SC oil temperature

[hook682]

Hi Everyone, How hot should the reading on the oil temperature gauge be typically on a hot sunny day in the 90's? Out for a 1/2 hour drive in some stop and go traffic I was becoming concerned with the slow creep towards the red zone. Here is a picture at the end of my jaunt. Where is your readings on a similar day? Thanks

[Starless]

The markings on my Sc are different than yours. I have a black box outlined by a white line at the bottom. But mine never goes past the 9 o'clock position. Hell, it's barely gets out of the black box on hot days. Yours may be running hot and mine may be running cool. Somebody with more knowledge (and that would be just about anybody on here) I'm sure will chime in with an answer.

[kyngfish]

Depends on what you mean by stop and go traffic. My car runs great in south Florida. On days when it's 80 or 90, normal driving with a few stop lights barely takes it past the first hash in 45 minutes of driving. I have the normal Carrera cooler with no fan.

What you're showing there happens to me on 95+ degree days when I'm in some bumper to bumper traffic for extended periods. Like 20 minutes or more of creeper gear speeds.

Smarter guys can chime in here but I believe your gauge should be just a little above that first hash on summer days in normal driving. If you're pretty steady there then what you're looking at has more to do with stop and go traffic. If you're getting those temps while moving through traffic at a normal to moderate pace, meaning every few minutes or so you're cruising at 35 mph or higher. Then I would start troubleshooting flow to the front cooler.

[shadowjack1]

Just so you know. If you look under lip on the left hand side of the gauge, you can see the temp in degrees F. It's hard to see, you have to get your head at a very steep angle behind the wheel.

[mark waller]

I live in Southern California and my 83 SC runs around there on a hot day or slow driving. I did add a brass 28 row cooler instead of the trombone stock cooler. Usual driving it sits in the middle of the gauge to up to where your picture shows.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by hook682

Hi Everyone, How hot should the reading on the oil temperature gauge be typically on a hot sunny day in the 90's? Out for a 1/2 hour drive in some stop and go traffic I was becoming concerned with the slow creep towards the red zone. Here is a picture at the end of my jaunt. Where is your readings on a similar day? Thanks

You have a 'B' gauge face showing just under 250F, IMO uncomfortably hot


The faces can be changed to the numeric type by N Hollywood or other similar outfits

[hook682]

bump

[hook682]

Thanks Mark Waller mine's an 83 as well

[uwanna]

Originally Posted by shadowjack1

Just so you know. If you look under lip on the left hand side of the gauge, you can see the temp in degrees F. It's hard to see, you have to get your head at a very steep angle behind the wheel.

Actually, the numbers shown there are degrees Centigrade. BIG difference.

[shadowjack1]

Originally Posted by uwanna

Actually, the numbers shown there are degrees Centigrade. BIG difference.

Uwanna:
You are right, sorry I just forgot.

[Tremelune]

The two ticks in the "B" gauge go from 194°F to 248°F. 180-210°F is your happy place.

The perfect running temp

Elephant Racing | Tech Topic | Oil Temperature and Engine Life



It's worth noting that Elephant makes good money selling oil coolers, but they are also a group that knows what they're talking about. Some engine sections are hotter than others...some gauges are more accurate than others, it's good to boil water off at 212°F, etc...

If it were me, I'd first make sure my thermostat was working well, and then install a Carrera oil cooler with a fan...Or just make sure I don't go near traffic on a hot day. All that said, your motor won't explode from driving while a bit hot. Sometimes it can't be avoided.

[86 911 Targa]

Our '86 runs at 180-210.

We installed a 210F oil cooler fan thermostat.

210F-Fan on.

195F-Fan off.

On highway drives to Palm Springs @ 100F our oil temp will activate the fan
keeping the oil at 210-220F.

Factory recommendations on 3.2 oil temps is 180F-210F.

210F to boil off any moisture in the oil.

We use Mobil 1 15-50.

Good luck,

Gerry

[dhanl82]

Here in Tampa Florida it gets very hot! When I first got my 1982 SC the temp was about where yours shows on hot days. I replaced the trombone cooler with a Carrera cooler and a fan. This brought the temps down to just a bit above the first mark under the same outside air temps - perhaps 20 - 25 degrees.

[hook682]

Thanks guys

[evan9eleven]

Originally Posted by Bill Verburg

You have a 'B' gauge face showing just under 250F, IMO uncomfortably hot


The faces can be changed to the numeric type by N Hollywood or other similar outfits

I have a style C gauge in my '81. Needle moves max 3 - 4mm from dead cold to fully hot, I've never seen it go any higher then even with the top edge of the black box. Kinda useless. Is this normal for this version of the gauge?

[Tremelune]

That seems normal—the working range of that gauge is near-useless.

I don't think you can just change the gauge, though—you have to change the sender in tandem or the reading will be inaccurate.

[evan9eleven]

Originally Posted by Tremelune

That seems normal—the working range of that gauge is near-useless.

I don't think you can just change the gauge, though—you have to change the sender in tandem or the reading will be inaccurate.

Good to know that its normal anyway. The range of movement is so bad that the PO didn't even know that the sender was shot when he sold me the car. When I re-do my gauges next winter I'll get it recalibrated and replace the sender (again.)

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Starless

The markings on my Sc are different than yours. I have a black box outlined by a white line at the bottom. But mine never goes past the 9 o'clock position. Hell, it's barely gets out of the black box on hot days.

+1 Just above the box when 'hot". I have a Turbotrol (sp?) oil cooler, though. I can push it to just under 9:00 is I beat on it.

Hook, What do you have in the passenger front corner? Did the factory still stick with the trombone through 83?

[hook682]

Bump

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Tremelune

That seems normal—the working range of that gauge is near-useless.

I don't think you can just change the gauge, though—you have to change the sender in tandem or the reading will be inaccurate.

The gauge faces can be changed as long as you stay w/ the same style
A => A
B => B
C => C

The sender needs to match the gauge style, whatever face in on it