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-   -   Is my oil cooler overkill for the street? (http://www.the370z.com/engine-drivetrain/75877-my-oil-cooler-overkill-street.html)

bmarcinczyk14 08-28-2013 03:27 PM

So the vast majority of cars dont even have oil temp gauges, if going high revs in a car below 180 degrees oil temp is so detrimental to a engine, woulnt you think more cars would have oil temp gauges? Most people romp on their cars w/o having a clue what their oil temp is simply because they dont have gauges. I've always based when i should start beating on the car by its water temp, the z is the first car ive had with a oil temp gauge, and im pretty sure the main reason they put one in it is because they decided to skimp on a oil cooler.

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phunk 08-28-2013 03:33 PM

I agree. I mean really, whos engines are wearing out bearings etc, or anything related to oil type/temp/ etc?

Nobody. I see engines that blow up on people from bad tuning, too much power for their components, blown headgaskets, or incorrect assembly.

But I NEVER see anyone whos engines just "wore out" early cause they used crappy oil, or didnt let their oil get to 180 degrees before racing.

SouthArk370Z 08-28-2013 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phunk (Post 2465232)
ya thats what im saying.. so if the thermostat isnt fully closed then its not 100% bypassing. but at temp, it better not bypass at all or i wouldnt want it.

Even when the valve is completely open, you will not get 100% flow through the cooler unless there is a second valve to close off the internal passage in the adapter. The resistance to flow of the cooler piping and coil will force some of the oil through the "cold passage" of the adapter unless that passage is blocked.

Chuck33079 08-28-2013 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phunk (Post 2465269)
I agree. I mean really, whos engines are wearing out bearings etc, or anything related to oil type/temp/ etc?

Nobody. I see engines that blow up on people from bad tuning, too much power for their components, blown headgaskets, or incorrect assembly.

But I NEVER see anyone whos engines just "wore out" early cause they used crappy oil, or didnt let their oil get to 180 degrees before racing.

I completely agree with this, I just let everything warm up fully out of habit and OCD. All it means to me is I don't put my foot in it until I get to the freeway on my morning commute.

SouthArk370Z 08-28-2013 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmarcinczyk14 (Post 2465263)
So the vast majority of cars dont even have oil temp gauges, if going high revs in a car below 180 degrees oil temp is so detrimental to a engine, woulnt you think more cars would have oil temp gauges? Most people romp on their cars w/o having a clue what their oil temp is simply because they dont have gauges. I've always based when i should start beating on the car by its water temp, the z is the first car ive had with a oil temp gauge, and im pretty sure the main reason they put one in it is because they decided to skimp on a oil cooler.

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Oil temp gauge is not really needed for a DD. Other params will usually be out of whack if the oil temp is high. It is nice to have in a sports car where the driver is at least mildly interested in keeping everything running as it should. I haven't seen many track cars w/o it.

The oil temp is only used as an indirect indicator that the engine block and bearings are up to normal operating temp. It is a MUCH better indicator than water temp but not perfect.

You are not going to do that much damage if you romp on it hard at 140 or so, but it will take some life off the engine. But then, WOT at normal temp will shave a bit off, too. If you torque the engine much below that temp, bearing clearances may not be correct and the oil may be too thin. (Edit: "thin" should be "thick") If you do it with a cold engine, you run the risk (small nowadays) of bearing damage.

Yes, you can push the engine before it gets up to temp, but I advise that you only do that when necessary. Run the hell out of it but don't abuse it.

phunk 08-28-2013 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z (Post 2465276)
Even when the valve is completely open, you will not get 100% flow through the cooler unless there is a second valve to close off the internal passage in the adapter. The resistance to flow of the cooler piping and coil will force some of the oil through the "cold passage" of the adapter unless that passage is blocked.

maybe, maybe not. depends on the internal design, and i havent looked at one in years.

it wouldnt take a second valve. its a single 1 way valve, and it will close or open as much as it was built to. I am pretty sure they will go full flow through the oil cooler, but will not bypass it 100%. But nobody can argue this without having one in their hand.

They advertise that it "regulates oil flow to the cooler until 180 degrees" which would imply that it would only allow bypass until operating temp. This sounds correct to me. The 1 way valve is closed at 180+ for full flow to the cooler, and opens to allows a pressure leak around the cooler below 180. To allow the valve to be open at all once operating temp is achieved would be a very significant engineering flaw and I cannot imagine they would either bother producing it like that... nobody wants to bypass their oil cooler once operating temp is reached.

SouthArk370Z 08-28-2013 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phunk (Post 2465303)
maybe, maybe not. depends on the internal design, and i havent looked at one in years. ...

Apparently I don't understand how the bypass works. All industrial systems I've worked on would open the valve going to the cooler when temp rose and there would still be some flow through the bypass unit. What you are describing has the cooler lines open all the time and the bypass closing the "main" galley to force oil through the cooler. If you are right about that, then you are right about the rest.

phunk 08-28-2013 05:22 PM

I am pretty sure that's how it works! Of course, since its thermostatic, it should in theory be opening/closing as required to "regulate" oil temperature at 180 degrees, at least to the best of the oil cooler's ability. I just do believe, or want to believe, that it is capable of completely closing the bypass. Next time I change my oil, perhaps I will pop it off and have a look-see.

critical 08-28-2013 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z (Post 2465295)
Oil temp gauge is not really needed for a DD. Other params will usually be out of whack if the oil temp is high. It is nice to have in a sports car where the driver is at least mildly interested in keeping everything running as it should. I haven't seen many track cars w/o it.

The oil temp is only used as an indirect indicator that the engine block and bearings are up to normal operating temp. It is a MUCH better indicator than water temp but not perfect.

You are not going to do that much damage if you romp on it hard at 140 or so, but it will take some life off the engine. But then, WOT at normal temp will shave a bit off, too. If you torque the engine much below that temp, bearing clearances may not be correct and the oil may be too thin. If you do it with a cold engine, you run the risk (small nowadays) of bearing damage.

Yes, you can push the engine before it gets up to temp, but I advise that you only do that when necessary. Run the hell out of it but don't abuse it.

viscosity is higher at 140 than 180 so it being thinner couldn't be a reason for bearing damage. ???

luigi90210 08-28-2013 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1st (Post 2463241)
Well its true what they say. You learn something new every day. :tup: Is that what people recommend 180 before getting on it? And when I say get on it I’m not saying red line, tach flashing. Just a decent higher rpm.

i usually wait for oil temps to be at least 160F so it is at operating temps before i start pounding on it
check your oil though and see what the operating temps are and just wait till you're past that temp
Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079 (Post 2463252)
I don't go over ~3k rpm until oil temp is over 180.

what oil do you run?
afaik M1 0w40 operating temp is 160F, is it bad to pound on a car with oil that just got up to temp?

luigi90210 08-28-2013 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by critical (Post 2465397)
viscosity is higher at 140 than 180 so it being thinner couldn't be a reason for bearing damage. ???

its the exact opposite, because oil is thicker cold, it can starve the engine when cold because the oil is thicker and doesnt flow as well as a thinner oil

Chuck33079 08-28-2013 08:09 PM

I'm running redline 5w-30. You're right on the viscosity. It's thicker at lower temps. Maybe not as much with a 0 weight, but still thicker than when it's warm. Oil pressure will be a lot higher, but flow will be lower.

180 degrees is when I feel comfortable romping on it. That's out of habit and OCD. If Phunk feels comfortable getting on it at 140-160, then its ok.

luigi90210 08-28-2013 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079 (Post 2465558)
I'm running redline 5w-30. You're right on the viscosity. It's thicker at lower temps. Maybe not as much with a 0 weight, but still thicker than when it's warm. Oil pressure will be a lot higher, but flow will be lower.

180 degrees is when I feel comfortable romping on it. That's out of habit and OCD. If Phunk feels comfortable getting on it at 140-160, then its ok.

yep, trade off with running a 0 weight oil is that you will burn some of it(more than you would burn a 5 weight oil at least) when it is cold(or so i have been told)

either way gunning your car when it is cold is just a bad idea

critical 08-28-2013 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigi90210 (Post 2465470)
its the exact opposite, because oil is thicker cold, it can starve the engine when cold because the oil is thicker and doesnt flow as well as a thinner oil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079 (Post 2465558)
I'm running redline 5w-30. You're right on the viscosity. It's thicker at lower temps. Maybe not as much with a 0 weight, but still thicker than when it's warm. Oil pressure will be a lot higher, but flow will be lower.

180 degrees is when I feel comfortable romping on it. That's out of habit and OCD. If Phunk feels comfortable getting on it at 140-160, then its ok.

lol thicker as in has a higher viscosity. you didn't read what i said i guess.

bmarcinczyk14 08-28-2013 09:39 PM

i'm running mobil 1 0w-40. the thermostatic plate on my z1 kit is rated at 169 degrees by the way. maybe thats a little too early for street driving?


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