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I wanted to get some opinions about oil temperatures. What would you consider a poor, average, good or great oil temp for 85+ degree weather? Thanks!
Oil temps?
- Thread starter The_Captain
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Thanks OneEyeJack, good article (I think)
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
Water will evaporate at any temperature that is above freezing point. Slower rate, but it will... So it's not really needed that the oil is above water boiling point, it just depends of how much blow-by your car has (worn piston rings).
As for temp readings, Ford has a transmission oil sensor that can be read with OBD2 scanner, but not an engine oil. Transmission oil "shares" the same radiator with the coolant so the temperature will get influenced.
During HW driving, in summer, the temperature is at 180-185F. But in stop and go traffic, with AC off (so the extra fan is not active), temperature will slowly creep up to be equal to engine temperature - that will be up to 218-220F.
I am expecting that oil will follow same pattern - higher driving speeds will help cool down the oil in the sump a little bit, while stop-and-go traffic will equalize the temperature of oil and engine coolant.
As for temp readings, Ford has a transmission oil sensor that can be read with OBD2 scanner, but not an engine oil. Transmission oil "shares" the same radiator with the coolant so the temperature will get influenced.
During HW driving, in summer, the temperature is at 180-185F. But in stop and go traffic, with AC off (so the extra fan is not active), temperature will slowly creep up to be equal to engine temperature - that will be up to 218-220F.
I am expecting that oil will follow same pattern - higher driving speeds will help cool down the oil in the sump a little bit, while stop-and-go traffic will equalize the temperature of oil and engine coolant.
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Some cars come with an OEM oil temp sensor that the ECU uses to adjust the Oil Control Solenoids of the adjustable cams.
The oil temp at the cams though is not necessarily the same as what comes out of the sump due to engine surface cooling. I see about a 10F lower reading at the oil filter than at the cam solenoid when cruising. Seldom over 190F though.
The oil temp at the cams though is not necessarily the same as what comes out of the sump due to engine surface cooling. I see about a 10F lower reading at the oil filter than at the cam solenoid when cruising. Seldom over 190F though.
Engine oil temperature is mostly RPM dependant, and without oil coolers will settle higher than coolant temperatures which are speed dependant.
If you have enough oil cooling capacity, oil temp will become more and more speed dependant with higher speeds resulting in lower temperatures, as with the coolant. This is hypothetical though.
If you have enough oil cooling capacity, oil temp will become more and more speed dependant with higher speeds resulting in lower temperatures, as with the coolant. This is hypothetical though.
Originally Posted By: vintageant
Thanks OneEyeJack, good article (I think)
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
I installed oil temp/pressure gauges in my 2007 Mazda 3 I no longer have. I remember during the summer on my interstate work commute, the oil temp never got above 205F. This during 95-100 F with A/C on max, cruising around 70 mph for 30 miles. Soon as I pulled off the interstate, oil temps fell below 200F and stayed at 195F.
My 2015 Focus ST came with factory oil temp/pressure gauges. Past few weeks, same commute, same temps, the oil has not gone over 190F. Although this car also has factory oil cooler so that is why the oil temps are cooler.
Thanks OneEyeJack, good article (I think)
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
I installed oil temp/pressure gauges in my 2007 Mazda 3 I no longer have. I remember during the summer on my interstate work commute, the oil temp never got above 205F. This during 95-100 F with A/C on max, cruising around 70 mph for 30 miles. Soon as I pulled off the interstate, oil temps fell below 200F and stayed at 195F.
My 2015 Focus ST came with factory oil temp/pressure gauges. Past few weeks, same commute, same temps, the oil has not gone over 190F. Although this car also has factory oil cooler so that is why the oil temps are cooler.
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
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My 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee never went above 190 even during three hot and humid southern summers. My 2015 has hit 202 so far, with summer fast approaching. I know that Chrysler has switched to a different type of organic coolant. This could offer some explanation as to the temperature differences.
My charger likes 213f. Unless I'm beating on it. Winter it hold at 195f or so.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
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OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
That whole concept drives me bonkers
I'd just run straight M1 0w-40, particularly given the engine also specs 5w-40. I fail the see the logic in trying to "fine tune" the HTHS whiles diluting an already excellent product. Not that they are not both excellent products, they are, but they are not all that similar other than both being products of XOM.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
That whole concept drives me bonkers
I'd just run straight M1 0w-40, particularly given the engine also specs 5w-40. I fail the see the logic in trying to "fine tune" the HTHS whiles diluting an already excellent product. Not that they are not both excellent products, they are, but they are not all that similar other than both being products of XOM.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
My old Audi 200 Turbo was much the same. I think the highest I ever saw it was 95 C, and that took a pile of effort.
On the other hand, the G37 has no oil temperature gauge, but I've never touched a hotter oil filter in my life, and that was in -34 C and only driving about 10 miles, and no, the exhaust is nowhere near the oil filter.
The taxi oil filters were cooler after running all day in +34 C.
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
My old Audi 200 Turbo was much the same. I think the highest I ever saw it was 95 C, and that took a pile of effort.
On the other hand, the G37 has no oil temperature gauge, but I've never touched a hotter oil filter in my life, and that was in -34 C and only driving about 10 miles, and no, the exhaust is nowhere near the oil filter.
the outside temp only matters at startup. Once the car is running it should be at a constant temp i.e. what it was engineered to run at no matter the ambient temp unless its got some issues with the radiator etc. Not sure if extreme cold would affect it but again once it warms up it should be at a steady temp. per one of the motor oil university articles here on BITOG:
One thing that is no longer important is the ambient temperature. Older automotive owner manuals often recommended one oil for the summer and another for the winter. This is still necessary for air cooled engines but is no longer a consideration in pressurized water cooled engines. These engine blocks are kept at around 212°F all year round. The oil is around the same temperature as well. This allows for a single grade oil all year round. Again, this is not the same as on the track where the coolant temperature is slightly higher and the oil temperature is much higher.
One thing that is no longer important is the ambient temperature. Older automotive owner manuals often recommended one oil for the summer and another for the winter. This is still necessary for air cooled engines but is no longer a consideration in pressurized water cooled engines. These engine blocks are kept at around 212°F all year round. The oil is around the same temperature as well. This allows for a single grade oil all year round. Again, this is not the same as on the track where the coolant temperature is slightly higher and the oil temperature is much higher.
Originally Posted By: splinter
Oil temperature observations from Shannow...here.
What I find interesting is where the sensors are located.
My technique is to drop the thermocouple down the dipstick hole straight after a run, and will be testing the oil right after it's drained out of the bearings (big ends run 125-130C (235F)).
A temperature gauge installed in the bulk oil, near the pick-up will be very much cooler, and one in a gallery cooler still.
It's likely that the spray coming off the big ends is well over boiling for most oil temperatures over 80C bulk (IMO), and as good a condition as any at "boiling" off moisture.
(Years ago, the MDF factory that I commissioned had very wet hydraulics...the gear to remove the water heated the oil to above the boiling point of water, then finely sprayed it into a vacuum chamber...not the same as a big end spray, but you get the drift I hope).
Oil temperature observations from Shannow...here.
What I find interesting is where the sensors are located.
My technique is to drop the thermocouple down the dipstick hole straight after a run, and will be testing the oil right after it's drained out of the bearings (big ends run 125-130C (235F)).
A temperature gauge installed in the bulk oil, near the pick-up will be very much cooler, and one in a gallery cooler still.
It's likely that the spray coming off the big ends is well over boiling for most oil temperatures over 80C bulk (IMO), and as good a condition as any at "boiling" off moisture.
(Years ago, the MDF factory that I commissioned had very wet hydraulics...the gear to remove the water heated the oil to above the boiling point of water, then finely sprayed it into a vacuum chamber...not the same as a big end spray, but you get the drift I hope).
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
That whole concept drives me bonkers
I'd just run straight M1 0w-40, particularly given the engine also specs 5w-40. I fail the see the logic in trying to "fine tune" the HTHS whiles diluting an already excellent product. Not that they are not both excellent products, they are, but they are not all that similar other than both being products of XOM.
Yes, Honda recommends 5W40 if an S2000 is operated with ambient temperature below 0F, therefore by default 5W40 can be used for warmer temperature.
All Mobil 1 grade are very good, 0W40 are excellent by any standard. M1 0W20 is very good and EP 0W20 is excellent with higher PAO contain than many 0W20. Mixing M1 0W20(especially EP) with 0W40 should yield a very good oil at slightly higher HTHS than M1 10W30.
The S2000 engine is running well with the mix, no worse than straight M1 10W30.
I also running similar mix in E430 and the engine is running very well too.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: vintageant
tmorris1 - don't just refute! More explanation please!
How many passenger cars have oil temp gauges?
My old A4 had an oil temp gauge. It would never go above 210F, even during spirited driving. In normal driving it would sit around 180-190F.
Our current Q5 displays oil temp. It's typically somewhere around 190-200F.
Some Germany cars have oil temp gauge but most Japanese and Korean cars don't have it. I wish my S2000 has oil temp gauge, so that I may be able to customize oil thickness by mixing M1 0W40 with 0W20.
Currently oil is 60% 0W40 and 40% 0W20 to make HTHS around 3.3 vs 3.0-3.1 of M1 10W30. The reason is the engine is mostly operate around 4.5-5.0k RPM.
If oil temp is below 200-210F after 20-30 minutes of 5k RPM I would reduce 0W40 a little to 40% and increase 0W20 to 60%.
That whole concept drives me bonkers
I'd just run straight M1 0w-40, particularly given the engine also specs 5w-40. I fail the see the logic in trying to "fine tune" the HTHS whiles diluting an already excellent product. Not that they are not both excellent products, they are, but they are not all that similar other than both being products of XOM.
Yes, Honda recommends 5W40 if an S2000 is operated with ambient temperature below 0F, therefore by default 5W40 can be used for warmer temperature.
All Mobil 1 grade are very good, 0W40 are excellent by any standard. M1 0W20 is very good and EP 0W20 is excellent with higher PAO contain than many 0W20. Mixing M1 0W20(especially EP) with 0W40 should yield a very good oil at slightly higher HTHS than M1 10W30.
The S2000 engine is running well with the mix, no worse than straight M1 10W30.
I also running similar mix in E430 and the engine is running very well too.
Ideal oil temp would be 190F. A range from 185-215 is considered excellent. 215-230 acceptable for hard driving. Over 250 is danger territory. Lower than 180 is bad because the additives don't work well. Feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong on this.
Originally Posted By: Clevy
My charger likes 213f. Unless I'm beating on it. Winter it hold at 195f or so.
Funny, the 6.1 does the same, never much over 220 under any normal circumstances. But much higher when tracked...
My charger likes 213f. Unless I'm beating on it. Winter it hold at 195f or so.
Funny, the 6.1 does the same, never much over 220 under any normal circumstances. But much higher when tracked...
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