Oil Temperature Question

[JIMOCO]

It has always been my understanding that the engine oil temperature should be about 20 hotter than the coolant temperature. I have had my engine running for better than an hour reaching 180 degree coolant operating temp and there is no movement in the oil temp reading. I have tested the sensor using boiling water and the gauge with an assortment of tests and everything is working properly. Dipped in boiling water the gauge read 200 degrees. I have a 7 quart front sump oil pan in a 347 stroker. No oil cooler. I have even tried running the car to operating temp and then shutting it off so that I know the sensor is below the oil level in the pan. I tuned the car on without statrting it and there is still no reading on the gauge. Has anyone experienced a situation where the oil temp is consistently below 140 degrees?

[Gumball]

I have the Smiths gauges in my car, so my oil temp is a mechanical unit. The capillary bulb is in the rear of the "T" wing of my seven quart Canton oil pan. I have a cooler, but it is not even connected - just there to fill the hole in the chin area and for future use if I ever want / need it. My engine runs at 195 F - 90 C without much variance, but the oil temp does vary quite a bit. Usually it is somewhere around 70 C, but it can be high as 90 C and as low as 60 C - depending on weather, traffic, speed, and rpm.

Because of this, I will never hook up my oil cooler on the street - I now consider it a track-only part.

[Boydster]

Getting the oil temp up requires some driving around (maybe even spirited driving) & putting some load on the engine. Race cars need oil coolers due to really high engine loads over long periods of time. Street cars very rarely NEED an oil cooler. Especially big V8's in lightweight little cars.

[Jeff Kleiner]

If all you are doing is idling and easy cruising you won't see much more than 140. Oil temp is mostly affected by RPMs. Go twist it's tail and it will come up. I can bring mine from 140 to 200 or higher with just a couple of 50 second autocross runs at 5,500+ RPM.

Jeff

[JIMOCO]

Thanks guys. It is good to know that I am not crazy and there is nothing wrong with my gauges and installation.

[Bob Cowan]

Well, no one ever said you weren't crazy. ;)