Oil temp

[wlewis]

What is a desireable oil temp for a 351W? My needle barely moves, if at all from the lowest reading, 140. I taped up my oil cooler opening and it moved up a bit. When running at higher rpm, temp peaking out a needle width below the 230 mark. How do numbers compare to others?
Walter

[weaver]

Its hard to get the oil temp up in our car with the Nascar engine unless we tape off the cooler, does the temp rise when it sits in traffic?

[wlewis]

No. The only time the needle moves at all is when I tape up the cooler opening. Then it moves only a small amount, unless running in low gear with revs up. Then it approaches 230.

[eliminator]

Mine has never been over 190/200 in any condition.

[weaver]

Walter I don't think I wouldn't worry about it, it seems to be the norm through out the industry. The oil we buy today is designed to run cooler.

Alan

[wlewis]

The reason I asked question and reason I taped cooler opening
is I've heard when car sits up a while, moisture build up in engine and oil
temp needs to hit boiling point to boîl out moisture. Is that true?

[weaver]

I would just drive it and let the engine get up to its normal running temp, I wouldn't take it to boiling.

Alan

[wlewis]

Thanks for the info.

[eliminator]

With these cars and the miles that most of us put on them yearly, it's a good idea to change the oil every year and the filter. The reason I say the filter too is that these larger filters and lines hold at least a quart of oil. So if your your going to get the oil out you may as well change the filter. In a years time there is moisture and contaminates that accumulate in the oil. So I do an oil change right before Homecoming every year, basically at the start of the driving season.

[weaver]

Is that before or after you pull the engine to clean the engine bay and wax the frame?

[mkassab]

The reason I asked question and reason I taped cooler opening
is I've heard when car sits up a while, moisture build up in engine and oil
temp needs to hit boiling point to boîl out moisture. Is that true?

First... everyone is pretty much spot on. Running the engine will heat the oil (and any water in it). The water doesn’t have to hit the boiling point to be eliminated. Like a cup of coffee, or a puddle in your driveway, the water will evaporate/vaporize. The car just needs to be driven 15+ min's.... not a start up, bring to operating temp and shut off.

I do have a question though… where do you pick up the oil temp? Is it pre or post oil cooler? In any case, with a high HP engine in a light car the engine doesn’t work that hard to get that hot, but I’d think the “pre” oil cooler temp would be at least ~180 degs. Mark

[mkassab]

I just spoke with my engine builder 30 min’s ago and he brought of this same subject (without any knowledge of this post) when we were discussing my oil plan options for my build. Long story short, he said with running a oil cooler on a Cobra, it will run too cool…. And that’s not good and suggested a oil cooler thermostat. That way, if the temp is low, the oil cooler is bypassed. He said, which agrees with my research, the oil should be between 190 and 220 degs.

Alan, we’ll discuss this further for my build on options I have. I’m also installing a Accusump and a way to drain my oil cooler during oil changes.

[mkassab]

one last piece of good information from Canton web site http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/...ion&key=22-480

Our Oil Cooler Thermostat helps your engine’s oil come up to temperature quickly and holds it at the right temperature. Cold oil does not flow and does not lubricate correctly. Plus, moving cold oil robs power. This thermostat is designed to bypass the cooler until the oil reaches 215 degrees. At 215 degrees water condensation in the oil will evaporate and the oil will be warm enough to flow and lubricate properly. The thermostat housing is machined from a 3-1/4" square 6061 T6 aluminum extrusion. Thermostats are 6" tall and come with a black and clear anodized finish and stainless steel mounting clamp. The oil ports accept 1-1/16" -12 O-ring fittings. (4 fittings required per unit) Out of Stock - do not order this
product at this time

[Tony Radford]

Run a good synthetic. I run Amsoil 15w50. I replaced my oil temp gauge with one that matches the temp range of the water temp gauge. The oil fllter adapter is mounted horizontally and the temp sensor is mounted in the end opposite the filter. Oil temp is consistently sitting on the 190 mark unless I'm motoring up the interstate where it might hit 200-210.

[mkassab]

Amsoil is great stuff!... I also fun in my transmisson and diesel Ford

[davebetts]

The only time I've seen my oil temp needle move up was when I road raced it. Oil temp comes up even with water temp then.
I don't know about putting more thermistats in oil lines though. Seems like more stuff to fail or purge. Not for me. Heck, Bill Parham doesn't even like putting a water thermistat in, but does use a reducer.
Use good oil and change it annualy and I'd say you got your investment covered. Anyway that's what I've done.
Today is my 6 year anniversary of installing the stroker 427 from the Southern Automotive crate. 5 turns and it fired. I'm almost crying again. What a day that was. Thank you Bill and thank you Alan and Maurice. I will miss not being at Homecoming.
Hope you got my labels.

[Aggressor]

For those running non-roller engines, zinc becomes an imporant factor. I run full pack synthetic Castrol 20w-50(Syntec) for that reason. An additive such as ZDDP would also be a good alternative.
I am starting to research the percentage of zinc in the oil that I'm using to see if I may want to add any additional zinc.

-Geary

[mkassab]

Geary... the research I've done says to add ZDDP plus at 2 bottles per change if you have ~8 qts + of oil. This would hold true unless the oil you use ignores the API standards, like RedLine oil. When they(the oil manufactures) ignore the API standards, they choose to keep the ZDDP at the former higher levels. What has happened, the ZDDP in the oils have been lowered over time by the API standards because the ZDDP was affecting catalectic converter life..... with a negative effect on engine wear..... so short story is, if the engine oil you use is meeting current API standards.... it's low in ZDDP and you add an additive like ZDDP Plus. A good Diesel oil like Shell Rotella that meets CJ4 rating is much higher in ZDDP and you could probably get by with adding 1 bottle vs 2. I believe that's what I'll do. Normally I go the synthetic route, but with changing oil yearly and relatively low miles, it would be a pure waste of $'s. I'll buy the Shell Rotella at Sams or Costco and add the ZDDP Plus..... well, that my $0.02 for what it's worth. Mark

[davids2toys]

What is a desireable oil temp for a 351W? My needle barely moves, if at all from the lowest reading, 140. I taped up my oil cooler opening and it moved up a bit. When running at higher rpm, temp peaking out a needle width below the 230 mark. How do numbers compare to others?
Walter

My sender comes from the oil pan. normal summer driving even crazy driving the needle never moves at all, it just stays south of 140 deg. in the fall like now, I have an aluminum panel I made to cover the cooler, the needle actually stays at 140. last weekend i was on a cruise and got stuck in traffic for awhile, after about 10 minutes with the pusher on I started approaching 210 deg water temp. I happen to check the oil temp gauge for the hell of it and it actually was about a needle width ABOVE 140. First time I ever really saw the thing work!
As soon as I started driving again it stayed at 140. I was going to take a look at this over the winter, I actually thought this gauge was not working!
Dave

[wlewis]

Thanks for the info Dave.