What Should My Oil Temperature Be?

[coolvette]

OK, I feel a little embarassed to ask this question because I am an experienced mechanic but the other day, I was driving on the highway and decided to scroll through the "gauges" button on the DIC. When I got to the OIL TEMP. it read like 223 degrees. The week before, I had a little problem with a LOW OIL message and figure that the engine is just consuming a little bit more oil than normal because of recent mods that I have done but haven't taken it for a tune yet. Of course I serviced the oil back up and I am watching it for abnormal consumption. My only engine mods are: ARH longtube headers w/cats, Vararam VR-B2 ram air intake and Corsa X-Treme axle back muffler system but no tune yet. I am of course getting a check engine light all the time (P0420) because the aft O2 sensors don't like the new A/F ratio. 223 degrees seems a little high to me so I started looking in the GM service manual for some kind of published number. I even looked in the owners manual but there is no such number given for a general operating range for oil temperature. I feel a little dumb here because it's something that we never really worry about and I have kind of "brain dumped" on what a normal oil temperature should be. Am I just worrying too much? Help me out here........

[wb6hro]

Oil temps from 180 to 240 on a C5 is normal operating range.

I was running my C5 Z06 on the track and oil temp was getting up to 300, so I put a Ron Davis radiator with a water to oil cooler in it. Temps now don't get over 250 on a 100 degree day.

I always warm the engine up to at least 180 degress oil temp before thinking about full throttle.

[froggy47]

Originally Posted by coolvette

OK, I feel a little embarassed to ask this question because I am an experienced mechanic but the other day, I was driving on the highway and decided to scroll through the "gauges" button on the DIC. When I got to the OIL TEMP. it read like 223 degrees. The week before, I had a little problem with a LOW OIL message and figure that the engine is just consuming a little bit more oil than normal because of recent mods that I have done but haven't taken it for a tune yet. Of course I serviced the oil back up and I am watching it for abnormal consumption. My only engine mods are: ARH longtube headers w/cats, Vararam VR-B2 ram air intake and Corsa X-Treme axle back muffler system but no tune yet. I am of course getting a check engine light all the time (P0420) because the aft O2 sensors don't like the new A/F ratio. 223 degrees seems a little high to me so I started looking in the GM service manual for some kind of published number. I even looked in the owners manual but there is no such number given for a general operating range for oil temperature. I feel a little dumb here because it's something that we never really worry about and I have kind of "brain dumped" on what a normal oil temperature should be. Am I just worrying too much? Help me out here........

What was the coolant temp at the time? It's useful to note both temps when you are trying to diagnose.

:)

[coolvette]

Originally Posted by froggy47

What was the coolant temp at the time? It's useful to note both temps when you are trying to diagnose.

:)

Oh yes, that's right. I did forget to mention that the coolant temp. was normal at around 190 or so. I feel much better now that I've had a few replies on here. I just find it odd that I can't find it in the GM service manual. Or maybe I missed it?

[coolvette]

I always warm the engine up to at least 180 degress oil temp before thinking about full throttle.[/QUOTE]

Me too. I usually wait for about 150 degrees.

[froggy47]

Assuming you have stock stat & have not reprogrammed fan temps that temp is very normal. I would not wait for the low oil light to check oil level from now on.

:)

[stevebz06]

I've usually noticed about a 25-30 degree split between water and oil temps while cruising, oil being the hotter.