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Hello,
I'm using a B18C (from 96 integra) on a 94 civic hatch. Btw, i'm from Malaysia and I drove at the Sepang circuit, the ambient temperature is around 29 celcius ( 85F) plus minus and humidity of 83% (average, rainy season now). My car is running on Torco TR5 10w30 and no aftermarket oil cooler
I was worried, is my oil temp too high? I got an oil temp reading of 127 celcius (260F) after just 3 laps (in the middle of the 3rd lap the oil was at 127, i go easy on the pedal right after). On my first lap it was the warm up, 2nd lap was hot lap, then i was thinking of another hot lap then the warning sound came out then i just cancel the thought of another hotlap so i went back into the pit.
Lap 1: Warm up lap
Lap 2: Hot lap
Lap 3: Between turn 6 to 7 the warning buzzer goes off, I went easy on the gas from this point and return to the pitt on the very next exit.
So now, I'm having a trackday in less than 30days and i want to rectify the issue (or is it not an issue). I asked my friends, few mechanics and some trackday participant in a whatsapp group... All of their opinions are contradicting and are not the same, which are;
Opinion 1: There is no issue at all, the engine can take more than 130celcius (266F) possibly up to 135 celcius (275F).
Opinion 2: Is to get an aftermarket oil cooler and use a different engine oil, i was told to use 10w40 at least, better if 10w50... and i was also told by this same fella, the water temp should normally be higher than the oil temp, for my case water temp was around 92C (197F) and oil temp 127C (260F)
Opinion 3: This guy told me to use 10w50 engine oil and the engine can take up to 160C (320F)
So now, I'm very confused and I don't know what to do. But honestly I don't mind forking some money for an aftermarket oil cooler, but if i can save the money for something it'll be better xD
Thank you.
130C (266F) maybe135C (275F) would be the max I'd want my oil to go. Anything higher and you are causing additional wear on the engine. You are probably fine at 260 if it's not rising, but an oil cooler is always a good idea if you are tracking your car often. I would shoot for oil temps in the 220-250 range.
197F is perfectly fine for water temps. Your fans usually kick on at 200-205 then cut off at around 190. Oil temps will always be higher.
Stick to a 10w-30 oil, our engines are designed for it.
130C (266F) maybe135C (275F) would be the max I'd want my oil to go. Anything higher and you are causing additional wear on the engine. You are probably fine at 260 if it's not rising, but an oil cooler is always a good idea if you are tracking your car often. I would shoot for oil temps in the 220-250 range.
197F is perfectly fine for water temps. Your fans usually kick on at 200-205 then cut off at around 190. Oil temps will always be higher.
Stick to a 10w-30 oil, our engines are designed for it.
Thanks for the input.. I'll decide within this next few days, I'lll let you know as well.. Btw i don't track my car often eventhough i want to do that haha
Get an oil analysis. That way you can see what breakdown has occurred at those track temperatures.
In which case it won't matter anyway, because it makes no sense to risk going to that limit on circuit racing with such high humidity. He's in Malaysia. "Oil analysis" is going to take months. Get the External oil cooler like sensible people, and be done with this.
I'm sure the mishimoto kit is fine, I have no experience with their products. It looks like a knock off Setrab design. I was able to pick up a good condition used 16 row Setrab on Ebay for about $75 so it worked out to be cheaper than a prefab kit.
I'd personally prefer to build it myself so I can route the lines where ever best fits my setup. It looks like their kit only comes with 2 4' lengths of hose. I also prefer the look of the socketless hose over steel braided, but that's personal preference.
Anyways, just to updated about what "happened" to me.
I broke/blew my engine block. It was not even one lap, I exit the southern paddock of Sepang circuit (which was between turn 14 and 15), everything went fine from turn 1 till turn 2, but at turn 3 is where my oil temp shoot up very high. Then at turn 4 is where everything starts to go wrong for me, I'm using the ZD, it indicates that my oil temp is at 125 celcius (253F), then the oil pressure dropped to a worrisome level but i thought it was normal as i took a sharp corner to the right. Turn 5 and 6 is where i killed my engine, 2 consecutive turns from there my feels heavy and sounds like a diesel engine. (Instead of the "normal" vtec sound, it sounded like 'bruuuuuuuhhpp') and at the ZD my oil pressure dropped at stayed at 100kpa.... And that's how my trackday ended, I did not completed a lap and it lasted less than 10 turns lol..
Well, i only have myself to blame, should've just installed the baffle and oil cooler... and the thing was, i decided not to installed the oil cooler first cause i was a total idiot -.-
After opening my broken engine, good thing the head was not broke and i can still use it. the block was a disaster, it was broke open, behind the engine underneath the intake was all soaked in engine oil...
Now i'm aiming to get it fixed and running by mid November or latest december.
I'm looking at a b18c block with b16b pistons, hopefully i can get it up and running. I'll definitely get an baffle installed in my oil sump and get that oil cooler kit.
Wow, can oil temp rise that quickly? In less than a lap?
From what you wrote it looks like the failure is related to oil pressure, not temperature, but it's kind of weird that the temperature shot up that quickly. Maybe the oil pump failed?
Oil temp can increase very quickly depending upon load and the duration of that load on certain parts of a track. Temperature can also effect oil pressure when viscosity decreases with that increase.
Thanks, I guess I'd better get an oil temp gauge then. Ignorance is bliss but that bliss can become expensive, as we're seeing here.
Regarding the oil thinning out with temperature, I'd expect a good oil to hold the weight its rated for at 130C (the SAE test is at 100C and from here viscosity is an inverse exponential of temperature, having pretty much stabilized at the 100C mark), but maybe I'm off.
Last edited by KoRn_vIRuZ; 10-11-2017 at 01:20 PM.
Sucks about the motor. I don't understand how 253f oil temps kill a motor halfway through your out lap. I'd think something else was wrong. Not a bad idea to add the baffle and cooler, but I would look elsewhere for a cause. I have a baffled pan but see 250 degrees all the time... car runs great. I have had a street car that ran 270f on the highway, which had no issues. That's just not that hot.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I'll definitely come back strong, there is another trackday which falls in 23rd December hopefullly i can participate by then.
Originally Posted by TheShodan
Very Easily...(Not to "rub it in")
Well, at least you've learned from this expensive lesson. A little late, but knowledge is power.
Well it's too bad that it happens, but like you said, its an expensive lesson and I've learn from it hehe
Will try to post more pictures up once i get my car ready
09-13-2017, 09:06 AM
B18C oil temp on track/circuit
