Oil Temperatures ?

Pennzoil motor oil
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99 GASE2

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I read that my normal operating oil temperature is around 220-230°F.

Normal oil temp?

The Pontiac G8 GT L76 6.0L small block V8 engine doesn't require synthetic motor oil.
But most people use it.
It has an oil capacity of 8.8 US Quarts.

People have seen hot oil warning come on on the LS3 (that requires synthetic, & comes factory filled with Mobil 1 5w30) version GXP cars, after a few laps on a road course race track.
The hot oil light warning comes on around 150°C / 302°F.


What is too hot of an oil temperate for conventional motor oil ?
I would of thought 220-230°F for normal operating temps, would be on the high side for conventional oil ?


PS: I run (GC) Castrol Syntec 0w30 & a NAPA Gold oil filter in mine
laugh.gif
 
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I can tell you that in many laps at road courses all over the country I've seen over 340 in my car as a peak!

Didn't seem to bother a thing. But I run premium synth.
 
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
First, normal operating temperature is quite a broad range that starts at about 180F.


I am glad you posted that. My '97 Chevy pickup with a 4.3L V6 barely gets to 180, and I have wondered if something is wrong. Think its OK?
 
Well, it is what it is and "normal" is according to the application and operation.

It's very useful to know what your oil temp runs. Do you know from where that temp was measured? And in what climate (I didn't follow all the thread you linked)? Is that 6.0L the same as used in Chevrolets? If so, that 220-230 seems a bit warm to me... but then I go back to that first statement.

To me, those temps would dictate a robust 30 grade (cSt at the high end of the grade). Don't think they necessarily dictate synthetic oil vs a good mineral (not a cheapie) but it wouldn't hurt. You'd have to be a bit careful about OC with a mineral but a good add pack counts for a lot... sometimes as much as the base oil. A syn would be more indicated if you ran the car hard and saw that oil temp lite more. Get a ScanGaugeII or UltraGauge (Google them) which plug into the OBDII port and read out many engine parameters. Oil temp is sometimes monitored by the PCM and when that's the case, that' susually something you can monitor on those gauges (you can check to see on the features available for those gauges).

The late, great Pontiac- R.I.P. by the way. The world just doesn't seem the same without it.
 
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Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
First, normal operating temperature is quite a broad range that starts at about 180F.


I am glad you posted that. My '97 Chevy pickup with a 4.3L V6 barely gets to 180, and I have wondered if something is wrong. Think its OK?


IMO this is based upon where you take the measurement. My 135i goes up over 240F just normally, whereas my 318, which I installed a drain plug mounted temperature sensor, rarely goes over 180. One could be coming off the head whereas the other is at the bottom of a finned oil sump - big difference.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
First, normal operating temperature is quite a broad range that starts at about 180F.


I am glad you posted that. My '97 Chevy pickup with a 4.3L V6 barely gets to 180, and I have wondered if something is wrong. Think its OK?


IMO this is based upon where you take the measurement. My 135i goes up over 240F just normally, whereas my 318, which I installed a drain plug mounted temperature sensor, rarely goes over 180. One could be coming off the head whereas the other is at the bottom of a finned oil sump - big difference.


Are your cars stock? If so, isn't the 318 a 1.8 liter (approx.) naturally aspirated engine making 111-138 HP (depending on year), whereas the 135i is a 3 liter bi-turbo engine making over 300 HP? While I agree with you that where you take the oil temperature measurement is important, comparing oil readings between these two cars is a bit of a stretch.
 
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Have always been curious as to what most standard street cars oil temps are. I assume my Saturns probably run similar oil temps while at steady throttle in relation to coolant temp. Presumably the oil temp would rise as the RPMs and load increased. I remember reading somewhere possibly on this site that some of the cars which are "harder on oils" have higher engine oil temps on average. The Nissan VQ35DE being one of those engines.
 
There are a lot of engineering differences between a 318 and a 335 that are intended to bring oil temps up. In a lot of the literature that describes the m54, at least, they talk about bringing the block temp up to reduce friction and improve emissions. I assume the n90 (?) engine's thermostat has the heater which brings normal light-load temp up to the low 200s.

Either way, it seems the days of 180F coolant and oil temps are gone.
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster

Either way, it seems the days of 180F coolant and oil temps are gone.

Don't entirely agree, even with oil/coolant heat exchangers it can be a struggle to get the oil up to even 180F particularly in cool/cold ambient conditions.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Well, it is what it is and "normal" is according to the application and operation.

It's very useful to know what your oil temp runs. Do you know from where that temp was measured? And in what climate (I didn't follow all the thread you linked)? Is that 6.0L the same as used in Chevrolets? If so, that 220-230 seems a bit warm to me... but then I go back to that first statement.

To me, those temps would dictate a robust 30 grade (cSt at the high end of the grade). Don't think they necessarily dictate synthetic oil vs a good mineral (not a cheapie) but it wouldn't hurt. You'd have to be a bit careful about OC with a mineral but a good add pack counts for a lot... sometimes as much as the base oil. A syn would be more indicated if you ran the car hard and saw that oil temp lite more. Get a ScanGaugeII or UltraGauge (Google them) which plug into the OBDII port and read out many engine parameters. Oil temp is sometimes monitored by the PCM and when that's the case, that' susually something you can monitor on those gauges (you can check to see on the features available for those gauges).

The late, great Pontiac- R.I.P. by the way. The world just doesn't seem the same without it.

Don't know where the oil temp sensor is read.
The readings are via the PCM.

Climate doesn't matter (summer or winter), once the car is driven enough to get the oil temps up to normal operating temps.
Using Mobil 1 5w30.

The Pontiac G8's do not come with an oil cooler stock, from Australia (where they are known as Holden Commodore SS, etc...).
That was to be a track option, to be installed by dealers here.
But that was not offered before Pontiac was killed.

That version of L76 6.0L small block V8 is unique & was only offered to five nameplates of passenger cars from GM division Holden in Australia.
The Chevy L76 truck engine is different.
The L76 car engine version is closer to an LS3 Corvette engine.
It uses a block from the LS2; but is bored slightly differently.
Has a LS3 intake manifold, heads, pistons, drive by wire throttle.
But has DOD values & springs, with a milder cam.
Good info on g8 gt motor
The current model engine now offered is the L77 in this year's Holden Commodore SS's...updated to be E85 compatible.
My version of the engine is rated at the crank: 361 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque.
& at over 2000 rpm, the torque is > 300 lb-ft.

Now the police are going to be offered the longer version of it as a Chevy Caprice PPV from Australia.
Nothing like giving the police a 355 hp 6.0L small block V8 that is RWD.

Confirmed is that a version of the Holden Commodore will come back to the US as a re-badged Chevy.
(Can we make it a HSV version ;))
Limited (amounts to be imported from Australia) performance niche vehicle, so not to effect the CAFE ratings.
Rumours are, it might be called a Chevelle SS ?
 
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Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Originally Posted By: 99 GASE2
...Climate doesn't matter (summer or winter), once the car is driven enough to get the oil temps up to normal operating temps...

You could be more wrong as I just mentioned above.

So then, these guys are lying then ?

zepcom is from Buffalo, NY.
Originally Posted By: zepcom
Mine stays around 222 during NorthEast summers and winter driving alike, when I'm driving "normal" (highway, light or constant throttle applications).

Sometimes get it up ~226 when I'm really romping on the car in the summertime, never seen higher than that. Although, I really don't have any power adders (as compared to FSTG8, above) so my car is stock as far as that is concerned.

Of course, this is after the car is up to operating temperature...

And yes, I have the upgraded triple ataris so my numbers are exact/digital.

What kind of oil are you running? Dino? Synthetic? Weight?

I run Mobil 1 5w30 Synthetic all the time to get the above numbers.


Originally Posted By: matthewo
mine has been getting up to about 220-225 even in the winter here. seems normal i guess. i run Mobil 1 5w30 also. i just got the gauges so i notice it now...
 
Nobody's "lying." Kind of a harsh word to use in this case... one that injects a very negative tone to an otherwise interesting conversation.

The oil temp of many engines is effected by ambient temps. It's becoming apparent to me, seeing info like you presented and comparing it to my own (which is largely truck-centric), that this is more true with trucks than many newer cars because the trucks need to have a very large reserve of cooling capacity and that works against them in winter (overcooling, hence radiator blankets). Cars have much less reserve so are more stable in winter. Plus each situation is unique.

As long as we're saying : "The oil temp of G8's is largely unaffected by ambient temp," then I have no argument. If you want to make that a general statement, then I can counter with proof of my own indicating this isn't the universal case.

Personally, I think a nice high oil temp, one that stays rock stable in all conditions, as would seem to be the case with the G8, is a good thing. Heats up quick, gets to grade quick, flow well and lets the engine be more efficient, while quickly baking out moisture and fuel contamination.

Still would like to know where the oil temp is read. If it's sump temp, then a sensor should be readily visible on the crankcase somewhere.
 
Fixed that for you Jim.
grin.gif


As long as we're saying : "The oil temp of G8's is largely unaffected by ambient temp at the point it is being measured," then I have no argument. If you want to make that a general statement, then I can counter with proof of my own indicating this isn't the universal case.

Ed
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Nobody's "lying." Kind of a harsh word to use in this case... one that injects a very negative tone to an otherwise interesting conversation.

The oil temp of many engines is effected by ambient temps. It's becoming apparent to me, seeing info like you presented and comparing it to my own (which is largely truck-centric), that this is more true with trucks than many newer cars because the trucks need to have a very large reserve of cooling capacity and that works against them in winter (overcooling, hence radiator blankets). Cars have much less reserve so are more stable in winter. Plus each situation is unique.

As long as we're saying : "The oil temp of G8's is largely unaffected by ambient temp," then I have no argument. If you want to make that a general statement, then I can counter with proof of my own indicating this isn't the universal case.

Personally, I think a nice high oil temp, one that stays rock stable in all conditions, as would seem to be the case with the G8, is a good thing. Heats up quick, gets to grade quick, flow well and lets the engine be more efficient, while quickly baking out moisture and fuel contamination.

Still would like to know where the oil temp is read. If it's sump temp, then a sensor should be readily visible on the crankcase somewhere.

Point taken...

But when CATERHAM decides to quote me out of context, when I was answer questions on the Pontiac G8 GT.
I wasn't making a general statement, but a specific one in relation to the Pontiac G8.
 
Now my ATF temps, that is a totally different story on the Pontiac G8 GT lol

It doesn't seem to even get too warm in the winter time.
I drive 10 miles for about 25 minutes & it reads around 55°C/131°F.

In the summer time, i would see 75°C/167°F & up if I get stuck in traffic.
 
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