Oil Temperature

My Air-Cooled Harley runs 170* on a cool day, 230* on a hot (90's) day at 75MPH interstate driving. it is still well below any break-down temp of the oil. Start worrying when it exceeds 325*.
 
Anywhere between 200-240F is perfectly fine operating temperature for conventional oils. Synthetics can tolerate 275F or higher although it will break down faster at such temperatures. By the way, water will evaporate quickly at temperatures below 212F so it's not necessary to boil out the water... although higher temps will remove the water faster if quick action is your goal.
 
My Air-Cooled Harley runs 170* on a cool day, 230* on a hot (90's) day at 75MPH interstate driving. it is still well below any break-down temp of the oil. Start worrying when it exceeds 325*.
Correct. A very knowledgeable GM power train engineer on this forum said 310* on conventional. Above that, synthetic
 
I have an oil temperature gauge and I was stuck on a highway, the gauge said 200 degrees. How close was I to frying my motor? Stay safe

Well a very common mistake or misconception of information is a single OEM sender located reading. Generally well Race prepped vehicles will measure the oil temperature at a specific and thought out location to monitor generally if the coolers are doing there job. On OEM engine the location IMHO is terrible and really only more the end user needs to see a common average reading. I mean think about it almost every vehicle seems to have the same oil temperature reading. LOL Wow OK that is also to say that every ECU is programmed the same in everything. Its NOT! We have smart engineers and marketers. Like the smart engineer who finally started to place next to the fuel gauge the side location of the fuel door or cap. LOL So having a simple reference that all the majority of DIY will agree is the correct temperature reading is better then real world and better located and thought out oil temperature sensors. Lets remember the idiot lights on pre 80's manufactured vehicles. It lights up almost the time disaster strikes the engine.

What I see a few already get ready to pond the keyboard in response. LOL Hey look when the gauge reads example 200f-220f go read the sump with a hand held temperature device, then compare it to any oil coolers and then various areas of the block after looking at the engine schematic of oil flow pat. Then respond to my comment. ;)

How come you all post rounded number? Analog gauges sure because they are faced with aprox. values that you have to guess in between the labeled numbers but ECU/ECM information and digital gauges they all report like 197.5 or 217.8 ext., (unless ECU programed scaled for easy reference on the dash gauged) LOL This is like when you take your foot off the throttle and you only see 99.99 MPG max on the instant MPG indicator when in reality it is much different and higher depending on the injector operation and program in the ECU . But here again the OBDII is different and actual then the dash reading for driver convenience.



Also Oil temperature changes are so slow that if there were a problem your would need to compare other reading and temperature gauges like water which will indicate on a temperature gauge faster readings to confirm what is going on. So while a standard oil temperature seems to be the normal posting on this thread guess I had better leave it at that. LOL


All I know my little super charged Nitrous fed 4 cylinder that has over 4**+ whp (sorry no body get those true numbers) I like to see all the temperatures and oil temperature in at least 2-3 locations.


Heck even my daily driven MAZDA I can read 2 sender location 2 engine oil and one transmission oil and the factory information out the OBDII Diagnostic connector and those senders are my choice location and they all read different temperatures. Hey but guess what the OBDII reads what you all are saying. LOL

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So you're saying anyone's engine should have at least three oil temps senders?
No that's not what I said at all. You are one of the better knowledgeable members here , maybe re-read my "rant" ? lol
Anyway it doesn't matter as with most thread asking the question about temperatures it generally the same answers. I just thought I would enter something out of normal and for some to think about ...like you!
 
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