Low oil temp question...

[Rick Lee]

Tonight I just couldn't stand it any longer, dug the P-car out of the snow and took her for a winter workout drive. I've got about 65 miles on my newly transplanted 3.2. When she was in the shop last week for suspension work, the guys said she idled fine and the temp gauge climbed. I noticed no movement in the gauge last week on the 25 mile drive home from the shop. I just took her out for about 45 min. on the hwy. tonight and the farthest it moved was to the top of the bottom white tic mark at 120 deg. I have the numerical temp gauge and I DID remember to transplant the sensor from my old engine into the new one. I know that after 30 min. of hwy driving she has to be at operating temp and it's pretty mild outside tonight - like in the 40's. I felt the oil filter and it was very hot. I also checked the oil level after about 10 min. and then after about 40 min. and it did rise significantly. I just have to take my car to redline every time I drive her, but this frozen temp gauge needle is really killing my buzz. How do I fix this? Also, I think I'm about .25 quart overfilled. Is this a big deal? In my old engine I knew that much oil would burn off getting to the end of my street. But the new engine is freshly rebuilt and I don't want to see any consumption. Is a turkey baster the best way to take some oil out without having to drain the tank? Thanks.

[Colby]

My first guess would be the factory thermostat is stuck open. This would allow oil to circulate through the fender cooler all the time thereby overcooling the oil and not allowing the temps to rise. The thermostat is supposed to bypass the cooler until the oil temp gets to a certain temp.

Colby

[Rick Lee]

Thanks. But why then is the oil filter so hot? And why did the temp gauge move for my mechanic? How does one test the thermostat, other than banging on it with a hammer?

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
Thanks. But why then is the oil filter so hot? And why did the temp gauge move for my mechanic? How does one test the thermostat, other than banging on it with a hammer?

the oil feed to the front should be cold at 120deg... and your oil psi should be a little higher at 120deg. than 220deg... a hot oil filter? how about a temp probe into the oil tank..

[VincentVega]

Richard, I feel your pain. If the oil lines running to the front feel warm I would let her rip. It's been so cold lately I cant see how our cars could heat up at all. Just give it a few minutes at <4k rpm and then go for it. You only live once!

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Chris Martin
It's been so cold lately I cant see how our cars could heat up at all.

you have a point/somewhat.. but 120deg is rediculus.. a carbed 911 at 120deg would probably need plugs every other month.. IMO, 160-170deg should be the minimum

[masraum]

My guess is it's the gauge/sender. If the filter was hot then the oil was hot and you'd see that in the gauge.

Something's not right, probably not the engine, but the gauge/sender/wires.

[Targa Dude]

Hi Rich, "How does one test the thermostat, other than banging on it with a hammer?" What I did I purchased a heat plate and I put a old sause pan on it, I filled it with oil heated it up with my thermostat and I monitored it with my fluke multimeter and a thermal couple. I watched it until it opened. if I remember right it should open at 190 Deg F.
I hope this helps..
Jorge (Targa Dude)

[RoninLB]

Hey Jorge.... the CMW valve cover info is in motion.. I gotta wait it out.........Ron

[Rick Lee]

Originally posted by Chris Martin
Richard, I feel your pain. If the oil lines running to the front feel warm I would let her rip. It's been so cold lately I cant see how our cars could heat up at all. Just give it a few minutes at <4k rpm and then go for it. You only live once!

I'm going to do this test in a few minutes. But if the lines are warm, doesn't that mean the thermostat is open, which means the oil is not getting hot enough?

And what about my .25 qt. overfill? Important?

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
I'm going to do this test in a few minutes. But if the lines are warm, doesn't that mean the thermostat is open, which means the oil is not getting hot enough?

And what about my .25 qt. overfill? Important?

1) correct

2) don't know about your engine, but on my stock air box is an oil discharge, for oil being thrown there from a higher than mid oil stick level oil fill.. the oil then dumps in the passenger side/eng cooler area.. then drips down to the heat exchangers/stock set up.. I installed a hose on the end of this oil dump plastic/easy to reach, and ran in down low enough to prevent stinky poo... anyway, I'd remove the extra oil

[Rick Lee]

OK, just got done driving her. I went about 20 min., stopped at an appt. for an hour, drove another 20 min., stopped at a gas station, felt the oil lines. Up front they were ice cold. Back just behind the thermostat they were piping hot. Temp gauge, again, has barely moved. I'm pretty sure she's hot enough to drive hard. Any differing opinions here?

BTW, I have a K&N cone filter, so I that overflow hose is disconnected. I think it's just laying there, perhaps spilling overflow onto the right side of the engine. I notice a little burning oil smell, since I have the heater on. But at least it's no longer that raw gas smell I had when she was running very rich. I put the window down at a red light and notice no strange smells like I had with my old engine.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
[B felt the oil lines. Up front they were ice cold. Back just behind the thermostat they were piping hot. Temp gauge, again, has barely moved. I'm pretty sure she's hot enough to drive hard. Any differing opinions here?

. [/B]

great update.. I don't think I'd be relaxed without a temp gauge.. kinda like sky diving without a parachute.. I'd want to fix it soon. it's an easy/clean job from here.. like you don't have to disable the car, and can go out to dinner an hour after clean up w/clean fingernails.. it's more brain than brawn. your car must be beautiful................. Ron

[Doug E]

"I put the window down at a red light and notice no strange smells like I had with my old engine."

LOL - glad to see you haven't blocked all the memories of your previous engine and that you still have your sense of humor Richard.

BTW, if you don't want to use a baster to drain the excess oil I've loosened the tank drain one or two turns and just let a little drip out into a can.

[cary]

Richard, I went to an A-X in Spokane in October. It's about 225 miles. Ambient air out side 35 degrees in the early am. Front cooler never opened. I was was running a constant 80 MPH. Temp gauge barley moved.

In the future in the fall I may block of part of the rear lid screen when I make a high speed long run. The 75 Turbo tail with A/C vent puts a lot of COLD fresh air in the engine compartment.

But my engine was cool to the touch. I don't remember touching the oil filter, just the FI intake body.

[88911coupe]

I have been dealing with the same thing here in Dallas for most of the winter. It can take forever to heat up. Bascially unless I am driving around for a good hour or so the guage won't get much beyond about halfway between the first two hash marks. Usually after about an hour though it will get close the the second mark (approx 200 degree mark)

[marcesq]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
OK, just got done driving her. I went about 20 min., stopped at an appt. for an hour, drove another 20 min., stopped at a gas station, felt the oil lines. Up front they were ice cold. Back just behind the thermostat they were piping hot. Temp gauge, again, has barely moved. I'm pretty sure she's hot enough to drive hard. Any differing opinions here?

Sounds like the external therostat is working.

Did they tell you how much the gauge moved.

Final test - let car idle for 20 min. The guage should get to 180+

[jester911]

Hey Richard,
I read in your first post that the 3.2 is freshly rebuilt. Don't you need a little break in time before taking it to the redline? Just an observation.

[marcesq]

Jerry:

Engine was broken in by PO, although I'm not sure if any engine is ready for Richard

[jester911]

Ok , just checking.
I would hate to hear about bad news after all the trouble of rebuilding