All,

I have a '96 LT1 & 4L60E in my 1985 Volvo wagon. Simon's Volvo V8 conversion
I've got 5000 miles on my conversion now and have worked out many of the bugs. MOST of my gauges now work too. My question is, what should a normal temperature range for Oil and Transmission fluids be?

The radiator is a new volvo plastic/aluminum diesel radiator, 2 row 14 fins/inch with built in coils for transmission fluid. I have a volvo 6"x12" 700 series transmission cooler in front of the radiator. The A/C condensor is in front of all that. The transmission has a B&M deep pan and synthetic ATF. Oil is 5-30w synthetic. There is no oil cooler.

My water temperature probe is in the head and connected to a VDO water temp gauge. My oil temperature probe is in the drain plug of the pan and connected to a VDO water temp gauge. My transmission temp probe is in the side of the transmission pan and connected to a VDO transmission temp gauge.

When cruising along the freeway @75mph and 70degrees ambient temp for an hour my gauges read the following:
Water: 180F
Oil: 250F
Tranny: 150-175F

I am confident that my water and oil temp gauges are working well. As I've never gotten a very high tranny temperature, I'm not sure the gauge is reading correctly. In addition the range is 150-400 so I don't have much resolution at the low end? The sending unit is matched to the gauge (both VDO of the same range) and when I ground the wire, I peg the gauge.

Does the tranny temperature seem right to you all? I've never measured tranny temp before... but I always assumed it would be higher.

How bad does the oil temp scare you? It seems awefully high to me. I'm thinking that I really need to add a oil cooler. What do you think? Any suggestioned brands/models for aftermarket oil coolers?

Thanks for your thoughts!
-simon

 

With a 180 temp at the head can I asume you are running a stock thermostat? If so maybe switch to a 160. Taking temps in the heads and pans is giving you basically the coolest your fluids are, the tranny may be OK in that range but the oil I would like to see cooler, a lower temp stat will bring down all temps somewhat. On the oil I would recommend some reading at http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi might help you find an oil that will run cooler or one that will take the heat better.

 

Dwayne,

Thank you for the thoughts!

I am actually running a 160 thermostat with my puller fan set to come on ~170. For the engine, I think the 2 row 14 fins/in radiator is undersized. I'm going to recore it with a 3 row 18 fins/in core and it should be OK. I'll hook up my laptop to see what the waterpump temp is reading to see what my "high" temp is for the water.

The tranny temp is really a guess. The gauge LOOKS like it is starting to move (lowest point is 150) but it is really difficult to tell. Based on other searches/greater understanding of tranny temp I'll get a 100-250F gauge in there and see where it is really at.

You mentioned that the temp in the pan was the coolest. Guess it probably is, given the other options are in the block getting hot. Never really thought of that before. Would an oil temp sender in the head or block be a better choice for me? Is there a port available in the block somewhere? In the same light, seems like a tranny temp sensor in the tranny to cooler line would be best, but I don't like adding too many joints... just another place to leak or explode.

thanks for your help,
simon

 

If you have it setup to run through the auxiliary cooler after it runs through the radiator, then I'd expect what you're seeing. If you're not towing, or have a hi-stall, the radiator should be capable of cooling the trans on it's own, especially with the volvo's grille area. The trans fluid is near the engine coolant temp exiting the radiator. Then you're pulling more heat out with the volvo auxiliary cooler. Makes perfect sense to me. Oil temp is in line with what I'd expect out of an engine without an oil cooler. Start seeing 300+ with conventional oil and you should worry. Synthetic can take much more punishment. Your car sounds cool. Good luck!

 

Yes, the hot transmission fluid is coming from the transmission, in and out of the radiator, then into the air/fluid tranny cooler. I'm not planning on towing anything beyond my 4x8' utility trailer (furniture, yard debris, etc) and don't have a high stall torque converter. (Have a hard enough time getting traction as it is!) So it sounds like the tranny fluid temp seems OK for my vehicle and uses.

I'm surprised that some engines see 300+ degree oil temps! I'll read up on the oil forum that Dwayne suggested. I do know that the ~94/95 vettes didn't have a cooler, but did spec synthetic oil because of high temps. Didn't know they were that high.

So it looks like I have two oil temperature questions.
1) is 250F too high. (answer I've received - sounds high)
2) is 250F non-normal for a non-oil cooled LT1 (answer- doesn't sound out of the ordinary)

thanks,
simon

 

#2 Stay synthetic and don't give it a second thought. This may be a case of too much information. That gauge makes you worry alot!

You can buy a finned aluminum sleeve that hose-clamps over the oil filter. Might be worth a try if you're looking for a simple way to lose a few degrees.

Here's an interesting reference point. I have a 97 LT1 Z28, no oil cooler. And a 94 Caprice LT1 with a HUGE factory oil cooler. Summer or winter, the oil comes out of both cars very "oily", even with 5K intervals. Not watery and broken down. I run my stuff as hard as anything you'll find on the street. Good luck!

 

The oil temp compared to the water temp is very high compared to my corvette, but I don't know how much of that may be that we are getting the temps from different locations.

My oil temp is usually about 30o higher than water temp once the car is warmed up.

On the other hand your water temp is lower than I ever see, so in absolute terms the oil temp is not terrible. My oil is usually 220-230.

 

The gauge sensor (at least on a stock LT1) is in the head and fluctuates rather widely unless at cruising speed. I bought a dual gauge/computer temp sensor that screws into the water pump and with a 180 deg F. thermostat, my water temp there runs 190 and in traffic will hit 210. I had an oil temp gauge for a while and it mirrored the oil. In long traffic slowdowns it would eventually hit 210-220. What you are reporting doesn't sound accurate but still it isn't all that high. Interestingly I added an oil cooler and it doesn't make much difference in my application. There is a port over the oil filter for a gauge that has a plug in it. It is very near the left CAT (In my case) and will give a false high reading if not shielded from the heat somewhat.