Thanks all, for the input. I've been running BP 20-50 oil. Before tearing into the engine, I verified the temp gauge and sender in hot oil and a real thermometer. So, yes, temps are approaching 250 on a hot day on the highway! I checked the hard oil lines tonight, and the lower one has an indent, like from a lift pad, right behind the front wheel well, but it's not crushed by any means. just compressed a little. The trombone gets hot, so oil is going there. I will confirm again soon. I noticed a few different choices for front fender real coolers from Pelican, or elephant racing, or mocal, so I think I'll be putting one in soon. :)

What I did to lower temps
 

1. Get the Oil cooler for the front right fender,
2. Some people use other brands but I use the LUCAS oil treatment..1 for every 4 quarts. this will lower the temps and treat your engine right.
3. Check out this thread and my post for the other necessary oil system mod, this will do great things for your pressure and foaming...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-engine-rebuilding-forum/309123-oil-spewing-oil-tank-breather.html
4. Clean your motor, top and bottom....remove the alternator and clean out all the gunk and dirt from the top of the motor. All of this dirt and grease traps heat.
5. Clean your oil tank, you would be surprised how much dirt and junk surround your oil tank and keep heat in.
6. get rid of the heat reactors and go with the SSI setup for the exhaust. The cooling fan helps cool the headers and cuts down on radiant heat.
7. I got the "HEAT SHEETS" for the valve covers and they look nice, and they say they work, but I cant offer any real proof.

Going through the same thing right now. I have my engine torn down and I still have not found a smoking gun. My sc was running at 250f on a not so warm day. I had a lot of small items that were troublesome but nothing obvious. At this time I'm doing a top end refresh. Machine shop found the exhaust guides were badly worn that could be a issue along with the rest of the little things.

Chuck,

On the BMW sender; did you just pick one spade for the ground and use the other for the factory sender wire? Thanks

I noticed that my car didn't cool as well when the trombone cooler was covered in road crap/grime. I clean mine with a little steel wool (superfine) now and then. That seems to help. I also have the air scoop for mine. The only time I've had issues with it getting past the 9'oclock is in stop and go traffic on VERY hot days. I can't imagine stop and go in 100 degree weather not hitting 9'oclock or more with a trombone cooler.

The fan should help. But ultimately a carrera cooler upgrade would be ideal. Although I'm sure the fan is probably more than plentiful (and a big cost difference). The trombone cooler isn't totally useless, there's just not a ton of air moving past it, so any extra amount helps. Keeping it clean also maximizes how well that effect even works.

Yes, one to end to ground and the other to the factory relay that I installed. I made my own wiring harness based on a schematic somewhere on this site. The sensor just completes the circuit when it get's hot enough and activates the relay.

Thanks,

Chuck

Thanks!

Last summer my newly acquired SC was running in the 240F range in mid 90F heat here in Mississippi.
Having all the classic signs of living in "Mouseville", I was determined to use a shop vac and decreasing diameter lengths of hose small enough to sneak past the fan and on top of the engine to remove the obvious bits of debris I could visually see, including but not limited to pieces of pecan shell, but it wasn't until we pulled the engine out for a top end build that I was really able to address the problem. <- end of run on sentence.
That being said, I'm more than certain you can remove the right hand upper valve cover and address any debris/mouse nest that may be atop your oil cooler. In my case there was a nest and the fins of the cooler extremely impacted with tiny bits of pecan shell. We couldn't use a dental pick to remove the bits, didn't want to use compressed air and bend things, anything liquid such as water was going to swell the bits up.....the successful method wound up being to actually drop the inverted oil cooler on the garage floor from a height of a mere inch or so in order to knock the trash out.
Drove my car today, only about 78F ambient but had a hard time managing to get to 190F, bone stock with the trombone.

This thread got me thinking...and so has my car since it's finally sorted and I have time to pay attention to how its driving instead of awaiting the next issue.

My '78 SC runs as pictured, took this after 20 minutes of driving, couple red-line shifts but mostly hanging around 2500-3500rpm. Car has completely stock trombone but I've added the air scoop. Its 75-80F here today.

I can't find the degree numbers mentioned, the picture is normal operating. It will go up another needle width if stop-go or I'm really thrashing it.

Is this normal for my set-up:confused:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1368216630.jpg

Inside the bezel on the left side are temp numbers in centigrade. Put your head close to the steering wheel turn eyes left.....small and a stoopid place to put them....but they are there.

Damn it Joe Bob.... In Deg. C...I can't do dem kakerlashuns

Thanks;)

Write a letter to Ferd IV.....see where it gets ya....

Here ya go, sweetums....:rolleyes:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1080755488.jpg

Where do you get one of those oil filter covers....?

Dude......that's a cool collar....where ya been? ;)

So my piece is running 240-260F...

Think its time for a Mocal fender cooler set-up kids SmileWavy

That gauge is from a later SC. 78 and 79 have a different gauge and sending unit (sensor).

911 OIL TEMPERATURE/PRESSURE MODULE OVERLAYS

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1368224276.jpg

Yours might be the first one in that pic but I'm not 100% certain. You'd have to look for the tiny numbers.

Unless you want to go out and buy one....I can send you an IR temp gun....point click, temp.....send it back when you are done.....

I truly appreciate the offer but I think an oil cooler "mod" is in order.

It's a longevity and preventative kind of upgrade...which I am all for.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat3.gif

This is what's in my '78SC. Those #s are really in there. There is a center line @ 9 O'Clock.

Top of bottom hollow white box looks to be 60C and the beginning of the red is 150C