Engine Oil Temps after Oil Cooler
 

I just recently installed the JR NA oil cooler and am seeing some pretty low temps when driving on the freeway. tonight, I was at around 165F-170F when driving on the freeway with around 65F ambient temp. normal street driving I get about 185F-190F with some straight back to back pulls bringing it up to about 195F before cooling down right away. I am using a 5w-30 amsoil oil.

the freeway temps seem pretty alarming to me, and I really don't have a way to avoid it since I have to commute once a week for about 2 hours roundtrip.

I mainly bought the oil cooler since I was seeing oil temps of around 240F at the track without the oil cooler and around the same with my "OEM" style oil cooler. granted, it is still not that warm out here yet but the heat wave is coming soon (tomorrow is going to be 88, then 90+ the rest of the week) so I am not really worried yet. I guess I'll just be doing some more pulls to warm my oil temps up to get rid of moisture every now and then.

I was just wondering, are those freeway temperatures normal? it seems pretty cool to me while the street temps seem fine. I am waiting until my next track day to figure out my track oil temps and whether or not I really want to keep my oil cooler past summer. I guess I just can't get a good mix of both worlds for normal oil temperatures with both freeway and city use.

Totally normal.

Use 0W20.

yeah, that was what I was planning. kind of sucks though since I just changed the oil with the cooler install lol :( but what is $50 for a good healthy engine

EDIT: what I am curious about is whether or not the 165F oil temperature has a drastic effect on premature engine wear considering the oil isn't up to proper temp (was it 212?). obviously, I know that our engines are not race engines with tight clearances but would it still be detrimental? the engine is seeing a load of about 3.5k RPM at 80 MPH for prolonged periods of time (1 hr). maybe I am just too much of a worrywart lol

You're worrying too much about it; that's not too low ;)

I know the diesel truck guys here in Idaho and Wyoming put cardboard over the radiator when it gets crazy cold outside.

But like csg Mike said 165 isn't that low. He'd probably know better at which Temps might cause a problem.

I'm also at the same temps.

Honestly, as long as you give the oil the ability to burn off moisture, it will be fine.

For daily driving, consider fabricating a block-off plate if you want to spend all day not worrying about temperatures.

-alex

Yeah with the thermostat in mine I sit about about there so I actually remove the thermostat all together and the oil stabilizes at 190F or the same as my water temperature till it hammer on it then it rises to around 212F range and with a little normal driving it slowly comes back down. Its a good balance for DD

I push the f**k out of my car this past weekend, atleast 15 mins straight above 4.5k rpm, obviously shifting back and forth between 2nd-5th, but the whole time, above 4.5k, although ambient temp was 75 degrees, max oil temp was 212 degrees and stayed right there, also recovers very quick once I drop it in 6th and coast for a bit. No oil cooler, just a koyorad. But even when I was in Cali last year in the summer time, never had a problem with oil temps. I think a radiator is a better budget purchase before and oil cooler. Just my 2 cents. Unless it's dedicated racecar, I think a radiator is more essential. Also running 5w-30 by the way

I'm not saying you're wrong, but this isn't my experience. On track my coolant temp is fine with the stock radiator and oil temps are 220ish with an oil cooler. I suspect other's experiences mirrors my own.

Try this.

Sit in 3rd gear on the highway, and watch your oil temps. You might shock yourself.

what about stop and go traffic? I find my oil cooler much more useful there :lol:

I understand that, but viewing the situation as a DD. With 5w-30 I see no problems. I know the oil temp will spike sitting in 3rd gear, but the faster you go, eventually you will shift into the next gear, the rpms drop and more air is moving across the radiator which is cooling the coolant even more at faster speeds, which is cooling the block, and also helping the oil temps. No where near as much as an oil cooler would obviously. also having a radiator twice as thick helps bc more fluid that gets cooled before returning back to the block.

I'm in socal, same situation as you. been running my oil cooler for over a year now with 5w-30. I get the same temps as you until i'm in stop and go traffic on my way home, especially in the morning when the air is cool. haven't had any problems. it used to worry me too but i haven't seen anything weird on UOAs.... if those actually mean anything haha.