Oil Temperature Observations

[306Puggy]

When my engine is fully warmed up in this weather, it only gets to just above 50 degrees. Last week when it was warmer it was reaching a solid 60 degrees but in this weather it just sits at 50. This seems really low TBH, it only goes up in traffic or when using boost.

[Ed Doe]

You don't have an oil temperature gauge, you have a coolant temperature gauge. Your thermostat gas gone and is not regulating the water flow to your radiator resulting in overcooling. Replace this and you'll be fine.


/thread

[306Puggy]

I think you think I am mistaking coolant temperature for oil temperature which I am not, I have a sandwich plate with an oil temp sensor in it attached to a gauge.

[Dum-Dum]

Do you have an oil cooler?

If you have a cooler it's too cold, blank off the air flow through it and make sure it's a thermostatic sandwich plate.

If you dont have an oil cooler then your gauge is wrong.

[306Puggy]

What temp should it be?

[Ed Doe]

90

[306Puggy]

Are you being serious? 90 is almost boiling! One word replies are rarely serious so I thought I should check. Do you know what might be causing the gauge to missread? It was a gauge from Conrad-uk.com. I can't link to it because the website is session based but it is on there. Edit: Oh, the link appears to work:
http://www.conrad-uk.com/ce/en/product/8...ge-60-160C- 12V/SHOP_AREA_17287&promotionareaSearchDetail=005

[Dan!]

I'd like to see you boil engine oil at 100ºc....

[306Puggy]

Okay maybe not boiling point but I am not getting a straight answer here. Would someone care to give me one.

[Dan!]

My 205 used to sit just below 100 average driving but would get up to 120 driving hard. Yours is much to low, although I'd guess it's just a poor gauge...

[Ben]

Your 205 got a bit hot though didn't it?

[Ed Doe]

You're getting straight answers. If you Google your query you'll find more information on oil operational temperatures. My oil regularly gets to 125+ when driving hard, but is thermostatically controlled to sit at 90 during normal operation. Are you sure you gauge is correctly calibrated? Cheap gauges rarely work properly...

[Dan!]

Your 205 got a bit hot though didn't it?

Coolant was always fine, just oil that got a fair bit hotter. Obviously wasn't an issue though as its still running now.

[306Puggy]

Okay so I guess the prognosis is a new gauge. Last time I posted a thread about this it was suggested that the oil reading was low because the sensor was in the sump and the airflow was affecting the reading. I guess that was wrong then since now I have a sandwich plate and it's STILL underreading.

[Piggy]

boiling temp of 100degrees is for water...each liquid has its own boiling point.

Also need to factor in that pressure will increase boil point.

Hence why our coolant systems are pressurized.

new gauge.

[Dum-Dum]

Oil needs to hit 80C to even start burning off contaminants 90-110 is a good operating temp. Oil wont boil till about 200 IIRC.

[puglove]

Cant imagine your would be 60 under normal operation so that should tell you that its not reading correctly.


First thing i would try is to splash on a new high quality guage mate. Come back if its still the same with the new one

[306Puggy]

Right, I have wrapped the sensor threads and grub screws in PTFE tape now to prevent the leaks. When I had the sensor out I noticed that the sensor part only protrudes 10mm from the threads and only about a third of it had any oil on it instead of the whole tip being immersed in oil. Do you think I need a longer sensor?

[Dum-Dum]

Sorry where do you have the sensor? The second (higher) oil drain plug on the sump would be the bast place (and where most people fit them) as itll take an average temperature across the oil in the sump giving you the best reading.

[306Puggy]

I don't have two oil drain plugs on my sump, only one, hence I have the sensor mounted in a sandwich plate.

[Dum-Dum]

Might be better off drilling and tapping your sump the next time you chage your oil

[306Puggy]

As far as I know, the normal way to take the oil temperature is through a sandwich plate, there is no reason why it should not work.

[Dum-Dum]

As far as I know, the normal way to take the oil temperature is through a sandwich plate, there is no reason why it should not work.

Normal for here with lazy people who think those blinging blue anodized sandwich plates off ebay are a good idea. Not normal anywhere else (except chav civic and corsa etc forums) from my experience.

You take the temp from the sump as it is the average temperature of the oil in your engine. If you start taking it once its been through several hot bits of metal and has been pressurised it wont be telling you an accurate temperature.

[Pompey306mark]

Say at ideal with the blowers on 80c coolant temp been here about 10mins. Before that a quick 7-8mile nice drive.


Will cane it room if the rain and traffic allow to show you how hot it gets. I normally see 115 ish I guess.

Tuned dt with oil cooler behind the grill.

Ps not a vid just a photo, could not get a good focus in the dark with the flash.

---

Ok only got to 95c. Not really pushing it loads though.

[306Puggy]

As far as I know, the normal way to take the oil temperature is through a sandwich plate, there is no reason why it should not work.

Normal for here with lazy people who think those blinging blue anodized sandwich plates off ebay are a good idea. Not normal anywhere else (except chav civic and corsa etc forums) from my experience.

You take the temp from the sump as it is the average temperature of the oil in your engine. If you start taking it once its been through several hot bits of metal and has been pressurised it wont be telling you an accurate temperature.

I really can't afford not to use my sandwich plate now. I had an sensor in the sump plug but it gave an even lower reading anyway. Ironically, I thought the sandwich plate was the harder option, what with having to get a shorter oil filter and having to bung up all of the grub screws and sensor with PTFE tape! I was surprised the sensor in the sump plug didn't work out, but there you go.

pompeymark306 is your setup a sandwich plate?

[Pompey306mark]

Yep sandwich plate no oil heater, with sensor in the plate.

[Dum-Dum]

I had an sensor in the sump plug but it gave an even lower reading anyway.

Thus proving that the oil has already started being heated by the time it gets to the sandwich plate.
Hey If you want your oil temps to read nice and hot why not drill and tap a hole directly into the side of your turbo where the oil runs there.

[Ruan]

IMHO you should take the oil temperature from the place just before it goes around the engine, no point in knowing a temperature of something after it's done it's work in the sump... It's not cooled until after it's been past the oil pump anyway!!! The temperature as it goes on it's route is what you want to know...

In the same way as I don't want to know a post turbine exhaust gas temperature, I want to know what temperature the turbine wheel and cylinder head is being raped with...

[darrenjlobb]

Why would u want to know the oil temp in the sump... I want to know the oil temp of the oil that's about to go and protect my engine, ie the oil just leaving the filter, oh wait

[Pompey306mark]

Just drove back from London in my usual style this time of night don't think it went over 100c.