Oil temp. wrong on DIC?

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Mar 5, 2002 | 10:26 AM

6Speeder

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Safety Car

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From: Albuquerque NM

Oil temp. wrong on DIC?

I am questioning the DIC display for oil temp. I started the car, cold, the coolant temp matched the air temp of my garage, 57 degrees, but the oil temp readout was 43 degrees!?!? :confused: The car sat all night, and the oil should have gone to ambient temp, not lower. How do I know it's not reading low at operating temps? This is one of those little things that's gonna bug the $#*^ outta me. :mad

[Modified by 6Speeder, 8:28 AM 3/5/2002]

Mar 5, 2002 | 11:59 AM

Kent1999

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From: Las Vegas NV

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (6Speeder)

Weird, I just noticed this same thing last night on my 1997! Car had been off for at least 24 hours in my garage. Air temp 48 deg, coolant temp 48 degrees, oil temp 38 degrees. :confused:

Mar 5, 2002 | 12:14 PM

Scissors

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From: Virginia

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St. Jude's Donor '06

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (Kent1999)

Perhaps it got colder at some point during the night and has warmed up by the time you got to the car. Air warms a lot faster than oil.

Mar 5, 2002 | 05:05 PM

MDT

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From: Newland US

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (6Speeder)

6Speeder,

I don't know the answer to your question, but I wonder if the oil temp has to conform to certain temperatature parameters before the gage begins to indicate the temperature accurately.

Maybe, for example, the oil must warm to 100 F deg (just grabbing a # from thin air) before the reading actualizes.

In other words the voltage drop across the sending unit may only conform to a range of temp, again just for the sake of example....say between 100 and 350 degrees.

One of the techs that has had tech 2 hooked up should be able to tell us.

Good luck.
Mark

Mar 5, 2002 | 10:57 PM

LT1GMC

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From: INDIANA

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (MDT)

My oil temp reading does the same thing, it has to be that its designed to be accurate in the 175-300 degree range so when its at 45 degrees its at the bottom end of its range. Mine when cruising at a constant easy speed usually matches engine temp just even, which would indicate its accuracy at operating temps.

Mar 6, 2002 | 12:26 AM

ericholst

1st Gear

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From: Camarillo CA

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (6Speeder)

My oil temp always seems to be lower than the air temp in the early AM when I warm it up before I drive to work. I always wondered how the oil got so cold. I hope that it is just because it is colder than the sender's calibrated range.

[Modified by ericholst, 11:27 PM 3/5/2002]

Mar 9, 2002 | 10:40 AM

Gearhead Jim

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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago

St. Jude Donor '13

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (ericholst)

Mine sometimes does that but only by a few degrees. Is it possible that since the oil pan is right down by the ground, cold ground will make the oil cooler than the air?

Mar 9, 2002 | 10:49 AM

6Speeder

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Safety Car

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From: Albuquerque NM

Re: Oil temp. wrong on DIC? (Gearhead Jim)

Well, at least I'm not the only one. I suspect that the sensor is just outside it's calibrated range, but it's an irritant. Why didn't GM just have it read "oil cold", or something simular till it got in a range where it read correctly? :cheers: