Oil temp LS3
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Oil temp LS3
Have a 2011 Grand Sport automatic.
Oil temp on highway (75 mls) goes 230 and easily continues towards 280 when using 5th and 4th.
Will take the car back to Germany and am concerned for high speed continuous driving on the Autobahn. I know that driving in lower gears here in the States to "simulate" more continuous higher revs is not a perfect comparison as the higher speed would bring more cooling.
On the other side the Corvette should be able to run for an hour or two at 140 to 180 mls/h.
Corvette dealer/tech says no problem at all - no bad experiences - but I don't think most customers will run those speeds here.
Should I add the Z06 Oil cooler? Other ideas?
Oil temp on highway (75 mls) goes 230 and easily continues towards 280 when using 5th and 4th.
Will take the car back to Germany and am concerned for high speed continuous driving on the Autobahn. I know that driving in lower gears here in the States to "simulate" more continuous higher revs is not a perfect comparison as the higher speed would bring more cooling.
On the other side the Corvette should be able to run for an hour or two at 140 to 180 mls/h.
Corvette dealer/tech says no problem at all - no bad experiences - but I don't think most customers will run those speeds here.
Should I add the Z06 Oil cooler? Other ideas?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Checked the shop manual, but did not get a clear answer. Had a 2005 911 Carrera in Germany with auto trans, never went above 270 even after 2 hrs at 6000 rpm.
ZO6 seems to run much cooler. Wonder if they have really prepared LS3 for endurance speed...
Last edited by MPZ06; Sep 5, 2011 at 10:39 PM.
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
The car has a pretty good oil monitoring system, it will also adjust the oil life status based on the actual condition of the oil, the way you drive the car, the temperatures it operates at ... if it is not telling you its too hot, then maybe it isnt. 
its in the user manual if I recall well ...
Now that said, you gotta be driving that thing very seriously to get 280f on the street !! ... I barely get that on the track.
You are in germany comuting on the autobahn or what ?
Cheers
its in the user manual if I recall well ...
Now that said, you gotta be driving that thing very seriously to get 280f on the street !! ... I barely get that on the track.
You are in germany comuting on the autobahn or what ?
Cheers
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
The car has a pretty good oil monitoring system, it will also adjust the oil life status based on the actual condition of the oil, the way you drive the car, the temperatures it operates at ... if it is not telling you its too hot, then maybe it isnt.
its in the user manual if I recall well ...
Now that said, you gotta be driving that thing very seriously to get 280f on the street !! ... I barely get that on the track.
You are in germany comuting on the autobahn or what ?
Cheers
its in the user manual if I recall well ...
Now that said, you gotta be driving that thing very seriously to get 280f on the street !! ... I barely get that on the track.
You are in germany comuting on the autobahn or what ?
Cheers
True, there is no overheating message yet - am worried about the potential as I don't have ("can't create") the same conditions here.
Its less about track days than "fast commute" as the car is automatic, no dry sump etc. Nevertheless, running 4500-5000 rpm on highway for 20 minutes and 270 to 280f worries me as those revs (OK in higher gears and more air pressure due to higher speed )will be normal on "autobahn mode".
Take care
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From: Netherlands
Have a 2011 Grand Sport automatic.
Oil temp on highway (75 mls) goes 230 and easily continues towards 280 when using 5th and 4th.
Will take the car back to Germany and am concerned for high speed continuous driving on the Autobahn. I know that driving in lower gears here in the States to "simulate" more continuous higher revs is not a perfect comparison as the higher speed would bring more cooling.
On the other side the Corvette should be able to run for an hour or two at 140 to 180 mls/h.
Corvette dealer/tech says no problem at all - no bad experiences - but I don't think most customers will run those speeds here.
Should I add the Z06 Oil cooler? Other ideas?
Oil temp on highway (75 mls) goes 230 and easily continues towards 280 when using 5th and 4th.
Will take the car back to Germany and am concerned for high speed continuous driving on the Autobahn. I know that driving in lower gears here in the States to "simulate" more continuous higher revs is not a perfect comparison as the higher speed would bring more cooling.
On the other side the Corvette should be able to run for an hour or two at 140 to 180 mls/h.
Corvette dealer/tech says no problem at all - no bad experiences - but I don't think most customers will run those speeds here.
Should I add the Z06 Oil cooler? Other ideas?
Fred
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Ambient temps 70-85.
No dry sump (auto).
Miles 5000.
I was in Sebring this year and could talk to Tadge Juchter, my question was why Grand Sport automatics are excluded from Dry Sump.
Answer was that anyhow the automatic would be the limiting factor and 270f wouldn't be a problem (But I believe this was said more in respect to turns/g's than continuous high speeds).
My concern is, that the temperature will continue to rise beyond 280f as 280 was "easily" reached after "normal" driving at 75 mls in 6th for a longer time and then going for only 15-20 minutes at 75 mls/h in 3rd and 4th.
I'm aware that this does not correspond exactly to driving 150 mls/h in 5th or 6th for 20 min as you have more cooling at 150 mls/h.
But it can be compared to fast driving on roads where you are in lower gears due to turns.
I'm getting the impression that GM has "arbitrarily" taken the decision to have rather limited sport orientated specs with automatic Corvettes.
Don't take me wrong - I love Corvettes, "left" Porsche for Corvette and will stay with Corvette.
No dry sump (auto).
Miles 5000.
I was in Sebring this year and could talk to Tadge Juchter, my question was why Grand Sport automatics are excluded from Dry Sump.
Answer was that anyhow the automatic would be the limiting factor and 270f wouldn't be a problem (But I believe this was said more in respect to turns/g's than continuous high speeds).
My concern is, that the temperature will continue to rise beyond 280f as 280 was "easily" reached after "normal" driving at 75 mls in 6th for a longer time and then going for only 15-20 minutes at 75 mls/h in 3rd and 4th.
I'm aware that this does not correspond exactly to driving 150 mls/h in 5th or 6th for 20 min as you have more cooling at 150 mls/h.
But it can be compared to fast driving on roads where you are in lower gears due to turns.
I'm getting the impression that GM has "arbitrarily" taken the decision to have rather limited sport orientated specs with automatic Corvettes.
Don't take me wrong - I love Corvettes, "left" Porsche for Corvette and will stay with Corvette.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 486
Likes: 2
From: The Villages FL
Ambient temps 70-85.
No dry sump (auto).
Miles 5000.
I was in Sebring this year and could talk to Tadge Juchter, my question was why Grand Sport automatics are excluded from Dry Sump.
Answer was that anyhow the automatic would be the limiting factor and 270f wouldn't be a problem (But I believe this was said more in respect to turns/g's than continuous high speeds).
My concern is, that the temperature will continue to rise beyond 280f as 280 was "easily" reached after "normal" driving at 75 mls in 6th for a longer time and then going for only 15-20 minutes at 75 mls/h in 3rd and 4th.
I'm aware that this does not correspond exactly to driving 150 mls/h in 5th or 6th for 20 min as you have more cooling at 150 mls/h.
But it can be compared to fast driving on roads where you are in lower gears due to turns.
I'm getting the impression that GM has "arbitrarily" taken the decision to have rather limited sport orientated specs with automatic Corvettes.
Don't take me wrong - I love Corvettes, "left" Porsche for Corvette and will stay with Corvette.
No dry sump (auto).
Miles 5000.
I was in Sebring this year and could talk to Tadge Juchter, my question was why Grand Sport automatics are excluded from Dry Sump.
Answer was that anyhow the automatic would be the limiting factor and 270f wouldn't be a problem (But I believe this was said more in respect to turns/g's than continuous high speeds).
My concern is, that the temperature will continue to rise beyond 280f as 280 was "easily" reached after "normal" driving at 75 mls in 6th for a longer time and then going for only 15-20 minutes at 75 mls/h in 3rd and 4th.
I'm aware that this does not correspond exactly to driving 150 mls/h in 5th or 6th for 20 min as you have more cooling at 150 mls/h.
But it can be compared to fast driving on roads where you are in lower gears due to turns.
I'm getting the impression that GM has "arbitrarily" taken the decision to have rather limited sport orientated specs with automatic Corvettes.
Don't take me wrong - I love Corvettes, "left" Porsche for Corvette and will stay with Corvette.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,989
Likes: 2,691
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
An oil engineer posted here that for 5W-30 oil, you want oil temps of 190'F to 260'F for full throttle use. The Service Manual says our 2009 does not turn the radiator fan to High until the oil temp hits 302'F.
Based on that, I'd be ok if oil stayed below 260'F on the autobahn. If necessary, you could add the Z51 or Z06 oil cooler.
I've noticed that running high rpm at moderate throttle, raises the oil temp a lot more than I would expect, compared to what happens under "normal" high power conditions.
I'm guessing you won't need that extra oil cooler, let us know how it all works out for you.
EDIT: Corrected typo on autobahn oil temp. Originally I said 280', should have said 260'.
Based on that, I'd be ok if oil stayed below 260'F on the autobahn. If necessary, you could add the Z51 or Z06 oil cooler.
I've noticed that running high rpm at moderate throttle, raises the oil temp a lot more than I would expect, compared to what happens under "normal" high power conditions.
I'm guessing you won't need that extra oil cooler, let us know how it all works out for you.
EDIT: Corrected typo on autobahn oil temp. Originally I said 280', should have said 260'.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Sep 6, 2011 at 03:32 PM.
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Drifting
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From: DELRAY BEACH FLORIDA
St. Jude Donor '10-'13
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,989
Likes: 2,691
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
However, my car usually runs below 200' in most highway use, the highest I've seen was 219' stuck in traffic for an hour on a hot day.
If I was seeing 215' on a daily basis, I would want to reduce that and would probably install an extra cooler. But if it only happens occasionally, that shouldn't be a big problem.
Most cars don't have a trans temp gage at all, I shudder to think at some of the temps I must have experienced in previous cars.