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Message started by 88pagan on 02/08/09 at 16:50:36

Title: Oil temp
Post by 88pagan on 02/08/09 at 16:50:36

I've done a little research here (probably not enough) but just curious- those of you running oil temp gauges, what kind of temps do you see usually? I know there are lots of variable but I got mine installed and looks like I'm running about 170-175 after only about 10 mins of riding. I thought I've seen people on here talking about 130-140. Assuming my gauge is working properly, I just want to find out before any damage. Note--I'm still messing with the carb a bit, not sure if I might be running lean in midrange. Thanks folks

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Digger on 02/08/09 at 19:47:48

Hi 88,

There's a lot of talk over on my KLR forum concerning oil temperatures.

So far, the consensus seems to be that you want your oil to be warmer than 190 degrees F.

Much cooler than that and the bad volatiles won't burn off, they'll just hang around in your crankcase and corrode stuff.

I don't run an oil temp gauge on mine (see signature), but if I did, I would not worry too much unless temps got much higher than about 220 or so.

JMO!

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Charon on 02/09/09 at 06:32:03

I have heard over the years that oil temperatures need to rise to 180 - 190 degrees F to evaporate out most of the moisture. Opinions vary, but oil temperatures over about 250 F are considered bad, although it is said synthetic oils survive higher temperatures. I saw on another forum the comment that a four-cylinder air-cooled engine ran oil temperatures about 100 F higher than ambient after a ten-mile run, and he felt that in the winter his oil might not get warm enough. Remember that the SAE viscosity rating is taken at 212 degrees F.

The company for whom I used to work built electronic signs. We put temperature "tell-tales" in most of the electronics. These are devices with several temperature dots which permanently darken at certain temperatures. I put one on the right side of a KLR 650 on a warm day, drove it the 30 miles to work and let it sit after it warmed, and the highest recorded temperature was the 195 degree dot.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by 88pagan on 02/09/09 at 07:21:27

Cool, thanks for the input digger and charon. Guess I need not worry about the heat..I must have misread somewhere about the 130-140degree thing. Now I just gotta get the carb feeling right at WOT and I'm set! :) Oh and thinking about a tach toooo

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Savage40 on 02/09/09 at 08:12:39

Speaking of oil temps, has anyone ever used one of these guages?
http://www.motoshop.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AUGZ130000&Store_Code=AIM&search=Savage+%2C+Gauges&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only_=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=&layout=
Seem like they'd be ok, although you wouldn't be able to really check it while in motion.

Edit: I probably won't be trying one for a while, since things are REALLY slow at work, just started a two week shutdown for this month, and are only scheduled to work 7 days next month. :(

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by 88pagan on 02/09/09 at 10:47:05

I was checking those out. Looks neat but the price and the inability to see a problem while on a ride turned me off

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Charon on 02/09/09 at 15:06:21

Some care needs to be taken when specifying temperatures, because of the use of two different scales. That's the reason I specified F (Fahrenheit) in my post. A temperature of 130 - 140 in Celsius would not be a good thing.

Personally, even though it would cost me a major effort in "rethinking" I believe the USA should convert to the Metric system of measurements. The Government attempted to do it, rather half-heartedly, a few decades ago. It is said that at least one of the Mars probes was lost because one group figured in Metric, another in English. And at least one Boeing aircraft ran out of fuel because of incorrect conversion factors between Imperial gallons and liters (in Canada).

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by savagedml on 02/09/09 at 16:30:30

http://www.bikercom.com/shop/index.php?page=pp_producto.php&md=0&ref=GZ-130000

Savage40: I have that gauge on my '03 and I only paid $51.95 USD at the above link. I bought it because I thought it was cool looking but like 88Pagan said- you can't see it while you're riding. If you like adding bells and whistles to your toys like I do, it's a neat addition.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Flemming from Denmark on 02/09/09 at 16:35:51

No relevance for the thread. Just some thoughts
Well-We use the metric system all over europe. I think It's easyer to rember the ciffer 10mm than for example 7/16" But know that it has been like that all my life, never learned the other system. Soon we'll change our money to the euro-coin, 747 danish crowns for 100 euro. Hmmm Can't wait :). The celsius scale I think is logic, water freeze by 0 degrees celsius and it cooks by 100 degrees celsius, that makes sense :) But then again!! What happened when the German parts and the French parts of the new Airbus Plane should be connected?? OOOPPSS!! not a single connection fitted :D

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by verslagen1 on 02/09/09 at 16:50:50

At least they can screw up in the same system.

A lot of their parts are made to supplied templates. We made a part that fit great on the template, but they struggled with for years. They finally investigated why they were pounding on the parts to make them fit. Our part was to go on over the wing skin, they made the template w/o. :o

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by thumperclone on 02/09/09 at 22:33:21

have a bar mounted oil temp gauge that is in cellsius
highest ive seen was 120c = 248F while at a stop light and was 100F
ambient..
last month when it was too cold (24F) to ride i went out to fire her up to charge the battery..half hour idleing the oil temp got up 125F..
the center sweep area of the gauge has only two values 50C on the low end and 120C on the high so if my math is right 185F is dead center of the gauge,perfect for cookin off the water vapors

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Savage40 on 02/10/09 at 07:43:57

3B32333E2C2C362B3A2D5F0 wrote:

Thanks for the link Savagedml! That's the one I was originally thinking of, but couldn't find again. ::) Yeah you can't see it while you're riding, but I'm thinking if your eyes are good enough, (like mine maybe are) you could at least check it at stop lights, or when stuck in stop and go traffic, which I'm thinking would be one of the bigger problem situations for our air cooled engines. Or am I wrong and they don't heat up that bad in traffic? :-/

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Kropatchek on 02/10/09 at 08:49:06

I have fitted the temperature gauge similar to the above some years ago. Bought in Germany and in degrees Celsius. Normal riding temp. 80C, highest observed 100C at 30C ambient.
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7192/tbks2008ef3.jpg

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/11/09 at 09:11:23

That probe is a good ways from the oil, tho. I wonder how much difference between the temp of the oil & the air in there? Naturally, its a better guide than nothing, but its gotta be a bit of a difference, ehh?

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by verslagen1 on 02/11/09 at 11:24:12

There's alot of oil mist in there.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by bill67 on 02/11/09 at 13:14:25

I'm not trying to be smart,but what difference does it make what the temp is,and how is it going to help you to know. I never had a motorcycle with a temp gauge.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by verslagen1 on 02/11/09 at 13:58:20

Same answer applies to why you need a tach.
You, yourself, umpteen bikes under the belt don't need no stinking tack. You just know what rpm to shift up and down and when to ease off.
Us, realitively newbies, couldn't tell a red line from soon to be hole in the ground. :o

So what is hot? When the skin turns red or start to peel? Idk, I've never burnt one before. And if I put on a gage, I might never. (I hope, I hope, I hope) ;D

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by 88pagan on 02/11/09 at 14:13:00

I guess for me it's curiousity to know the temp..the gauge looks great on the bike...and I rebuilt this motor once (I don't wanna ever have to say twice). Plus, why not know

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by bill67 on 02/11/09 at 14:30:25

When was the last time you looked at your car temp or tach

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by verslagen1 on 02/11/09 at 15:04:50

676C69693332050 wrote:

When was the last time you looked at your car temp or tach

Monday, when it rained.
Looked at idle to see if it was surging or not (not)
Looked at temp to see if I could defrost window yet.
Looked at gear indicator to see if I shifted into the right gear.
Looked at the warnings to see my rear tire was low, my coolant was low, my door was ajar, etc, etc, etc.
Looked at the computer to the temperature outside (39°F) my mileage, and range.
Also looked at the radio to see what song was playin'

After all, I only use it when it rains and to drive the kids around. 8-)

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by bill67 on 02/11/09 at 17:54:31

The Suzuki GR 650 had a gear indicator, Was nice I knew when I was in 5th gear.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by Charon on 02/11/09 at 20:45:07

Yep, the GR650 had a digital gear indicator. And it had a tach, which you must have watched or you wouldn't have complained about it turning too fast at highway speeds.

Title: Re: Oil temp
Post by bill67 on 02/12/09 at 04:29:14

Claron I don't have a tach on my s40 and I complained about it turning to much rpm ;)