I don't think I've seen it over 180 - 200 F in temps below 75 F.

When it's closer to 90, absolutely, but rarely over 220.

By the way, by recommending against "beating on it", I'm talking sustained high load, like racing (i.e., keeping it at high RPM's) -- you can certainly get on it hard enough to drive normally before the oil is at optimal temps.

That said, you obviously won't break anything if you do race it before the oil is warmed up, but it will contribute to greater engine wear.

Also, I'd put the minimum temp more like 160 - 170F. Anything below is 160 is way too cold, while closer to 180 is better, and 190 to 210 is probably ideal.

well its about six thousand degrees here in guam every day of the year, even when its raining..... its just six thousand degrees and everythings wet. whenever normal commuting at the islands lame 35mph limit "or in my case 60 because i speed NORMAL" the car runs at about 210 to 220, or at least thats what the temp guage on the dash says. i thought it was established that the car goes into retard mode at 220? so why is it good to keep it in the 180-210 range? i dont understand the logic of keeping it so close to the red zone so to speak. wouldnt it depend on what type/viscosity oil your running? theres MASSIVE differences in W values, and in synthetics when even the slighest differences in temp are considered. Is my car running hot? i mean, normal city driving it sits at 210-215, cruising with no gas i can get it to lower, but against a headwind it will hover at 220 and stay there to keep a consistent speed over time.

I believe limp mode is 260*F +

has anyone managed to verify this yet? ive tried talking to my local nissan techs.... but unfortunately they seem to be suffering from the same side effects as the overheating cars....cough lol

seriously though, AK? Phelan? Socal? anyone? has anyone truely no **** actually tested this and have some sort of documentation or electronic/mechanical component that measures this? so far from what ive seen, its still kinda a "guess" as to the exact temp the motor goes into stupid mode to cool down.

Limp mode doesn't kick in until 280F, I've experienced it first hand. Engine RPM's held at 5000rpm max, basically feels like someone lowered the rev-limiter. There is a stage 2 limp mode at 300F where it will cut RPM's to 3500 and cut power as well, I've never hit this.

Prior to that if you're losing any power it is purely due to the engine pulling timing due to a hot (low density) intake charge.

I'm a little confused...if the oil temperature sensor is sensing the sump temperature a car with no oil cooler is obviously supplying close to the same temperature oil to the engine for lubrication. However, in the instance where an oil cooler is installed wouldn't the actual oil supply temperature to the engine be unknown without measuring it at the cooler outlet? It would seem to be logical that the desired temperature in the sump would be relative to the temperature drop across the oil cooler. Is the 180-220 that everyone recommends assuming some theoretical temperature drop across the cooler? If so, this would depend on cooler size, ambient temperature and engine loading. Wouldn't it be normal for oil temperature to read 20-40 degrees higher at the sump due to the effect of oil being heated up as it flows through the engine? It seems to me that the temperature of the oil being supplied to the engine should be the critical parameter or am I missing something? I guess the question I'd ask is what is the ideal supply temperature for oil supply/optimum lubrication/minimum wear? If the answer is in the neighborhood of 180 to 220, it appears to me that sump temperature of 180 opening the oil thermostat (assuming one is installed) will result in keeping the oil too cold during cooler weather and when driving like grandma. If the thermostat keeps the oil in the sump at 180 to 200 wouldn't that mean that the oil out of the cooler/supply to the engine would be significantly cooler and if so, is that acceptable? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something and have all the facts for sizing my cooler properly. Thanks!