end of the 20 minute session, on a 70-ish day. So, I'm thinking about adding an oil cooler.
As this is my daily driver, I'd think a thermostat would be a good idea, to get it warmed up in the winter. I've seen some vague comments here and there, that makes me wonder if there is something bad about adding a thermostat. Anything I should be aware of? Certain ones problematic? One in the sandwich better or worse than one inline?
Thanks!
As this is my daily driver, I'd think a thermostat would be a good idea, to get it warmed up in the winter. I've seen some vague comments here and there, that makes me wonder if there is something bad about adding a thermostat. Anything I should be aware of? Certain ones problematic? One in the sandwich better or worse than one inline?
Thanks!
#2
Safety Car
Oil thermostats are fine although most pass about 10% through the cooler when closed. so they don't work as well as you would think (to warm up quicker) something you will need is a big transmission cooler
#4
Safety Car
Member Since: Nov 2000
Location: Shenandoah Valley Virginia
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I use the DRM separate oil cooler and a MOCAL 150 deg thermostat on my Z06. This combo is really the best of both worlds. The thermo keeps 90% of the flow bypassing the cooler until the 150 deg mark. It then gradually opens to avoid thermal shock from cold oil in the cooler. I have driven the car in ambients from 0 deg in winter to 105 deg in August and it worked great.
#5
Pro
Thread Starter
I did get some equipment and software to do some logging with, see what other obvious issues show up.
#6
Pro
Thread Starter
I use the DRM separate oil cooler and a MOCAL 150 deg thermostat on my Z06. This combo is really the best of both worlds. The thermo keeps 90% of the flow bypassing the cooler until the 150 deg mark. It then gradually opens to avoid thermal shock from cold oil in the cooler. I have driven the car in ambients from 0 deg in winter to 105 deg in August and it worked great.
#7
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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I had a B&M Thermostatic Oil Bypass valve installed in the oil lines of my C5Z. It set the oil temp at 180 degrees and always allowed a minimum of 15% to go through the cooler or to bypass the cooler if the temp was above 180. Keeping oil flowing through both circuits keeps air bubbles from forming and possibly damaging the engine.
Bill
Bill
#8
While the idea of a thermostat is nice for a street driven vehicle with an oil cooler it is just more complexity. More restriction in the oil system. More connections/opportunity for leaks/failure. Why not either use an oil to water exchanger or simply block off the air/oil cooler if too cold on street?
#9
Le Mans Master
One thing I don't understand: you pushed your car hard enough to get the engine oil to 290 but didn't have a problem with your tranny fluid overheating? Didn't see anything in your sig about a tranny cooler, and *usually* the tranny fluid is your "throttle", causing you to back off to manage its temp.
I've lived both with and without an t'stat in my EOC lines. It does increase the pressure drop and reduces heat transfer, it does have four more opportunities for leaks, and it's one more thing to engineer and package.
But it does what you want, keeps the oil warmer in conditions where you don't need full cooling.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
I've lived both with and without an t'stat in my EOC lines. It does increase the pressure drop and reduces heat transfer, it does have four more opportunities for leaks, and it's one more thing to engineer and package.
But it does what you want, keeps the oil warmer in conditions where you don't need full cooling.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
#10
Pro
Thread Starter
While the idea of a thermostat is nice for a street driven vehicle with an oil cooler it is just more complexity. More restriction in the oil system. More connections/opportunity for leaks/failure. Why not either use an oil to water exchanger or simply block off the air/oil cooler if too cold on street?
#11
Pro
Thread Starter
One thing I don't understand: you pushed your car hard enough to get the engine oil to 290 but didn't have a problem with your tranny fluid overheating? Didn't see anything in your sig about a tranny cooler, and *usually* the tranny fluid is your "throttle", causing you to back off to manage its temp.
I've lived both with and without an t'stat in my EOC lines. It does increase the pressure drop and reduces heat transfer, it does have four more opportunities for leaks, and it's one more thing to engineer and package.
But it does what you want, keeps the oil warmer in conditions where you don't need full cooling.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
I've lived both with and without an t'stat in my EOC lines. It does increase the pressure drop and reduces heat transfer, it does have four more opportunities for leaks, and it's one more thing to engineer and package.
But it does what you want, keeps the oil warmer in conditions where you don't need full cooling.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
#12
Advanced
I track the car (C6, A6, recently blown) only a few times a year. After putting it off for a year or so, I finally took it out for a run at MSR-Cresson, clockwise. Had a lot of fun, and this was the first time with the blower and hood. Took it easy the first round, to see how the car would do, and it had no issues. Second time out, pushed it, and oil got over 290 by the end of the 20 minute session, on a 70-ish day. So, I'm thinking about adding an oil cooler.
As this is my daily driver, I'd think a thermostat would be a good idea, to get it warmed up in the winter. I've seen some vague comments here and there, that makes me wonder if there is something bad about adding a thermostat. Anything I should be aware of? Certain ones problematic? One in the sandwich better or worse than one inline?
Thanks!
As this is my daily driver, I'd think a thermostat would be a good idea, to get it warmed up in the winter. I've seen some vague comments here and there, that makes me wonder if there is something bad about adding a thermostat. Anything I should be aware of? Certain ones problematic? One in the sandwich better or worse than one inline?
Thanks!
#13
Drifting
Here is what I had to do.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-course-t.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-p...tat-lines.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-course-t.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-p...tat-lines.html
#14
Drifting
#15
Racer
i've used this for 2 seasons of racing:
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...andwich_Plates
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...andwich_Plates