Worried about 1st track day oil temps

[Tt3Sheppard]

Originally Posted by AZP Installs

I will respectfully disagree with subielife...

Long term running 250-270 oil temps on these cars will cause premature failure of the engines. You ideally want to be running the cars at 215-220 even on track. I've been logging my oil temps in the 260-275 range and for me that is too high.

We are installing the 2015 WRX OEM cooler to see what kind of temp drops we can see with that and then will try a few OTS Coolers that are external to see what they do.

The higher grade your initial oil, the longer it will handle the high temps. So if you are using a high grade synthetic oil perhaps a 0-30 or 5-30 and change it often while tracking, then you may be able to get away with it for a while. For the cost of a cooler, it's not worth it IMO to not do it. Also cooler oil in the 215-220 range will yield 5-6whp compared to running the car at 260-275 range.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

How well does the car drive/deal with an oil cooler during the salt/winter months?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by cookiesowns

Heyo..

Just recently had a blast at SoW CW. After reading about oil cooling stories, now I'm slightly worried.

Only did 2 sessions with about 3 hot laps and 1 short cool lap each. I was short shifting at 6-6.5k for the long straights, and took everything in 3rd and 4th for the most part.

It was super hot out on Sunday though.. 105F+

Do you guys think I'm fine? I'll be doing an early oil change soon, and thinking about a UOA.

How do you guys log oil temps? Custom data logger? Does the OFT log oil temps?

We log using the AIM Solo DL. It'll log EVERYTHING you can read off of OBD2, and alsp work as a lap timer, and you'll be able to do full data analysis with the unit.

It'll even read pedal position, steering angle, wheel speed sensors, etc.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by AZP Installs

I will respectfully disagree with subielife...

Long term running 250-270 oil temps on these cars will cause premature failure of the engines. You ideally want to be running the cars at 215-220 even on track. I've been logging my oil temps in the 260-275 range and for me that is too high.

We are installing the 2015 WRX OEM cooler to see what kind of temp drops we can see with that and then will try a few OTS Coolers that are external to see what they do.

The higher grade your initial oil, the longer it will handle the high temps. So if you are using a high grade synthetic oil perhaps a 0-30 or 5-30 and change it often while tracking, then you may be able to get away with it for a while. For the cost of a cooler, it's not worth it IMO to not do it. Also cooler oil in the 215-220 range will yield 5-6whp compared to running the car at 260-275 range.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

I'll sort of agree. My Honda sees 270F oil temps regularly... but it's a Honda.

I totally agree that seeing 270F regularly on a Subaru motor will decrease the life of the engine dramatically.

[cookiesowns]

Thanks for the helpful insight.

I'm not pushing the car hard yet.. but I eventually will. I'll start looking into oil coolers and watching my oil temps closely with the OFT on harder driving sessions.

I'll also put the AiM SOLO DL on my wish list soon!

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by cookiesowns

Thanks for the helpful insight.

I'm not pushing the car hard yet.. but I eventually will. I'll start looking into oil coolers and watching my oil temps closely with the OFT on harder driving sessions.

I'll also put the AiM SOLO DL on my wish list soon!

I can give you an easier test to "simulate" hard driving. Go on the highway, and stay in 3rd gear. Vary your speed between 50-80mph (don't get pulled over or do anything illegal).

The point is to simulate the RPMs of hard driving, as RPMs are the primary influencer on oil temperatures. Watch how quickly and how high your oil temps get.

Alternatively, just sit on the highway at 70-75mph in 3rd gear for even just 60 seconds, and watch the temp.

[Boosted2.0]

So I was curious and I called Mobil to ask them about the 0W20 oil itself and what it likes for temperatures. Their tech guys said ideal operating temperature is down at 212F. It is TESTED to waaaaay above that (up to 500F) and will work fine at 300F, but the ideal being 212F does lend additional validity to the desirability of adding an oil cooler to the engine.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Boosted2.0

So I was curious and I called Mobil to ask them about the 0W20 oil itself and what it likes for temperatures. Their tech guys said ideal operating temperature is down at 212F. It is TESTED to waaaaay above that (up to 500F) and will work fine at 300F, but the ideal being 212F does lend additional validity to the desirability of adding an oil cooler to the engine.

Tested =/= recommended.

Sounds like they gave you a sales pitch, rather than data.

[stugray]

Originally Posted by Boosted2.0

So I was curious and I called Mobil to ask them about the 0W20 oil itself and what it likes for temperatures. Their tech guys said ideal operating temperature is down at 212F. It is TESTED to waaaaay above that (up to 500F) and will work fine at 300F, but the ideal being 212F does lend additional validity to the desirability of adding an oil cooler to the engine.

Two comments about this thread:
1 - Lower oil temperatures = Higher oil pressures
2 - You want your oil as cool as possible (to keep the pressures up), but no lower than 212 for extended periods to assure that water is boiled off.

Water vapor is a by-product of combustion, so it gets into the oil from the blowby.

So get an oil cooler, but get one that includes a thermostat.

[Maximal]

Quality oils will maintain their lubricating properties and enough viscosity to keep your pressure up at high temps but, like already mentioned, it's far from ideal. It varies depending on who you're talking to/application/oil but personally I start to worry if my oil temp (on any car) gets above the 260ish region. I also change my oil right after a track day, especially if I'm hitting temps like that.

With that said we have a new oil cooler kit that should help you guys out: http://store.maximalperformance.com/...i-1981916.aspx

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by Maximal

Quality oils will maintain their lubricating properties and enough viscosity to keep your pressure up at high temps but, like already mentioned, it's far from ideal. It varies depending on who you're talking to/application/oil but personally I start to worry if my oil temp (on any car) gets above the 260ish region. I also change my oil right after a track day, especially if I'm hitting temps like that.

With that said we have a new oil cooler kit that should help you guys out: http://store.maximalperformance.com/...i-1981916.aspx

If that is a 13 row it will be insufficient to cool down turbocharged applications on the track. Verified this with two different vehicles running 13 row setrab's this past track weekend.

[AZP Installs]

Originally Posted by Maximal

Quality oils will maintain their lubricating properties and enough viscosity to keep your pressure up at high temps but, like already mentioned, it's far from ideal. It varies depending on who you're talking to/application/oil but personally I start to worry if my oil temp (on any car) gets above the 260ish region. I also change my oil right after a track day, especially if I'm hitting temps like that.

With that said we have a new oil cooler kit that should help you guys out: http://store.maximalperformance.com/...i-1981916.aspx

What kind of track testing have you done on your kit? Please show us some hard numbers as there are lots and lots of kits on the market that have zero data to back them up... Additionally is the sandwich adapter thermostatically controlled or is it open flow all the time? Anyone driving a street car will want to have the thermostatically controlled version as you don't want cold oil running through your engine in the cooler times of the year.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Maximal

Quality oils will maintain their lubricating properties and enough viscosity to keep your pressure up at high temps but, like already mentioned, it's far from ideal. It varies depending on who you're talking to/application/oil but personally I start to worry if my oil temp (on any car) gets above the 260ish region. I also change my oil right after a track day, especially if I'm hitting temps like that.

With that said we have a new oil cooler kit that should help you guys out: http://store.maximalperformance.com/...i-1981916.aspx

Which Setrab core is used in your kit? Is that a thermostatic plate or just a sandwich plate?

[AZP Installs]

Originally Posted by Tt3Sheppard

How well does the car drive/deal with an oil cooler during the salt/winter months?

Salt should be fine. If you put in a thermostatically controlled Oil Cooler then you will not have issues of the oil being too cold.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

[Maximal]

We do use the 13 row 613 Setrab core and the thermostatic Mocal sandwich plate. We're working on getting track numbers. This is the combination that we thought would work best for the everyday/occasional track guys and were catering to the mass market more than the hardcore heavy track use guys. In hindsight this may have been the wrong thread to post this in considering. :p

With that said this kit uses high end components and should put a decent dent in the oil temps (track testing to come to back that up).

If one of you guys would like to work with us to develop a HD track-ready cooler I'm up for it and can give you guys everything for our cost in exchange for testing. Just let me know.