Is my oil cooler overkill for the street?

bmarcinczyk14

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.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

__________________
'10 370z -- '09 Ducati 848 -- '05 Kawasaki 636 Track Bike -- '02 Sentra SE-R Spec V

phunk

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

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.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

Chuck33079

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.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

SouthArk370Z

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.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

phunk

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

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.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

phunk

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

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

__________________
Quaife w/ gears |Stillen Gen 3|SOLD FI Resonated Test Pipes |SOLD FI 18'' | 25row Stillen Race | Progress 35mm/25mm sways | Swifts/Koni|Volk G25's| Stoptech SS lines||SPL Front/Rear Arms|

luigi90210

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
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?

__________________
SOLD 370z
New Car:classified
DD:2011 Mini Cooper S stock

luigi90210

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

__________________
SOLD 370z
New Car:classified
DD:2011 Mini Cooper S stock

Chuck33079

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.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

luigi90210

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

__________________
SOLD 370z
New Car:classified
DD:2011 Mini Cooper S stock

critical

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

__________________
Quaife w/ gears |Stillen Gen 3|SOLD FI Resonated Test Pipes |SOLD FI 18'' | 25row Stillen Race | Progress 35mm/25mm sways | Swifts/Koni|Volk G25's| Stoptech SS lines||SPL Front/Rear Arms|

bmarcinczyk14

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?

__________________
'10 370z -- '09 Ducati 848 -- '05 Kawasaki 636 Track Bike -- '02 Sentra SE-R Spec V