Engine oil wont warm up
 

Its starting to get cold here in NZ..

My Z has stillen oil cooler kit, and the oil temp wont go higher than 80deg (176f), cruise in high gear drops it to below 75deg (167f), almost hits the minimum on the stock gauge lol

I guess I gotta make a cover for the oil cooler

How about installing a thermostatic bypass plate?

Just use a piece of cardboard.

Stillen kit has one.


OP, the oil is about 20 degrees warmer than what the gauge reads when you have an oil cooler, don't worry too much.

If you're still worried, use/search for "block off plate"

i remember reading a post earlier saying the same thing somewhere, saying the reading of the stock gauge is the 'inlet' oil temperature, which is the cooled oil.

That sounds good to me but if that was true then the temperature should raise to 90deg+(194f+) quite quickly when the car is stationary and not getting the air flow through the cooler?

I am in Melbourne and we are having some chilly weather @ present. Freeway driving at 6am on the way to work sees oil temps @ 80-82 degrees and as soon as I am off the fwy, it goes up to 88-90 driving towards the CBD and stop/start in the CBD will get to 95 (I have a 19-row oil cooler) over the course of a few minutes.

I've never bothered with an oil thermostat, but have in the past covered half the oil cooler with some alfoil when we've had a sustained cold spell (does not happen all that often).

Depending on whether you are North or South Island, I'd expect yours to be similar, maybe a bit worse if you are in Wellington and possibly another 5 degrees down if you are bottom half of the South Island.

Worst case, get an oil thermostat fitted, cheap fix is alfoil/cardboard cover.

I'm not understanding the question...?

I THINK this is the answer... The thermostatic plate is set to 180f
When cold, about 10-20% of the oil will run through the oil cooler, and 180f is 100% of the oil passes through the cooler.
So from cold to 180f the thermostatic plate allows from 10-20% oil pass through to 100%



I hope that made sense

BGTV8 - I have 25row core, and already have thermostat, how much of oil is bypassed at what temperature a mystery. I am guessing rather small amount. I am in Auckland, but last night was 7deg here in Auckland and that made the needle to almost stick at 70degC.. haha.

DEpointfive0 - My question is, if the reading is 20degF lower after a cooler is fitted, wouldn't that mean the cooler is cooling the oil by 20degF? In that case, by the time the car comes to a stop the temperature reading should raise pretty quickly but this is not the case, it would still sit at around 80degC (176F) and not go up from there.



I wonder if my thermostatic sandwich is doing much good, I did not have a thermostat in my previous 350Z and had similar issue although it was still running hotter. Maybe the 25row setrab core is doing much better cooling and i should be just thankful for that? lol

I'm gonna try covering it with a cardboard and see what kind of difference it will make.

I'd almost suspect that the thermo-switch is stuck open, or bypassing too much oil thru the cooler. !!!

Most thermo-switches will let "a bit" of oil thru so the cooler "warms up" because you do not want "cold" oil coming back into the engine when the thermo-switch actually opens. If it is letting "too much" bypass thru the cooler, it is not performing to spec ...

I can see why you are confused !!

I suggest you try the cardboard or alfoil cover and see how it goes. With a 25 row cooler, cover 2/3rd of the cooler as a start ...

I tested the thermostat before fitting by dipping it into a hot water and it did work as it should. I am guessing that the hole for the bypass isn't big enough or something.

alfoil is a great idea thanks, i will try that :D