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Oil Temperature

Geico266

Geico266

Well Known Member
I installed a Van's oil cooler shutter due to low oil temps (140'sF) in the winter. Now that summer is here the oil temps run 205F with the shutter wide open, and it's only 80F OAT. That seems a tade warm. What is normal oil temps? I always thought 240F was red line and 180F was the optimum temp. When it is 100F the oil temp might be aproaching redline.

Any thoughts? Am I over thinking this?
 
Geico266 said:
I installed a Van's oil cooler shutter due to low oil temps (140'sF) in the winter. Now that summer is here the oil temps run 205F with the shutter wide open, and it's only 80F OAT. That seems a tade warm. What is normal oil temps? I always thought 240F was red line and 180F was the optimum temp. When it is 100F the oil temp might be aproaching redline.

Any thoughts? Am I over thinking this?
Click to expand...

What are the CHT's corresponding to this oil temp? If your engine is running a bunch more horsepower than the cowl/cooling was designed for, it would be expected that the temps would be high, wouldn't it? Extra horsepower only increases airspeed by a cube root of the ratio of powers, while the increased cooling needs would prefer a linear increase in the cooling airflow (airspeed).
 
Mel said:
180-200F is what I like to see. Maybe 210 on climb out.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. 200F has always been my limit for oil. I may have to rethink the shutter thing.
 
Oil Shutter

I have the same Vans shutter installed and never had a problem last summer. I'm running an O-360 in a 7A, 74'" prop, last weekend it was 70 degrees and the shutter was completely closed,(forget to open it, 2 weeks ago it was 35 degrees in good old Michigan) it never got over 205 degrees. After landing I opened it 1/3 and had 180 on the flight back. My cable handle is mounted just inside the oil door.

Gary
N715AB
 
I have an RV7a with a Superior XP360 and a FP prop. The oil temp won't go above about 170 or 180 in high cruise here in Florida even on the hottest days. I am relocating to NJ and am concerned that I won't be able to get the oil temp up high enough, so am considering getting the Van's shutter and intalling it on the back of the cooler, since this is the easiest method.

Any idea what kind of oil temps I might expect to see flyiing in 32F air with the shutter closed? Will it block enough or should I just get a blocking plate for the winter?
 
Oil cooler size?

Which oil cooler are you using? I installed the "better" one(can't recall, wouldhave to look at the documents) and have never been over 192F even on hot, high days in norhtern Nevada. Also running an O-360.

Do you have a bead of high-temp RTV around the periphery of the cooler/baffle junction to prevent air leaking around?
 
Geico266 said:
I installed a Van's oil cooler shutter due to low oil temps (140'sF) in the winter. Now that summer is here the oil temps run 205F with the shutter wide open, and it's only 80F OAT. That seems a tade warm. What is normal oil temps? I always thought 240F was red line and 180F was the optimum temp. When it is 100F the oil temp might be aproaching redline.

Any thoughts? Am I over thinking this?
Click to expand...

Is the shutter mounted on the front or back of the oil cooler? I am told it makes a big difference. Regardless, if you isolate the oil cooler from the baffle, I used silicone baffle material kind of like a gasket between the cooler and the baffle, it will lower those temps. Heat gets tranmitted from the baffle to the cooler mechanicaly. This insulates it. (or so I am told as I never tried it both ways.)
 
Geico266 said:
CHT's are 310F max, cruise around 290F.
Click to expand...

Wow. 290 in cruise means you have lots of opportunity to rob Peter(cylinders) to pay Paul(oil). Id try some speed tape, or alum cowl tape, and begin blocking off some of those fins to divert some air to the oil cooler. This is a cheap easy way to begin to get some more air from the cylinders to the oil cooler.

Best,
 
Just an FYI..

I used to think my oil temp was always too cool until I removed the Van's gauge and installed an EI gauge, now temps are what I expected to see all along (avg 180-200). The van's gauge always ran about 20d cooler :cool:
 
redbeardmark said:
Which oil cooler are you using? I installed the "better" one(can't recall, wouldhave to look at the documents) and have never been over 192F even on hot, high days in norhtern Nevada. Also running an O-360.

Do you have a bead of high-temp RTV around the periphery of the cooler/baffle junction to prevent air leaking around?
Click to expand...

I don't think I have RTV around the cooler baffle junction. I have the 7 tube oil cooler II that comes with the FF Kit. I was planning to put the shutters on the rear of the oil cooler, just wondering if this will raise the temp enough in cold weather.
 
Walt said:
I used to think my oil temp was always too cool until I removed the Van's gauge and installed an EI gauge, now temps are what I expected to see all along (avg 180-200). The van's gauge always ran about 20d cooler :cool:
Click to expand...

I'm thinking I need to calibrate my oil temp gauge too.
 
Oil temp reading low...

I don't think it was as much the calibration of the gauge as it is the design of the sensor/adapter. If you look at the sensor when it's installed in the adapter the adapter almost totally encapsulates the temp probe, very little oil is actually able to pass the probe itself.
 
Walt said:
I used to think my oil temp was always too cool until I removed the Van's gauge and installed an EI gauge, now temps are what I expected to see all along (avg 180-200). The van's gauge always ran about 20d cooler :cool:
Click to expand...

What is "EI gauge"? I am thinking about changing out my vans gauge and am not familiar with all that is available. Regards, Allan
 
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