Strictly anecdotal but years ago I used to drive from LA to Las Vegas a few times a year and noticed that given the same ambient temp and the same viscosity oil that synthetic gave a 10C lower oil temp .
Engine Runs Cooler with Syns?
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Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: tig1
In the early 90s Corvette started using M1 oils from the factory so that they could do away with their oil cooler. Had something to do with body design changes.
As I understand, this was largely (or entirely) because synthetics could tolerate higher temperatures, not because they ran cooler.
You are correct. The cars did not run any cooler. GM was able to eliminate the oil cooler on the 1992+ LT1 cars due to the use of synthetic oil - Mobil 1 in this case. This saved weight, money and leak points. My 1994 LT1 shows no need for an oil cooler using the recommended oil.
Originally Posted By: tig1
In the early 90s Corvette started using M1 oils from the factory so that they could do away with their oil cooler. Had something to do with body design changes.
As I understand, this was largely (or entirely) because synthetics could tolerate higher temperatures, not because they ran cooler.
You are correct. The cars did not run any cooler. GM was able to eliminate the oil cooler on the 1992+ LT1 cars due to the use of synthetic oil - Mobil 1 in this case. This saved weight, money and leak points. My 1994 LT1 shows no need for an oil cooler using the recommended oil.
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
Same here - stays cooler throughout the OCI.
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
Same here - stays cooler throughout the OCI.
Originally Posted By: Errtt
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
Same here - stays cooler throughout the OCI.
Thanks for that piece of info
There is a reason why synthetics are specked for high stress applications and perhaps one of them is to help with cooling.
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I have a question to people noticing cooler oil temps with synthetic oil.
Was the cooler temp constant throughout the OCI, or you just checked right after the OCI and never really bothered afterwards?
But if these temps stayed lowered, and never crept up during the whole OCI, then there might be something to it.
It was consistant. I watch my "oil temp on a dipstick" on my Harley Twin Cams constantly. I noticed a true 10-15 degree cooler running engine. Same temp and operating conditions, too.
Same here - stays cooler throughout the OCI.
Thanks for that piece of info
There is a reason why synthetics are specked for high stress applications and perhaps one of them is to help with cooling.
Here's an old thread started by Bob himself, with comments from Terry as well as Molakule about this subject-
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/posts/928/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/posts/928/
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Imo,the only advantage to using synth oil is keeping to engine internals cleaner,thus in the long run making the engine more "efficient" per se?.
Living where you do you might not know this, but there is a huge advantage to syn oils in cold starting when temps drop way down.
Imo,the only advantage to using synth oil is keeping to engine internals cleaner,thus in the long run making the engine more "efficient" per se?.
Living where you do you might not know this, but there is a huge advantage to syn oils in cold starting when temps drop way down.
Syn oils, under extream temps such as ((HEAT)) will hold up much better than dino oils, will not break down as soon or shear as soon, allowing the oil to continue doing it's job of protecting the intrenals of the engine.
Syn oils DON'T run cooler per/say(maybe they do, IDK!). I beleive that the syn oils get just as HOT as dino oils but, will hold up better. Not to say that there isn't some data out on the web somewhere that shows syn oil helping the engine to remain cooler, I'm just not aware of it. I did read the old post with Bob himself and others on the subject but, IDK if it's scientific data or just guys conversing back and fourth. Maybe there is something to it. It's certainly not a subject that I, myself would get into an arguement over
I know, no one is arguing, I was just saying!
Syn oils DON'T run cooler per/say(maybe they do, IDK!). I beleive that the syn oils get just as HOT as dino oils but, will hold up better. Not to say that there isn't some data out on the web somewhere that shows syn oil helping the engine to remain cooler, I'm just not aware of it. I did read the old post with Bob himself and others on the subject but, IDK if it's scientific data or just guys conversing back and fourth. Maybe there is something to it. It's certainly not a subject that I, myself would get into an arguement over
I know, no one is arguing, I was just saying!
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Originally Posted By: hate2work
Here's an old thread started by Bob himself, with comments from Terry as well as Molakule about this subject-
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/posts/928/
I really like those vintage threads. MolaKule made some very good points about convection and conduction, and quoted numbers for heat transfer coefficients that showed higher values for synthetic oil.
Here's an old thread started by Bob himself, with comments from Terry as well as Molakule about this subject-
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/posts/928/
I really like those vintage threads. MolaKule made some very good points about convection and conduction, and quoted numbers for heat transfer coefficients that showed higher values for synthetic oil.
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