Optimal Oil Temperature

[Nick Chan]

Just been reading an interesting thread on Pistonheads about oil temperatures with an Elise but it obviously applies to any engine esp. K series for us. here

 

If I am reading it correctly, the point lower down the thread is that the optimal oil temperature is around 100 degrees and whilst most of us will put some miles and minutes on the engine before giving it the beans would we normally wait so long to get to it around 100 degrees?

 

The Blackbird had the Digi Dash with a digital oil temperature and used to run around 80 degrees and only went to 100 degree with some very decent blatting and then came back down IIRC. The R400 has a Stack dash again with a digital read out and I cannot recollect ever seeing the temp past 80 degrees and usually it runs much cooler than this. Likewise with cars with the Appollo tank and the secondary temp sender connected to the water gauge, I reckon most of the time its well under the 80 mark degrees mark. In fact if it ventured to the 100 level, I would be keeping a keen eye on it in case it was due to crank thrash (wet sump) buried itself in the red.

 

So, the question is what is the optimal temperature for oil and how long should you wait before giving it the beans assuming a normal summer's day (around 20 degrees, then 😬)

 

Nick

 

 

 

The BEC has gone - now onto an R400!!

 

Edited by - Nick Chan on 23 Sep 2007 08:45:27

[Paul McKenzie]

Nick,

 

here

 

Paul

[Richard Price]

More specificallyhere

 

[Tony C]

Depends where the temperature is sensed. The guys at Think Automotive recommend sensing the sump temperature - but other opinion differ - no surprise there then.

 

I've seen 100 mentioned before - in the context that this temperature gets the moisture out of the oil. Normal running on the road at operating temp I see 80, but on track it's gone as high as 115.

 

You don't want less than 80 nor more than 120 - I'd say

 

BRG Brooklands SV 😬 It seems that perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)