Valvoline 40wt Temp
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How hot can I safely run Valvoline 40wt? I don't have an oil cooler on my SBC and I'm seeing 260 degrees max oil temp. Water temp is 160.
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I freshened my engines last winter and broke them in with Val 40 weight. Use to only see 190 degrees with Mobile 1 and saw 220 with the 40 weight.
I was told that 240 was as high as you ever wanted to see.
Hope this helps.
I was told that 240 was as high as you ever wanted to see.
Hope this helps.
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260 is getting up there. But if that's a wot number thats ok. if thats a cruise number then its too hot.
ideal temp is around 220 at cruise or a little better. When oil gets above 270 your definatly too hot and around 300 you start to burn it up.
DAVE
ideal temp is around 220 at cruise or a little better. When oil gets above 270 your definatly too hot and around 300 you start to burn it up.
DAVE
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It surprises me how much variance in engine oil temps we are seeing many times in the same stock engines in various stories that have come forth over the last year.
I am beginning to wonder why this is the case and wonder if part of it is sensor placement or bad sensors? There should be more consistency of engine oil temps in similiar engines.
It is important in so far as the water cools the upper part of the engine and cylinder jackets etc...but the oil cools the bearings...once the bearing temps get too hot the engine usually heads toward the shop in a hurry.
Any answers are appreciated because I don't have the answer to all this variance.
I am beginning to wonder why this is the case and wonder if part of it is sensor placement or bad sensors? There should be more consistency of engine oil temps in similiar engines.
It is important in so far as the water cools the upper part of the engine and cylinder jackets etc...but the oil cools the bearings...once the bearing temps get too hot the engine usually heads toward the shop in a hurry.
Any answers are appreciated because I don't have the answer to all this variance.
Last edited by Hydrocruiser; 10-31-2005 at 07:47 PM.
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Hey, Wette. No, I didn't install an oil cooler, yet. But, I think I should. It was a crazy summer with little time for projects. 83 flat was my best speed.
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Originally Posted by Hydrocruiser
It surprises me how much variance in engine oil temps we are seeing many times in the same stock engines in various stories that have come forth over the last year.
I am beginning to wonder why this is the case and wonder if part of it is sensor placement or bad sensors? There should be more consistency of engine oil temps in similiar engines.
It is important in so far as the water cools the upper part of the engine and cylinder jackets etc...but the oil cools the bearings...once the bearing temps get too hot the engine usually heads toward the shop in a hurry.
Any answers are appreciated because I don't have the answer to all this variance.
I am beginning to wonder why this is the case and wonder if part of it is sensor placement or bad sensors? There should be more consistency of engine oil temps in similiar engines.
It is important in so far as the water cools the upper part of the engine and cylinder jackets etc...but the oil cools the bearings...once the bearing temps get too hot the engine usually heads toward the shop in a hurry.
Any answers are appreciated because I don't have the answer to all this variance.
The water cools your block, heads,exhaust and exhaust valves which keeps the internals in a balance but that's as far as it goes.
Your oil temp comes solely from load on the engine. When the oil cools the back side of the piston and cylinder wall,the scraper ring pushes all that hot oil back to the pan, it drains from the heads and over the cam, the lifters sliding up and down in their bore...etc, you get the idea.
Because of that fact, variance is probably in driving habits, and as you said, sender placement and span ranges.
DAVE
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260 degrees is not too high. Oil blenders test oil for viscosity at 210. 50 degrees above test temp is nothing. As I stated on another thread I personally have seen oil hot enough to bury a temp gauge that went to 345 F. Oil must be hot, first to cook off condensation, and second, some additives in oil are temp sensitive. if the oil isn't getting hot enough some additive packages won't work as they were designed to. If you are running at WOT and the temp is under 300 , your're fine. If you are running over 300 you may need to run a small cooler, but don't overcool. Now in regards to different oils running "cooler". You will have to agree that changing oil does not change you carb or FI settings, nor does it change your engine timing or boost or anything that could change combustion temps. So it could be safe to say that baring any changes in the aforementioned componets your engines combustion temps are pretty consistent for a given RPM. One of the duties that an engine oil must perform is to remove combustion heat from the internal engine parts and transfer that heat to the sump. So if your engine combustion temp stays at a given temp (realitive to RPM) and your sump temps decrease after changing to a different oil (synthetic or petroleum) the combustion heat isn't being transfered to the oil. The majority of this extra heat is going out the exhaust and the balance is being transfered to the surrounding metal, valves, piston crowns, etc. So even though you oil temp is less your internal engine componets could be running hotter. If you would like to discuss further ..call 1-800-243-8645, 7:30-3:30 M-F. Thanks, Ken