Oil temperature gauge

[wilf]

Good idea - if you fit an oil cooler, than an oil 'stat is a must.

Oil that is too cold is as bad as too hot.

[marshman]

Oil temp is a useful parameter to know, especially on a vehicle that has known issues regarding head gaskets etc., as knowing the oil is up to temp before using the upper ranges of the rev range is a good thing. Water temp isn't a good indicator of an engines readiness to be "used hard".

Also, if a car is to be used for extended periods of high speed travelling, again an oil temp gauge is a good thing to have, as it is a better indicator of marginal cooling (and impending breakdown) than the coolant temp. Yes, oil plays a far larger part in the cooling of engines than most folk realise.

I agree with everything you say there wilf and with most other comments - especially regarding people who are in the "ignorance is bliss" category and don't service their cars, check their tyre pressures and regard the MoT as all maintenance that is required. BUT to my mind the only ones that really understand what an oil temp gauge is telling them are the ones that don't need one anyway as they have a degree of mechanical sympathy and understanding.

Having said all that when I had a Standard 8 as a daily car in the 1980's I did fit the following gauges - 'cos I was young and thought they looked good!:

Rev Counter
Ammeter
Voltmeter
Oil Pressure
Vacuum
Temperature
Clock

Never really used any of them (except the vacuum gauge when servicing it) as there were always tell tale signs of any variation from normal - hot smelling engine, wisps of steam, smell of hot antifreeze, screaming from the engine and rattling as valves started to bounce 'cos the revs were too high, distinct knocking under acceleration 'cos the big ends had gone again (low oil pressure!), dim head lights at night when the dynamo couldn't keep up with demand etc...

Most modern cars do monitor everything and put you into limp mode as soon as anything goes outside normal limits - so that deals with everyone except us strange people who like cars and want to be in control of what we do with them.

Roger

[SaskStag]

My son had a lesson on the important cooling properties of oil. He drives a normally very reliable '92 Honda Accord (been in the family years) and was told he had to check the engine oil regularly.
One evening, he told me his car had over-heated and he needed more coolant. I looked for the reason - oil below the empty mark.

This all happened at -25oC!

Tanya

[mjheathcote]

I tapped a second hole into the oil transfer housing and fitted an oil temperature sensor.
What it has told me, is that the oil stays well within temperature most of the time.
The only time it has really shot up is prolonged high speed motorway driving in high summer.
In that instance if I was running mineral oil it would have degraded badly, but okay with me running synthetic engine oil.
i don't see high enough regular temperatures to warrant an oil cooler.
in fact a oil/water cooler would be a good idea, to help warm up the oil quicker!

[marshman]

in fact a oil/water cooler would be a good idea, to help warm up the oil quicker!

Not sure that would necessarily help. My Turbo Diesel 110 has one fitted as standard. The oil passes through the end of the water radiator, however there is a thermostatic valve in the oil pipe. I assume this only allows the oil to flow to the radiator when it is hot enough - the oil that is and not the water!. The temp gauge takes about 5 miles to get to "normal". At that point I assume the radiator is still quite cold as the thermostat will only just have opened. So without the 'stat in the oil line the water in the radiator may well cool the oil initially keeping it cold for longer. As I said in my first post - probably not worth worrying about. Get an engine pre-heater if you are really concerned about engine wear on a cold engine.

Roger

[V Mad]

This car is the first I have had with an oil pressure gauge (doesnt have oil temperature gauge though). I am currently running the engine in, so max 3000rpm, and up to half throttle. No long runs yet. To allow bearing surfaces to bed in I am using a cheap mineral 20W50 oil, and will soon change to a good quality oil. One thing the gauge has shown me is how much the pressure can drop when warm. When I change to the quality oil soon I expect to see much less of the drop in pressure.