Oil Temps

Sky Render

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Who on here monitors their oil temps? I've got an Auto Meter Elite gauge with the temperature sender installed in a sandwich adapter. (I know oil temperatures are technically supposed to be taken from the oil pan.)

I hit ~250*F at a race the other day and spent 5 minutes driving slow to get the oil temps back down. However, when driving on the Interstate at ~70 mph, I routinely get 230-240*F. So I can't imagine that oil temps only 10* higher than that are an issue. And if 240*F oil temperatures were too high, then wouldn't there be an oil cooler from the factory since I hit those temps just cruising on the Interstate?

I run full synthetic oil, so I'm not concerned about viscosity break down, but I am concerned about cooking my bearings. How hot is too hot for the oil on these motors?
 

SGTguy

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I have a oil temp gauge and it stays at 140 until I get in traffic and it will go to 180 on a hot day. My unit is set on a distribution block with a stainless line from the filter. I have done a lot of hard driving and it never go's above 180. I use Motorcraft full synthetic 5-20


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Sky Render

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Then your oil is too cool. Oil has to get above 212 (the boiling point of water) in order to eliminate water from it.
 

Redline727

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The one issue I had with my 370Z was oil temps and lack of factory oil cooler. On a hot summer day I would hit close to 280℉ just in stop and go city driving. It was a huge complaint by many to Nissan. It never went anywhere though. Their response was that under normal conditions if the temp went too high ECU would go into limp mode till temps went down saving your engine. And if you tracked your car you need to accept the risks and/or install an oil cooler. I ended up installing a 19 row external with a thermo plate on the oil filter housing, this way in the winter it would not run through the cooler till the oil heated up to temp first, which I believe 190℉ is when the valve would start to open. I know every car is different but I would say at or above 280℉ is pushing the limits I would be comfortable with.

So far never had an issue with my 13. But I don't track it. I use the track apps gauge I wait till it in "normal" range before I get on it hard and never seen it go above normal. Again this is just spirited street driving.

I do like 15's show an oil cooler standard on the window sticker on the GT.
 
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JeremyH

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I have a oil temp gauge and it stays at 140 until I get in traffic and it will go to 180 on a hot day. My unit is set on a distribution block with a stainless line from the filter. I have done a lot of hard driving and it never go's above 180. I use Motorcraft full synthetic 5-20


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Impossible, bad sender or your gauge is fucked.



I think 260 and higher is where people usually try to cool it down.
 

Mr. Q

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I was wondering about that...I saw an instagram video by ford with the shift light on the gt350 and it started blinking at 5k rpm....

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Probably just because it wasn't in gear at the time lol and I'm just a simple, simple man
 
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Sky Render

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So at what point should I actually worry about oil temps? Because now I'm thinking 250 isn't a big deal.

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07 Boss

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Your oil is not going to get nearly as hot as your motor. Oil in your motor is continually subjected to temps well above 300*. Measuring oil at the filter or the pan makes a difference. If you're worried about it go to a thicker oil. Also remember that oil has to be hot in order for it to work properly.
 

Pentalab

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So at what point should I actually worry about oil temps? Because now I'm thinking 250 isn't a big deal.

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Did Vorshlag use an oil cooler on that 2011 that he just sold ? Dunno if this is valid or not, but you might be able to use either a heat sensitive strip on the oil pan... or use an IR point + shoot device, like a Fluke mini 62. With the IR device, you could point it at the oil pan in a few places, while car is in idle (but oil still hot from a run) and also point it at where you currently have your oil temp pick up point.

Then compare that to your current readings. If your current readings are higher, your LT's may be affecting the temp readings. Can you measure oil pressure as well ?
 

claudermilk

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I don't think they ever installed one.

I'd love to monitor the oil temp, but don't see anything in the ECU PIDs that sends any info. So, if I added an aftermarket gauge with BT, I'd want to be able to grab that feed with the RaceChrono app. Has anyone tried that (I'll ask on their forum, too)?
 

Redline727

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On my 13 in the track apps it shows oil pressure and temp. I also have OBD Link and Torque. I will see if there is a PID for temp in there it's been a little while since I used it. In track apps it only reads low, normal, high though so I am not sure if there will be a PID since it just reading a range.
 

claudermilk

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On my 13 in the track apps it shows oil pressure and temp. I also have OBD Link and Torque. I will see if there is a PID for temp in there it's been a little while since I used it. In track apps it only reads low, normal, high though so I am not sure if there will be a PID since it just reading a range.

There's a PID, but our ECU doesn't send anything on it that I've been able to get--though I certainly could have missed something (and kind of hope I have). I'm just wondering if there's a way to graft something in that could be logged.
 

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