Engine Oil Temp.....I think i have a problem....
04-07-2006, 05:18 AM
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Engine Oil Temp.....I think i have a problem....
I commute to work every morning at about 5am...I typically cruise at about 80-85mph the whole way, very easy driving because there's no traffic..My car's engine oil temp is slowly starting to creep up..A few months ago it would chill at just above 200*, now it's up to 250...the weird part is that sometimes it will fluctuate between 225 and 250, even though I'm cruising at a constant speed..I'm afraid this might be a sign of maybe my oil cooler or pump failing..any ideas??
04-07-2006, 05:30 AM
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Maybe it's just a faulty oil temp sender
Around 212 F is normal oil temperature. If the oil is really getting too hot, it is most likely due to coolant getting to hot. Make sure both fans work properly.
I don't see how the oil cooler (heat exchanger, really) could fail. The oil pump can fail, but I don't think that's the primary suspect here.
Be aware that even if the needle of the coolant gauge is at 12 o'clock, the coolant may be hotter than normally. The gauge has a dead center and the needle will move off-center only if the coolant is very hot! Look for signs of coolant coming out of the expansion tank.
I don't see how the oil cooler (heat exchanger, really) could fail. The oil pump can fail, but I don't think that's the primary suspect here.
Be aware that even if the needle of the coolant gauge is at 12 o'clock, the coolant may be hotter than normally. The gauge has a dead center and the needle will move off-center only if the coolant is very hot! Look for signs of coolant coming out of the expansion tank.
04-07-2006, 05:47 AM
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FORGOT ABOUT THAT!...i already have a new sender, any idea where the hell it is?
I actually know for a fact that my sender is failing, but it hasn't been acting up for a while now...A few months ago, my gauge would randomly shoot up to the needle stop, but it hasn't done it in quite a while..I bought a new sender from ECS at the time but never got around to installing it...I was told that it was on the oil pan right next to the oil filter adapter, but I couldn't locate it. The strangest thing about the sender, is that I have a Bentley manual, and I can't find ANY mention of the sender (except in the wiring diagrams, which don't show it's location)
04-07-2006, 09:33 AM
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Your M1 5W-40 gets up to 250 F without racing?
Then something isn't right. I have seen practically no operating oil temperature differences between
- Castrol 5W-50
- M1 0W-40
- Chevron DELO 15W-40
- M1 5W-40
With Red Line 5W-30 my engine is running maybe 3-5 degree F cooler than with those other oils.
- Castrol 5W-50
- M1 0W-40
- Chevron DELO 15W-40
- M1 5W-40
With Red Line 5W-30 my engine is running maybe 3-5 degree F cooler than with those other oils.
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04-07-2006, 06:35 PM
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I had some bad oil burning problems with Mobil 1 0W40, so i switched...
to Royal Purple 20W50...it didn't run any hotter when i switched (about 3 oil changes ago), and i haven't ever added any oil between changes...with 0W40 i was adding about a quart between changes (every 3-5k miles)
04-08-2006, 12:41 AM
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Mine burnt 0W-40 also at an increased rate
0W-X oils are in my opinion suitable in our 12v engine only if we don't have any oil consumption issues and at very low ambient temperatures.
20W-50 is really overkill. You gain really nothing by the 50 and the 20W is nothing but a disadvantage until the engine is hot. If your engine runs hot, a thinner oil will reduce oil temperatures due to improved flow and better thermal transfer.
If your engine burns oil, you may want to use a predominantly hydrocracked Group III oil like Castrol 5W-40 or 5W-50 instead of a full synthetic. You want to use an oil that doesn't slip too easily by the rings. You may want to try a high quality mineral oil like Chevron DELO 400 15W-40, but you should change it every 3-5k miles. The DELO reduced my oil consumption to almost zero.
That your gauge reads higher than normally, may be due to a defective temperature sender or a problem with the cooling system.
20W-50 is really overkill. You gain really nothing by the 50 and the 20W is nothing but a disadvantage until the engine is hot. If your engine runs hot, a thinner oil will reduce oil temperatures due to improved flow and better thermal transfer.
If your engine burns oil, you may want to use a predominantly hydrocracked Group III oil like Castrol 5W-40 or 5W-50 instead of a full synthetic. You want to use an oil that doesn't slip too easily by the rings. You may want to try a high quality mineral oil like Chevron DELO 400 15W-40, but you should change it every 3-5k miles. The DELO reduced my oil consumption to almost zero.
That your gauge reads higher than normally, may be due to a defective temperature sender or a problem with the cooling system.