this topic hasn't really been covered, i've fished on google and the search function on here.. nothing shows up

Currently i'm using Valvoline straight 30 race oil with extra zinc, and on cold startups the idle is really funny because the oil isn't warmed up yet..

My question is, what should the oil temp be before it's safe to hit WOT? i always let my needle hit my first notch on my gauge cluster (130 F according to hondata) and i take it easy until i exit my neighborhood.



but if you have an answer for my question post up!

or post your brand of oil, weight, and temp you let it reach before you rhomp on it.. i think this thread will help some people out

 

anyone?

 

For oil temps, I like to see 180F or a little bit warmer. I avoid full throttle, high rpms until that temp.

As for your gauge, 130F? Is that coolant temp?

Generally speaking, normal street driving operating temps for oil and water would be around the 180-200F mark.

 

You should be running 5w30 or 10w30 not 30w.

Oil must run hot enough to boil the moisture out of it. So don't plan on running to big of a oil cooler, if that's where your going.

 

whenever your oil temp is at 180F, what's your coolant at?..

and yes, my gauge was reading 130F on my coolant, (from hondata) which is when the needle passes the first line on the gauge cluster..

in neutral, revs to 2500 seem real sluggish until my coolant reaches about 130F, i don't have a oil temp sensor YET, but i'm just curious to know what you guys do

 

i'm actually not wanting to run one, i figured 30w wouldn't break down at high temps like 5w30 and 10w3o would..

or am i wrong?

 

I run oil and water temp gauges. Oil temp always seems to be a tick higher (maybe 10-15 degrees F.). 130F for water is not enough.

I also run an external oil cooler and it takes my car roughly 20 minutes of driving (not idling) for everything to get up to operating temp.

I'd use a good quality multigrade oil. 5W-30 is fine. Valvoline's VR1 is what I use.

 

5w30 is a 5 weight when cold 30w when hot. That's why all newer cars run multi weight oil.

That may answer more of your questions.

 

yeah, i usually don't go WOT until my coolant needle is up to where it's supposed to be, i just back out of my driveway and out of the neighborhood whenever i reach 130F..

What VR1 oil are you using? 20w50 or sae30?

so even though i'm using a SAE30, it'd be the same as running 5w30 at hot conditions?

 

My engine doesnt run hot enough nor are the clearances large enough to warrant a 20w-50 oil. I use the 20W-50 in turbo air cooled engines, which see oil temps in the 230F ish range.

I use 10W-30 VR1 in my ITR engine.

If you change your oil regularly, I dont see why you dont use a multigrade. If you have long intervals, I can understand.

Also, please note I am not an oil expert by any means, this is all my opinion.

 

no kiddin? the only weights i found in the VR1 were just 20w50 and sae30, i would've ran 10w30 in a heartbeat if i found it..

i guess i have to dig a little deeper and look for it

 

Yea you probably dont have a good selection where you're shopping at. They have a quite a few weights to choose from, most of them being straight weights though, lol.

 

I usually go by oil pressure, i just drive it easy until, when i'm stopped, I see that oil pressure is about right then i know i can get on it. But just because the oil is at operating temp doesn't mean i have to go wide open on it.

do you seriously go wide open every time you leave your neighborhood?

 

If it does not get cold in your area then technically straight grade 30 oil will be better than a multigrade such as 5w/30. To make multigrade oil (in the case of 5w/30) they start with a 'grade 5' oil, which is very thin, and add viscosity index improvers to make it act like a 'grade 30' oil when it is hot. These viscosity index improvers as very long-chains and break down more easily than the oil therefore the 5w/30 will break down viscosity sooner than the straight grade 30. Note that this applies to conventional oil only because synthetics do not change viscosity appreciably with temperature. Synthetic multigrade ratings basically describe what they are equivalent to in conventional oil.

 

vr1 isn't the best for daily driving. if you have to switch then switch. If you daily drive then I would switch out the 30 weight. the quaker state q power import comes in 5/w30 and 10/w30 and is a great choice

 

oil pressure? i guess it'll drop as the temp rises.. but it's not really an accurate way of knowing what your oil is like.. i guess you'd need a mixture of both oil pressure/temp

but seriously? no man, i don't go WOT leaving my neighborhood.. i know when the temp needle is 'up to temp' the engine coolant can variate from probably 30F-50F..

but i usually let me car warmup a few minutes before i drive it, and then driving it through the neighborhood.. etc

 

see, i didn't know the VR1 had a 10w30, i figured 20w50 was wayyy to thick so i went with a straight 30..

my friend just became a dealer for AMSOIL so i'll run their 5w30 until god knows when..

but after the amsoil i'll switch back and find some VR1 in 10w30, the "added zinc" has me sold!