Oil temperature

[16VGTIDave]

Now that I have an oil temperature gauge (not calibrated yet, but should be close) on my Maxim, I've been taking note of what temp the oil is during different riding conditions. What I've seen is that it takes quite a while to get the oil warmed up, and the oil runs cooler than I expected. From my riding yesterday:

Ambient temp 17C. Oil is Rotella T6 5W-40 full synthetic.
It took 20+km of 80 - 100kph riding to get the oil up to 50C from a cold start.
Cruising at 110kph/7000 RPM never got above 70C.
City streets with many traffic lights got the oil up to 90C briefly after a long stop at a traffic light. Once moving the temp dropped back down to 70C quickly.
Warm starts got the oil back up to 70C in a few km of city riding.
Riding in the rain at 80 - 100kph had the oil at 50C or less.

It will be interesting to see what effect warmer ambient temps have on the oil temps. If you have an oil temp gauge, it would be interesting (to me anyways) if you'd post your observations.

 

[Sesty]

Very cool info Dave, benefit of a parallel twin. Would imagine the numbers to go up a good amount on the 80-90F days soon to come.
Havnt seen many other oil gauges on here

 

[thielb]

Good stuff Dave, would've been a nice little addition if the factory bikes had a small temp gauge. Are you still playing with the idea of an oil cooler at this point?

 

[xschris]

The part of the bike that you need to worry on temp is the head. The oil never gets even close to those numbers. Being that most of the oil you are temping is all pooled up in the trans with little friction or combustion going on. I have had oil temps( at the sump and in the case) get up to 170*f with hard hot day rides. But head temps hit almost 300*f. That is way cars have temp sensors at the top part of the engine and in the coolant that runs around the head and block.

 

[16VGTIDave]

No need for an oil cooler with temps that low. If the oil temps were getting to 150C / 300F, then I would be concerned. I don't consider the oil to be at operating temperature until it gets to 80C.

Chris, I can't disagree with that. I'm measuring the oil temp at the bottom of the engine, right beside the oil filter. I believe that on an air cooled engine, the best temperature to measure is exhaust gas temperature. If only EGT gauges were not so expensive!

 

[buschkj24]

I've read my oil temp at the sump after a good 50 mile run with temps right at 200-215 with temps outside being around 60 degrees. I've also noticed that if it is windy outside (15-30 mph winds) oil temps can drop by 20 degrees easy.