Oil getting hot

[Cobrasrfun]

I have a MK3 with a 351W stroked to a 408. Has an oil cooler that fits perfect in the front fascia. My problem is when I'm cruising slowly the oil temp starts climbing. Has anyone put in a fan setup or possibly a bigger oil cooler. I found a fan setup for a Harley that looks like it will fit but I am hoping for a better idea. Thanks

[Scud67]

You do not mention what temp it gets to.... very important.

[edwardb]

Also, what's your engine temp compared to the oil temp? Actual numbers. Normally, the oil will be similar to or slightly lower than engine temp at cruise. When you start working the engine harder, the oil temp will go up. You shouldn't have to do anything special to control oil temp for your setup. Many of us don't run oil coolers and have no issues.

[CraigS]

It would also be helpful to know the location of the oil temp sensor.

[tirod]

Coolant temps can run up to 240 with no boiling under a 16 pound cap- 190 to 210 is normal. Oil runs up to 260 before it begins to suffer, 280 for synthetics. Competition coolers are nice to have if you are pushing the motor to redline in every gear for hours at a time. The daily driver running on public roads doesn't throw off enough heat to warrant them.

220 to 240 oil temps with spirited driving is normal and does no damage. Cruising with oil temps under 140 is something else - it's not warm enough to do the job and causes issues with viscosities being too high for the oil pump and bearings to properly lubricate. That is the cause of the mythical "Don't run a cold engine hard or you break a connecting rod." The oil doesn't get into the bearing clearance and it seizes snapping the rod.

The myth of running an engine colder is based on poor combustion chamber design causing preignition and knock in high compression race motors. It's been a problem since forever and it's also relative to it being run as hard as it can be. It's another "race car" modification that causes more trouble on the street than fixes anything.

Hence, many don't run coolers on the street roadsters, or use a thermostatic valve to control it - which introduces another failure point in the system . . .

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Our two DD both with factory oil coolers & oil temperature gauges run 240* all day long in all ambient temperatures. Temp is controlled by a thermostat. Push the car up a twisting road & a hot day can get up to 255* or so then quickly drop back down when back to a normal pace. On a hot track day 270* will cause the computer to go into limp mode cutting out the turbo chargers.

Any thing around the boiling point of water is good to burn off contaminates. To cool is as bad as too hot