Thread: oil not heating up

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ok i already see a problem coming with your thermostat that can fix a lot of it... dont go with a "hotter" thermostat, they allow the engine to reach a hotter temp before opening, but give the water more time to cool down... if you goto a 170 thermostat, it will actually bring engine temp up a lil bit because it gives your coolant less time to cool down.... which will bring you closer to an optimal running temp.... the more stable a temp you can get the engine running at, the less wear your engine will take.... and generally depending on motors, optimal running temp is around 180-195 and even up to 230 on some newer cars....

he said..."I have a 180 thermostat in it but it was running a lot cooler than 180, more like 160 or so".

i dont know what the truth is , but going by what he says. he needs to fix his cooling problem first, with a good thermostat with at least 180 degrees temp. the oil temp. will take care of itself.

oops... sorry thinking backwards.... yeah... higher temp thermostat would be the way to go....been working too much and sleeping not enough

well thanks for all the input guys.

Next time I'm out I'll make sure to keep a closer eye on the water temp.

I won't worry so much about the oil temp I guess.

Originally posted by tcodi
well thanks for all the input guys.

Next time I'm out I'll make sure to keep a closer eye on the water temp.

I won't worry so much about the oil temp I guess.

Sounds like a plan. Get you water up to at least a study 180, and when you do crank your motor give the thermostat time enough to open and warm the block up. short trips and not letting a motor warm up is one of the worse things you can do to it.

What C9 said... I ran my 427 last night for 30 minutes parked in my 55 degree garage. The water temp was at 175 and the oil temp barely broke 150. If I had been out on the road with wind passing over the oil cooler and Aviaid pan the oil wouldn't have gotten to 140...

I liken this to "el nino"... Several years ago the US depolyed deep water sensors in the pacific ocean, shortly after that we began sensing surface tempature by satellite...

Suddenly climate change became an issue. There were "strange" changes in ocean tempeatures never before recorded. The truth is they have always happened, we just haven't been able to record it.

My oil temp seldom goes over 165 on a hot day in California, say 110 outside. Obviously if your sensor was someplace in the center of the oil unaffected by exterior temp. changes it would be more accurate but we live in the real world.