if i was into drag racing, i would just pee onto the oil cooler fins since most of the heat comes from heat soaking. a litle yellow coolant cant hurt

We have had over 35 consecutive days of 100+ temperatures in Texas (record is 42 set in 1980) and my 370z is a DD and I have never seen my temps over 240 even with spirited driving thrown in the mix. My temps usually hover around 220 in this god awful heat so, some of you guys must be pushing your car pretty hard on the streets if you are reaching 240+ in 80-90 degree temperatures. Anyway, from what I experience everyday I wouldn't think an oil cooler is necessary unless it is a dedicated track car or you have money to blow.

Side note: I am begging for 80-90 degrees here, at night(9pm-12am) our temps range from 95-100 STILL!)

It's all about how much time you spend in the upper half of the revs at relatively low speeds. Even at mostly 1/2 throttle or less, just high revs and less airflow will kick up the oil temp pretty quickly on a hot day. Most practical street driving doesn't sustain 4K+ RPM very often though :)

Yeah the only time I've seen my oil temps get high was cruising at very light throttle on a long highway trip, and I accidentally didn't have it in 6th. Had my stereo on and stock exhaust(way too damn quiet, can't hear what motor is doing) so I didn't notice it for a while.

I have a major beef with the logic of "You should have used the search function!!!!" I don't know how many times I have been searching for an answer to something on google and I get pointed toward a forum thread where the OP asks essentially the same question(s) I have. And instead of receiving information, usually that person will get berated and mocked by everyone on the forum for asking such a dumb/common/simple/unpopular/whatever question and that person will be told to use the search feature. The problem I have with this is that I got to this page in the first place by searching for my problem! Do you people not realize that this thread is now going to show up in future searches for oil coolers and oil temp issues? You might as well stop berating the OP and just start talking about useful stuff that people might actually be able to use in the future. It looks like this thread has taken a turn toward the 'useful' direction but I'm speaking generally. There is very little resource used for these threads so just make the best of it and stop making someone feel bad for asking questions, and keep in mind that future searchers will be seeing what we're talking about right now.

/end mini-rant.

My avg oil temps have gone up around 10 degrees on the street since installing my FI LTHs. It's because I love the sound of the exhaust at slightly higher revs than I used to cruise at, so now I'm always down a gear from where I should be just to listen :)

Please dont mention Z 0 6 again or ImportConvert will show up

:stirthepot:

After all the arguing back and forth on this topic I've decided it's best to just cover up the damn guage and move on with life. I bet you'll never feel a difference, no matter how you drive. (Not including the track, of course.)

Try it. It's nice not glancing at it every minute, wondering if it's too high. Seriously, count how many times you check that guage on a short drive. It's almost become an OCD part of my scan.

+1

hasn't SAM@GTM already confirmed that IGN timing gets pulled as per the IAT from MAF.

Look at this post http://www.the370z.com/forced-induct...ml#post1128697.

ECU will pull timing as the engine gets hotter and heating up the intake. Thermal insulation in the form of wrapping or better yet ceramic coating should help. Oil cooler should help as well.

I think everyone knows ECU will pull timing based on IAT, but I am saying ECU doesn't pull timing based on oil temp directly (I don't think personally anyway unless someone can prove me wrong).

Isn't the engine that gets the oil temps up and heatsoaks everything around it including MAF which monitors IAT?

As per the service manual of the g37, these input parameters control the IGN timing

- Crankshaft position sensor (POS)
- Camshaft position sensor (PHASE)
- Mass air flow sensor
- Engine coolant temperature sensor
- Throttle position sensor
- Accelerator pedal position sensor
- Park/neutral position (PNP) switch
- Battery
- Knock sensor
- Unified meter and A/C amp

Agree, but that is an indirect effect, not direct. Unless you are sitted and parked, you shouldn't be soaking it anyway.

I'll try to log these temps next time I'm out for spirited driving. But have noticed that the gen 3 tubing does get really hot that's even not bearable to touch after aggressive driving.

If you have Gen 3 tubing insulating it is a must for aggressive driving. The all metal tubing heat soaks very badly compared to the insulating effect of the stock plastic.

You can see my cheap/ghetto Gen3 heat shielding post here: http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...html#post76374, using DEI cool tape and some lace-up intake wrap that's basically fiberglass w/ an aluminum lining. Or you can go pro and wrap it all in gold foil or something :)

I did the same thing but skipped the laces because they were a pain. Zip ties and foil tape FTW.

did some logging with Cipher and this is the last log in my spirited driving.

Don't see any relation with any of the temps with IGN timing. Maybe there is a relation between a/f ratio and timing. But check out VVEL timing and MAF values.

Were you in closed or open loop? I don't know if the car reads anything else when you are in closed loop other than A/F.

Best way to manage concerns about high oil temps is to put a piece of duct tape over the oil temperature gauge.

Just did that!No more staring at the Temp Gauge.

My buddy just installed my stillen 19row oil cooler and said it doesn't go above 180. That is in normal driving no hard driving yet, I will test that out when I get home.

I have the Stillen 19-row too, with a thermo plate. It's still possible to get just under 240 on an SCCA course, and I've seen as high as 210-220-ish in very aggressive street conditions. In both cases we're talking about in extreme Texas summer heat though. I'll be out at MSR tomorrow for their Red Meat and Race Fuel thing on a real road course, I'm sure it will be enlightening. I expect I'll be able to reach 260 if I try. If that's the case, I'll probably invest in a bigger cooler install sometime this winter, for next summer. Not enough track opportunities left in this year's heat to bother really.

I *really* hope that AM Performance does some kind of consumer release of their oil:water cooling solution, that would be even better than a larger Setrab.

Hey now this Thermo plate you are talking about mind sending me a pm on that? Not sure what that is and what it is for if I need it or not.

From Z1's Web Site:
You may choose between the Standard Non-Thermostatic Mocal Sandwich Plate adapter and a Thermostatic model. It is highly recommended that a Thermostatic sandwich plate adapter be purchased when installing an oil cooler onto a street driven 370Z. As important as it is to keep high oil temperatures under control, it is just as important to maintain the proper temperature to ensure the highest possible lubrication.
Z1 Motorsports 370Z Oil Cooler Kit

Basically, the Thermostatic Plate Adapter allows you to use a thermostat to bypass the oil cooler in winter months on the street so that your oil can heat up to the proper operating temperature.

Hmm so 180 is too low? Will the thermostatic adapter work with my stillen oil cooler?

180 - 200F is optimal i would say. Think of the thermostatic as an air conditioner for your oil, only kicks on when it reaches a certain temp...

Yeah 180+ is fine on temps. The thermo plate helps mostly with two things: street driving in cooler weather, and warmup times. Without a thermo, it takes significantly longer to bring the oil up to temp from overnight cold, and highway drives in cool weather can suck oil temps down to 160 or lower (probably much lower, if you live in a state that has a real winter).

Another alternative is to velcro a block-off plate over the cooler in cold weather conditions on the street.

Where do you guys get your info?


I wouldn't be comfortable seeing 180 as my cruising temp. Anything under 190 at cruising speeds is a problem.

My buddy who installed my oil cooler, I asked him this and he said 180 is good.

Well for that matter, 180 is what the standard Mocal thermo plate centers on, so that's what it will tend to stabilize on unless there's enough heat or cooling to push you away from that (with our cars, there's often enough heat to be considerably higher).

can the ecm be reprogram to raise the limp home mode temp, so that it can reduce engine horse power at a higher temp

Call me old school (or just old), but I was always told that unless oil temperatures periodically exceeded 212 degrees (F), water inside the engine from sources such as condensation would fail to evaporate, and ultimately cause problems. So, I always smile when I see 215 degrees on my oil temperature gauge. :-)

Here's a little article about what sludge is, and how sludge forms in an engine, sometimes as a result of failure of the oil to ever exceed 212 degrees:

Sludge in gasoline engines is usually black emulsion of water and other combustion by-products, and oil formed primarily during low-temperature engine operation. Sludge is typically soft, but can polymerize to very hard substance. It plugs oil lines and screens, and accelerates wear of engine parts. Sludge deposits can be controlled with a dispersant additive that keeps the sludge constituents finely suspended in the oil.
"Black Sludge" is defined as thick to solid material with low water content, of dark color, light oil insolubles, and typically found in rocker cover, cylinder head, timing chain cover, oil sump, oil pump screen, and oil rings in variable quantities.
Sludge in diesel engines, is soot combined with other combustion by-products which can thicken the oil to gel like sludge. This sludge is typically soft, but can also polymerize to very hard substance. It plugs oil filters, oil lines and screens, and accelerates wear of engine parts.

What causes "sludge"?
Sludge formation is the result of one or more of these factors:
- severe service driving with improper drain intervals

- mechanical malfunctions

- inadequate engine maintenance


Severe Service Driving:
The term “severe service” refers to:


1.) Short Trips - Engine Coolant and Engine Oil never reach the "normal" operating temperatures (170º F to 190º F for coolant and over 212º F for motor oil)
2.) Stop & Go Driving

 - Slow driving speeds and long idling periods lead to high under hood temperatures due to limited air flow
- The "average" miles per hour run time is low and engines accumulate many engine run hours for the relatively low number of miles driven, thus typically exceeding the safe number of hours for which particular motor oil was designed to operate ( Typically service life of premium motor oils is not more than 212 hours )

3.) Extended Idling

- sitting in traffic

- delivery truck operation
- The "average" miles per hour run time is low and engines accumulate many engine run hours for the relatively low number of miles driven, thus typically exceeding the safe number of hours for which particular motor oil was designed to operate ( Typically service life of premium motor oils is not more than 212 hours )

4.) High temperature operation
- driving at high ambient temperatures
- towing
- driving at maximum engine power output (high speeds or up hill)


5.) Extreme Cold
- starting engine below 0º F
- Engine Coolant and Engine Oil never reach "normal" operating temperatures 
 (170º F to 190º F for coolant and over 212º F for motor oil)

6.) Heavy Loads

 - operating in hilly regions

 - trailer Towing
- oxidation rate of conventional motor oils doubles for every increase of 15º F to 18º F, therefore motor oil that is fine for thoushands of miles at "normal" operating temperature can fail in just few hours if it is overheated to over 300 F.

Hitting195 or so is usually sufficient to boil the water out, since the water is usually hitting 212 at that point... It's lubrication is also better there-- usually ideal from 200-235 or so.

Yeah the water thing is definitely real. Especially with the oil I use (Motul), failing to boil the water out of the oil regularly is bad. But I hit 220 pretty regularly in the summer, just not always on long smooth highway cruises.

I run motul as well but are you with a oil cooler? I am thinking about going back to Pennzoil platinum since I saw this thread :-\

I use Motul's 300V racing oil, and it's known to be more hygroscopic (water-attracting/trapping) than most consumer oils, as well as low on detergents. It does need to be regularly heated to keep from building up moisture, which will make the oil acidic. In general it's probably really not a good oil to use for normal long change intervals (months), or a car that does short cold trips and/or sits idle for days, or gets parked outside in cold weather (condensation). It's also kind of expensive.

All those negatives aside, it's a very high quality oil, and it's manageable if you're willing to get the oil over the 212 mark regularly, garage the car, and change at 3K like clockwork (or shorter if you're not putting on many miles per week, or the oil gets abused by track conditions).

Right now since their isn't any hard driving on my car should I be worried? Right now I have Redline in my vehicle. My concern is this, I am currently overseas at the moment and once a week my girlfriend starts the car up let's it sit for about 15 mins then takes it for a short spin then parks it. Right now the only reason she is driving it more often is to break the clutch in but she says she hasn't seen it go above 180 yet. Suggestions?

When i drag race the Z .my car make the most power when the oil is betwenn 175 and 180. .It usually hit 196 at the end of the 1/4 mile run , and i have no oil cooler.
I tried a few runs at 194 and the oil hit up to 216 at the end of the run. The car is way quiker at 175 oil temp (80 c).
I use royal purple 5 W 30 race oil.

Z