Anyone using an oil cooler? At what temps would you use one? Guess it'd help with more aggresive bores, eh? What is too hot for oil? Too cold? Is it possible to make it too cold? I live in a hot climate.

Thx!

 

Ideally you want your oil temps to run around 220-230F, that way it's hot enough to burn off any moisture, plus the engine makes less friction with hotter oil too. Even 240F is safe actually. Once you start getting above that point, that's when an oil cooler might be necessary. So for those that might be doing a lot of road racing, installing an oil temp gauge is a good thing, and if you notice the oil temp going above this point,then an oil cooler is in order.

 

I was origianlly planning on installing a cooler on my car until I installed an oil temp gauge. In normal street driving I rarely see anything above 180 and steady 80-90 highway cruise hardly puts it over 210, well in the safe zone. I'm running AMSOIL synthentic 0-30. I also am running a remote mount filter and about 1.5-2qt more oil than stock, but I can't see a stock system running much higher than that under street conditions or at the stip. Extended road race sessions may be a different story, but I still con't imagine it being a problem on good synthetic oil. Before you decide, install a temp. gauge and see where you're at.

 

Just some more info for ya to digest:

As stated above; it's important in getting the oil up to an operating temp for the burn off of moisture and unburned gas. Also it's just as important to keep the oil cool enough to prevent thermo break down. You'll be able to actually see the results of thermo break down as carbon deposits left on internal surfaces of your engine. A really good place to check for these deposits is the PCV valve. Some deposit build up in the PCV valve is normal (system just doing it's job). Another place is the inside of the valve covers. And a last dreaded place is the oil filter element itself (fine little particles of carbon). Usually when many carbon particles are found within the filter bad things have gone on.

Patman's temps are right on from what I've seen in the engines I've worked on. I've also seen poorly designed engines run a normal oil temp 270 - 280 F and they were just a constant mess inside and out.

The suggestion of an oil temp gauge sounds to be a good one. I believe the C5 guys got one as standard GM equipment. Wish the common F-body's had one too.


... 1002

 

Thanks guys! Will monitor my temps. As long as I stay below 230 on avg and below 240 on occasion, I'll leave things as is.

If I do change something, I'll prob use a water/coolant based oil cooler. Damn pricey for the C5 tho.. comes with a radiator. $1100 !! Air cooler/no rad was $600.

 

Check this out-oil cooler

[ November 23, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Sorrentino ]</p>

 

[quote]Originally posted by Mike Sorrentino:
<strong>Check this out-oil coolerMike Sorrentino ]</strong><hr></blockquote>

Thanks! Some great info in there. Aren't we supposed to use -12 size braided line tho? Could the -8 used in the article have contributed to the oil pressure drop? How much pressure drop is normal?

Is the oil cooler sitting right on the radiator? The Thermo is a nice addition. Wouldn't it be better to move the oil cooler away from the rad tho?

[ November 24, 2001: Message edited by: MelloYellow ]</p>

 

I am thinking about an oil cooler, Would a power steering cooler (oil/coolant) work? It would mount to the coolant hose like the power steering one on the car does now. That would mean you wouldn't need the thermostat. Less parts = less to go wrong. Would this work?

Thanks, Jeff

 

Here's another one to check out. They aren't my websites, just ones others have posted links to that I bookmarked. SS oil cooler This one looks slightly better. I haven't added one yet, it'll probably be a winter project.

 

I just got back the results of my latest engine oil analysis and have a couple of new comments.

[quote]Originally posted by Patman:
<strong>Ideally you want your oil temps to run around 220-230F, that way it's hot enough to burn off any moisture, plus the engine makes less friction with hotter oil too. Even 240F is safe actually. </strong><hr></blockquote> As engine temps go up, parts expand and there is more friction.

Mineral based oil breaks down much more rapidly at 240° F than it does at 210° F. Ok, so I'm running synthetic oil and it can take 240° but why abuse it?

I've been running an engine oil cooler with a MOCAL thermostat for about 18 months now. My freeway cruising engine oil temp is about 180° and rarely gets up 220°. However my last oil analysis report showed 0.0% water so I think my oil is getting hot enough to evaporate the moisture that finds its way in.

 

[quote]Originally posted by TA/30th 1002:
<strong>Just some more info for ya to digest:

As stated above; it's important in getting the oil up to an operating temp for the burn off of moisture and unburned gas. Also it's just as important to keep the oil cool enough to prevent thermo break down. You'll be able to actually see the results of thermo break down as carbon deposits left on internal surfaces of your engine. A really good place to check for these deposits is the PCV valve. Some deposit build up in the PCV valve is normal (system just doing it's job). Another place is the inside of the valve covers. And a last dreaded place is the oil filter element itself (fine little particles of carbon). Usually when many carbon particles are found within the filter bad things have gone on.

Patman's temps are right on from what I've seen in the engines I've worked on. I've also seen poorly designed engines run a normal oil temp 270 - 280 F and they were just a constant mess inside and out.

The suggestion of an oil temp gauge sounds to be a good one. I believe the C5 guys got one as standard GM equipment. Wish the common F-body's had one too.


... 1002</strong><hr></blockquote>

The underside of a oil Filler cap is what I look at when judging another motor for deposits.IMHO. <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

[ March 06, 2002: Message edited by: zombiedude ]</p>