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Date:         Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:12:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Watching Oil Temp (long, as usual)
In-Reply-To:  <20110719112235.EXPB5.1119619.imail@eastrmwml46>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I believe that is why we use the multi-weight oils to handle the extremes.

Steven 91 Westy

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 8:22 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:

> Mr. Squirrel, I believe that you have a tencentlife oil cooler installed > as well. Is that correct? I would expect oil temperature to run closer to > coolant temperature with the external cooler than without, under load or at > high ambient temperatures. An engine oil temperature of 200 F seems > reasonable to me. I would expect that without the cooler, it might be > climbing to more like 220 or even higher. I assume you have the stock > thermostat, rather than a slightly cooler one. > > How does your oil pressure respond to the conditions you describe below? > That is, does the oil pressure drop when you put the extra load on and the > oil temperature increases above coolant temperature? If it drops, does it > drop to a level that would be undesirable? When you are at load, and drop > back to idle, what happens to oil pressure -- how low does it go? > > Thanks, mcneely > > ---- Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > > I just completed the wiring to my swell new gauge cluster: oil pressure, > > oil temp, ATF temp (okay, not yet hooked up), engine/cabin battery volts > > (they are on separate charging systems so being an electrical geek I > > like to be able to monitor them both), and tach). > > > > This will be the first time I've ever had a vehicle with an oil temp > > gauge! > > > > So I'm watching the gauge to learn how oil temp responds to driving > > conditions. Once the little thermostat thingy in the oil filter banjo > > adapter's bypass opens up and oil starts being sent to the heat > > exchanger, the gauge rises up to about 180-185F and pretty much stays > > there under light town driving. The coolant temp gauge in the van's > > instrument panel shows a steady temp, too. > > > > So last week I'm heading out of town on the highway, up a grade, into a > > headwind, and pushing pretty hard. Excited to be going on a camping trip > > to a new site. > > > > What I saw was that while coolant temp continued to stay constant, oil > > temp went up -- 195, 200F. The engine's working harder, okay. But here > > the coolant temp gauge says that the cooling system is keeping up with > > the demand while the oil temp says otherwise. > > > > Obviously, then, the senders for the two temp gauges are seeing things > > differently. > > > > So here's what I'm thinking, correct me if I'm wrong: > > > > Oil temp and coolant temp decouple under high engine demand, and that > > while the cooling system is capable of keeping the portions of the > > engine that the coolant is in intimate contact with cooled, the oil is > > in contact with portions of the engine that the coolant doesn't reach > > and which are close to the combustion action. > > > > So where is this? My first guess is the heads. The coolant surrounds the > > jugs, but not the heads, which are part of the combustion chamber and > > where oil flows over the hot valve stems. > > > > The oil temp gauge reports the temperature of hot oil returning from the > > heads mixed with general overall engine oil temp, so therefore it's not > > an accurate indication of peak oil temp. And that's why people install > > CHT gauges, to get a better picture of what's going on in the heads. > > > > This is my initial interpretation of what I'm seeing. > > > > -- > > Rocky J Squirrel (Jack Elliott) > > '84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") > > '74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) > > Bend, OR > > KG6RCR > > -- > David McNeely >


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