Oil temperature data

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by gfh77665
At what temp do oils start to have difficulty?
Anything over 230*F is getting into danger territory.

I don't think 230f is a "danger zone"...in fact many engine builders consider that in the ideal range for sump temp. (to burn off moisture and have low frictional drag by the lubricant).

(once again I errantly indicated c instead of f in my previous post; i can't seem to keep them straight.. maybe I need more coffee ...‚)

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My Forester usually cruises at 200-210F oil temp. In the summer if I have an increased cruise speed and the temperature outside is 90 I can see mid 230s. I believe the highest I've seen out of the Forester was during a Jeep club snow ride where I was climbing a snowy hill with pretty hard throttle and 4000RPM for a few minutes straight. That got up to 239.

TFL just did a towing test with Shell Gas truck in their Dodge ..er "RAM" and got it up to 289

 

[mightymousetech]

My BMW has an oil temp gauge instead of a coolant temp gauge. Normal operating temp for the oil is 120C, which is about 250F.

Not my car, but looks like this.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Ive hit about 215F using the turbo a lot on the highway. Otherwise between 197 and 203.

You don't have to be above boiling to drive off water. You'll evap. off plenty at 175-195 given a little time.

Recall there is oil running off very high localized heat zones in the engine that are easily double the oil temp.

 

[TiGeo]

VWs have the choice to add oil temp to the dash display that you can toggle through. I find it v. helpful on my tuned Golf to know when I am up to temp to start hammering it!

My 2018 VW Atlas with the 3.6L VR6 - typically in the 200-210 range. Higher for more load i.e. mountain driving. Really doesn't vary that much with temps here in VA where we see mid-to-upper 90s in the summer and 20-30s for lows in the winter.

My 2018 VW Golf Sportwagen 1.8 turbo with Stage 1+ tune - typically in the 215-225 range. More sending it = higher temps.

Seems lower right after oil change then creeps up a bit over the ~7500 mile OCI. I use Castrol 5W40 dealer oil in the Atlas and Liquimoly Leichtlauf HT 5W40 in the Golf.

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by gfh77665
At what temp do oils start to have difficulty?
Anything over 230*F is getting into danger territory.


Normal operating temp for my car is 250F. Guess that is a big reason why BMW requires high quality oils.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Hounds
Originally Posted by RayCJ

I want an oil temperature gauge

That's why vehicle manufacturers stopped putting them in passenger cars in the '60s.

I Have never seen (personally) an oil temperature gauge stock in any car other than a Porsche and a Corvette.

What type of "not-sport" cars had them??


My Durango had one, our minivan has one, my v6 300 has one... FCA loves to put them in.

 

[TiGeo]

Just changed my oil with 9K on the last fill/30K on car. Since last post have upped my turbo size and changed to a higher-power tune. Still see that operating temp drop a bit after a change and it's slower to get oil up to operating temp on fresh fill of LM Leichtlauf High Tech w/MoS2.

 

[RDY4WAR]

Whether it's 20*F in January or 100*F in July, my operating oil temp stays consistent at 210-220*F. The only thing that changes is how long it takes to get there. This is consistent across all 3 of my vehicles. My Tahoe will creep to ~230*F if I'm towing up a long grade. That is also regardless of ambient temperature.

Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV, Group V (POE),
That's my personal limitations. The ideal broad temperature oil (IMO) would be ~50% group III, ~30% PAO, and ~20% POE.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Normal driving is 90-95°C (194-203°F), getting on it a bit it will go up to about 105°C, highest I've ever seen on the street is 110. On track it will go up to about 120 (248°F).

 

[HiPowerShooter]

My 392 Hemi runs right around 210 or so most of the time under normal conditions regardless of ambient temp(however I don't drive my Challenger from Nov til April unless it's a dry cold day and the roads are clear). If I'm dropping the hammer a bit more it's up to 220 or so.

 

[racin4ds]

Keep in mind these numbers are all subjective as to where the sensor is placed and taking the temp from... Sump? After the cooler? Before the cooler? etc.

As many of you know, us poor owners of the most hated diesel engine in the world (the Ford Navistar 6.0) have to constantly monitor engine oil temps and ford tells us that if we see 230* we are in the danger zone and the cooler needs replaced. But the temp sensor is on top the motor reading temps from just out of the oil cooler. I'm told sump temps would be MUCH higher.

 

[Imp4]

Originally Posted by racin4ds
As many of you know, us poor owners of the most hated diesel engine in the world (the Ford Navistar 6.0) have to constantly monitor engine oil temps and ford tells us that if we see 230* we are in the danger zone and the cooler needs replaced. But the temp sensor is on top the motor reading temps from just out of the oil cooler. I'm told sump temps would be MUCH higher.

Id think ford would have made the 230F recommendation knowing the location of the temp sensor....

 

[Luftmasse]

What oil temperature range is consider good?

 

[Mitch Alsup]

Originally Posted by painfx
What oil temperature range is consider good?


Above the boiling point of water (100ºC or 212ºF)
Below the point where the oil becomes too think to prevent m-to-m contact (less than 300ºF and also dependent on the base oil)
Longest motor life will be found when oil is 220ºF-230ºF

 

[Luftmasse]

Originally Posted by Mitch Alsup
Originally Posted by painfx
What oil temperature range is consider good?


Above the boiling point of water (100ºC or 212ºF)
Below the point where the oil becomes too think to prevent m-to-m contact (less than 300ºF and also dependent on the base oil)
Longest motor life will be found when oil is 220ºF-230ºF


I drove 20 miles, and it only went up to 185 F. It was about 40F today.

 

[ofelas]

12v Cummins - 210f in winter, and summer 225f empty/235f loaded (Amsoil AME 15w40/Donaldson SynTeq)

3.7 Liberty - seems to stay at 220-225f summer or winter; just takes a bit longer to get there in winter. (Amsoil SS ASL 5w30/Mopar filter).

 

[PolarisX]

The highest I've ever seen in Cruze hatchback in my signature is about 185ºF after awhile on the highway.

 

[OppositeLocK]

Originally Posted by Mitch Alsup
Originally Posted by painfx
What oil temperature range is consider good?


Above the boiling point of water (100ºC or 212ºF)
Below the point where the oil becomes too think to prevent m-to-m contact (less than 300ºF and also dependent on the base oil)
Longest motor life will be found when oil is 220ºF-230ºF


Just curious what your source is for this?

 

[RDY4WAR]

Originally Posted by OppositeLocK
Originally Posted by Mitch Alsup
Originally Posted by painfx
What oil temperature range is consider good?


Above the boiling point of water (100ºC or 212ºF)
Below the point where the oil becomes too think to prevent m-to-m contact (less than 300ºF and also dependent on the base oil)
Longest motor life will be found when oil is 220ºF-230ºF


Just curious what your source is for this?


I don't have a link readily available, but that's been long known and documented in SAE papers. You want the oil hot enough to boil out any water and fuel contamination. The additives in the oil are also heat sensitive in terms of reactivity. The hotter the oil, the more reactive and effective additives like ZDDP and MoDTC become. That said, oil oxidizes more rapidly as temperatures increase above 190*F.

Ideal temperature for oil life = 175-190*F
Ideal temperature for engine life = 210-230*F