Yes, another oil temp thread...
 

Humor the newbie :stirthepot:

A few quick questions:

1. What average temps are people seeing ? A cursory read through says around 200-220*F with sprited non-track driving. That is NORMAL. In fact, no one should be romping on the car much below 160* F, and ideal temp is most likely right around 200* F even.

Unless you are regularly seeing over 250* for extended periods, especially with a good synthetic, I doubt it's a cause for concern.

Clearly guys who track it are having issues, but there's a big difference between even very spirited road driving and track driving.

I mention this, because I wonder if non-track drivers need a cooler, and are just driving around with overly-cold oil that never gets to a good temp for most of their driving. That will hurt far more than it will help.

2. Any differences in reported oil temp issues (legitimate or chicken-little) between 2009 and 2010?

3. Anyone noticed any connection between following proper break-in, buring oil and higher oil temps? Poorly seated rings may be consuming oil, increasing engine tempss, and carrying oil temps with it.

I chekced with a a friend who works at Toyota and is an engine builder (yes, not Nissan, but really, how different could their methods and procedures be?), and he advised I follow the wear-in procedure, contrary to some people's (apparently erroneous) belief that this is all done prior to assembly by the factory...


If these are all stupid questions that have been dealt with before, please either direct me to a specifc thread (I did read over a few of the long oiltemp threads already...) or just tell me politely to shut the hell up :tiphat:

Ibtl...

Hey, welcome to The370Z.

1. ANS: MY average (in summer time) normal driving about 220-225F. If A/C is on, it goes down to about 205-210 (215 maybe). If you're not attending HPDE (or similar track event), you don't need an oil cooler. After breaking in your car, get a good synthetic oil.

2. ANS: There shouldn't be any difference. It's the exact same car. 2010 gets heated side mirrors and cabin air filter - that's it!

3. ANS: With this question, you're opening a can of worms. I properly followed the break in procedure given by Nissan engineers. Currently I'm at 19,500 miles. I do not have excessive consumption or any other issues. But, there are members who left the dealership doing burnouts and their Z is fine as well. Very controversial subject. You probably just have to follow what you believe seems right.

Oil heating thread: http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...emp-issues.htm

Break in threads: http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...k-new-car.html

http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...ighlight=break

http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...ighlight=break

http://www.the370z.com/engine-drivet...ighlight=break

Thanks

That's the best response I have seen to a thread in my entire life.

Thank you for the detailed response -- I am a newbie here, so asking questions that have been already answered (even with searching, which I do make a point to do before posting...) is inevitable.

Thanks again -- I greatly appreciate it :tup:

Oh, don't know if anyone has considered incorporating one of these in their cooler set up, but I would recommend using an oil temp thermostat.

Looks like a few dynos on here suggest optimal power around 195* F, so I'd spring for the custom set one, set it for that (or 200* even -- 180* is a bit cool IMO) and then you are set for all driving conditions :D

BAT, Inc. - MOCAL Oil Coolers

Will probably do this for peace of mind at some point -- ensures you never run too hot or too cold ;)

Kannibul is that you?

Hmm. I see there is a thread on overcooling too :facepalm: ... I'll try the custom temp range before I worry about building a shroud you have to install/remove periodically...

I averaged 240-245 when I had my PG Demo.
Mods where : F.I. Exhaust , Stillen Gen 3 Intake, and Berk HFC's. I did the proper break in to the tee.

I hit 260+ on the dragon a couple times!

:bowrofl::roflpuke2::bowrofl:

Last summer while my car was a newb, I was getting routinely in the 230s during street driving. It would creep up to 240 if I sat in traffic for an hour. I was especially annoyed at how retarded the engine timing felt as the temps went higher and higher. Perhaps that was just general heat soak though...

On my track days, she'll climb to 260 and I have to back off. It doesn't ruin the day, but it's annoying to see the needle keep going up, up, up. Also, I've been limited to early and late season events as I know that a July/August track day will lead to oil-boiling temps.

So, I'm going to install a cooler with a 200F thermostat shortly.

That link above has prices for a custom set oil cooler thermometer -- I think 200 to 205 would be ideal, especially if the typical 180* ones are overcooling in the winter.

Anyone know what the 350z run stock for oil temp? I am curious

mines usually stays between 180-240 depending on how I drive.

last I checked coolers from GTM and stillen come with thermostatic plates. However, it looks like while the plate doesn't fully open until 180+ it never fully closes either. I think I read on here that it closes up to about 90%. I recently installed the GTM 25 row oil cooler and yes I will say that it is probably way to big for New York fall and winters. I bought it because I didn't want to have an insufficient cooler for when I went to the track, the HD just wasn't big enough.

Before the cooler I saw the temp up to 250ish when I really got on it. Most of the time a little bit of spirited driving had me sitting between 220-240+ all day and that really pissed me off.

Get a cooler, the Z needs one, the size of the cooler will depend on your intended use of the car. I'm sure eventually either GTM or a fellow member can construct a shroud for you.

BTW: what temperature is considered overcooling?

Below 160* or 170* is way too cold to be romping on it hard -- insufficient lubrication, although it's probably less of an issue with a good synthetic, which may have a wider heat range, hot and cold. I'd say 180* is the bare minimum and 200* is probably ideal.

Anything north of 250* for extended periods is iffy, but a good synthetic will still provide protection, for short bursts anyway, well over that.

Looks like a lot of folks on here like redline -- I'll probably go for that.

I've seen those inline thermostats and stayed away. If you order through racerpartswholesale.com you can have them special order the Mocal Sandwich adapter with a 200F thermostat built in rather than the 180F thermostat which they have in stock. If you do an inline thermostat like in that link, you just add four more points for potential leakage or hose blowout in your system.

I've been very happy with my Redline oil. Ever since the car has been over 3,000mi and on Redline, my temps have been better than my first summer with the car using NEO. I would routinely hit 240F in traffic last summer. Today I was testing it and only got to 225F sitting in traffic in 80F weather. That being said, a cooler is still mandatory for track days, hence my decision to install one now.

Hmm -- yikes! Thanks for the tip! When I get around to this, I'll go for the sandwich adapter you recommended :tup:

Hey how does this "rep" thing work? I owe ya point for the good advice :D

Nevermind -- figured it out... poor slow newbie :icon17:

One guy went into limp mode, he hit over 260.

That is a bit on the hot side. Anything over 250* isn't generally good... Does the limp mode self-clear or require an ECU reset?

Thanks for the rep :).

Limp mode self-clears when the temps drop. It may require an engine on/off cycle but there is no need for a code reader.

I'm putting in the cooler because I swear the engine loses power when the temps go over 230F.

Is their a relationship between needing a new short block and my high oil temps often 240+with low ambient temp. 258* was max when I put it into my own induced limp mode and dropped the revs down to 2500.
I am hoping I will not need oil an cooler after new short block. Keep hope alive.

first the too are not related, and If you are going to be doing some spirited driving?
It's highly recommended.

Meaning you just had a new short block installed and the oil temps are high?

That makes me wonder if you have a poor cooling... like maybe they resused the old head gasket when the engine was assembled.

Does the oil look milky? Any evidence of low coolant?

Sorry. I have just been prescribed a short block arriving next week. The coolant has remained at proper level. The oil looks milk free.

I just got back from 1600km long distance travel and during the whole time I was monitoring my oil temp... It always stayed below 210F even with more than occasional spirited driving :)

Break-in was done properly and synthetic oil thereafter. (mobile 1)

So oil temps are high but you don't have the new block installed.

Sounds to me like they figure something is amiss with the pistons and rings, so yeah, trashed shortblocks are potentially related to higher oil temps.

I'm not exactly sure why tho'... WarmAndSCSI, or someone else with lots of engine building experieicne, may be able to elucidate...

I hate you.... Mine is almost always above 230 :ugh2:

Reading all the oil cooler threads now...

It's not a break-in or oil type issue. More important to report would be your ambient temps, cruising speed and RPM, altitude, and A/C on or off.

Before my oil cooler, I could easily highway drive in the Midwest with temps at 210F even on an 80F day. But then immediately stop in traffic and that illusion quickly disappeared as airflow into the engine compartment became stagnant.

It's not a break-in or oil type issue. More important to report would be your ambient temps, cruising speed and RPM, altitude, and A/C on or off. You live in Canada!

Before my oil cooler, I could easily highway drive in the Midwest with temps at 210F even on an 80F day. But then immediately stop in traffic and that illusion quickly disappeared as airflow into the engine compartment became stagnant.

Your next 80+F day, go drive around for a while to get the oil up to temp. Then do some hard pulls up to 5-6k and then stop dead in traffic. Do some stop and go for 10 minutes with a few revs to 4k in between (stop light to stop light). To exaggerate things, keep your AC off too (the compressor turns on an auxiliary fan that drops oil temps about 10-15F). See where those oil temps end up.

Mine was pegging 270 at the track with a cooler. As soon as I pulled off, I was back down to 190.

95 degrees in Omaha the last two days (installed my Stillen 19 row Saturday) and I have yet to see above 205...and believe me I tried. Before hand it was 225-230 just normal driving in 75-85 degree heat, and in similar heat as the last couple of days it easily would have been pushing into 240+

On a few occasions mine pegged 220F on 85F weather!!! This is 20min drive home from work on the freeway. Then on other days where it's over 95F on the same drive, I barely hit 210F. It's weird. My driving style is the same which is pretty conservative (23.7 MPG). What's also weird is with the hot temps 50% throttle in 1st and 2nd feels like 6th. Car won't budge.