After several track sessions, I am running 240 - 255 degrees on a cool - 55 deg overcast day during lap sessions. Is this to be expected? Other cars are running around 210 +/-. I'm using new Amsoil synthetic 5W30. This seems really high. Should I consider an oil cooler or may something be wrong?

 

That's close to what my 99 A4 was running at and the oil pressure would be around 20psi. I put in the 160deg thermostat and used the HPPIII to help keep the engine cooler. I don't have that problem with my 2002.

 

Its a little high, but not excessive. However, by the time summer comes around, you may need to find an oil cooler, or an oil that does not pick up so much heat. Anything over 280+/- is getting too high. Anytime I heat stress the oil like this, I change it first chance I get.

 

mnasrallah, hi,

Before I got the HPP3 PLUS a HT 160°-Thermo, I detected about same behaviour with oil- and coolant-temps rising as you are describing..

As we do not have any "official" "speed-tracks/1/4-mile runways" (well, be creative.......:smash: :smash: :yesnod:) here around in Switzerland, but lots lots lots of amazing but quite demanding alpine- and "Blue-Mountains" roads, I wanted to give the HYPERTECH-route a chance. Conclusion: PERFECT....a total win-win situation.

After these 2 Mods (soft- and hardware), my oil- and coolant-indicators stay as glued at:

COOLANT => 85°C // 180°F plus/minus, independent of OAT
ENGINE-OIL => 99°C // 210°F plus/minus, independent of OAT

After such success, I definetely forgot to project any install of an oil-cooler. However, an oil-cooler would add some little supplementary engine oil as a great advantage.

With beginning of winterseason 2001, I was initially planning to exchange the 160°F-Thermo to the hotter 180°F-Type. But with the some first cool to cold days during last decembre and this january as well, to my real big surprise, the usual temps readings from summer did not change in general. So I drove now all the wintertime until actual without any specific changing of the above mentioned setup. And for sure I shall let it as is....it's starting to get warmer.

However, to optimize critical engine lubrication under enduring heavy load on hot days (enhancing wear- and heat-protection in the bearings and cylinders), I systematically use an SAE 10W-40 weight Oil (all RED LINEd, you go figure, from front bumper to the rear one) PLUS a bottle of R-L WaterWetter in the Coolant mixture. My coolant-mixture is actually at 40 : 60 DEX-COOL : DESTILLED WATER.

So this orangeish cocktail serves no hassle down to -15°C//2°F, following my test equipment. Had no problemos at all, and actually it looks as the worst part of winter just said good-by........:blueangel:

Joe.


[Modified by SwissVette_Joe, 9:46 PM 1/28/2002]

 

I already have a 172 deg thermostat. I think I'll go with the 10W40 Redline for the next track day and see what happens. I'll probably look into an oil cooler as the next step

Thanks :cheers:

 

That's nothing I ran 279 on the track this weekend now that's hot :eek

 

285 F here before a cool down lap..

 

I used to see oil temps around 310 degrees when running hard, 30 minute sessions at Brainerd's road course. That was with Mobil 1 15W (used heavier oil to help increase oil pressure during high g corners). Since installing DRM's radiator with built-in oil cooler, my temps rarely surpassed 265 degrees, and that's with the additional power of DRM's top-end engine program. I would recommend DRM's radiator/oil cooler combo.

 

I gotcha all beat..........356F. Just before it went silent! It did not smell good either..... The oil press was 0 at the time. GM bought me a crate motor due to a seized oil pump!

 

I had high oil temps, at least I thought 240 was high until I read this thread. I upgraded my radiator to a Doug Rippie high capacity radiator with builit in oil cooler.. Best money I've spent! Very high quality, totally complete system, and dropped my temps (coolant and oil) by about 30 degrees.. I have to work hard to get over 200 on either now...

Highly Recommended!

 

Usually a stock C5 will run 295 to 300 oil temp on the track with water temps around 230. The faster you get (more wide open throttle) the higher the temp. A lower thermostat does not help since even a 195 thermo is all the way open. Several things you can do to keep it as cool as possible: Make sure the top of the radiator isn't blocked by leaves and then seal the sides of the shroud to the A/C condensor so the air doesn't blow by the radiator instead of though it (You may have noticed that the little foam gaskets between the condensor and the shroud tend to blow out very quickly). Run a little heavier Mobil 1 like a 10/30. I don't think Red Line will buy you much since Mobil 1 is as good a product or maybe better. Reduce the percentage of antifreeze in the coolant. Even the pink stuff isn't as good as water for conducting heat. You may get some benefit by dropping down to a 15% antifreeze mix instead of the normal 50/50 mix. The best thing to do is to get an oil cooler. I have the DRM radiator/oil cooler combo in my car and it works great on the track. Water temp stays at 190 all day long and the oil temp stays at a nice 230. Its a little tough on the street in the cool weather. Sunday I had the car out because the temp was supposed to get up to 50 degrees. I put 60 miles on the car and the oil temp never went over 135 while the water temp stayed right at 190. I may have to put a thermostat in the oil line if I do more cool or cold weather driving.
Bill

 

With these server problems I can't find the edit button so I will make another post. One thing I forgot to mention is to duct tape the center air deflector so it doesn't blow back at speed. Its spring loaded and at high speeds will blow back and allow air to go under the car vs through the radiator.
Bill

 

At the Bragg-Smith school their C5's get oil temps of 280 or a little higher all the time, no problems. And they are using Mobil-1 5W-30 !!!

 

mnasrallah:

A lower temperature opening thermostat will do NOTHING to lower your coolant ar oil temperatures or extract more heat from you engine, at normal running temperatures. To effectively lower your oil and coolant temperatures you MUST remove more heat from the engine or the oil in your engine.

A very effective way to do this is to install an over sized BE-Cool radiator. I have done this and my Hot Day Track Temperatures dropped from 285 to 235 for the oil and 240 to 210 for the coolant. All this bigger radiator does is remove a lot more heat from the engine, thus lowering the oil and coolant temperatures. It's a DIY installation and costs about $500 at Jegs.

Good luck in staying :cool:

 

Thanks for all the comments. Most of the engine builders I have spoken with don't like anything over 240. LPE, Vinci, etc. are suggesting 10W40 in addition to the B/E radiator. Homestead and Sebring are next and both are burtal on the motor. I think I'll go with Redline 10W40 and see what happens. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

Mobil 1 will not start to break down until over 450 degrees. http://www.redlineoil.com over 500 degrees.
At Bragg-Smith, cars I drove had oil temps of 300 degrees all day long.
Bragg-Smith cars seem to run for a full year with high oil temps.

 

Going along with Jim Helm, my car has the BeCool radiator. The general estimate is that it drops water and oil temps by almost 20'. Since my car has the automatic, I tend to spend more time at high RPM (an upshift/downshift for me is a real time-waster), so my temps tend to run a little higher than his. 90' day, I can hit 220' water and 280' oil. I use Mobil-1 10W-30. Hate to think of how hot it would get with just the standard radiator.....

 

It is not critical, but if you are going to do a lot of track work, a cooler would be a good idea. The oil and car can handle much higher temps, but you wonder what happens to performance above this range. A cooler for the transmission would probably be more beneficial for the car. :)