what oil temperature should a 2lt kombi run at just fitted a extra oil cooler

G'day,

I did a bit of research into this when I had a '77 2lt camper back in '97.
General running around in central Vic in Aug/Sept the temp gauge was reading between 100 to 120c depending how hard it was working. We went up through Central Australia and across to Gove on the r/h tip of Arhnem Land Northern Territory, all the way up the bitumen it didn't get over 120, but once into Arhnem Land on the dirt roads it climbed to 140c on a 150 gauge. I was more than a little concerned but the motor was running sweet so kept on going and the temp didn't go any higher. When I got to Gove I made some enquiries with the oil company Tech people who said that 140 should not be any problem and that the flash point of oil inside a motor is around 220c.

A friend said the best thing to do is throw the temp gauge away and if you want to check how hot the motor is spit on the case and if it sissles its ok, but if it (the spit) bounces around everywhere its bloody hot.

I read an article awhile back that in aircooled engines you should only use oils that have a "S" factor higher than "H", ie: SG, SH, SJ etc. which means using a good quality oil that has the ability to handle the heat.

With an extra cooler you should be running somewhere <100, I would think. Also make sure that the engine bay seal in intact to shut out the hot air of the exhaust, etc. Don't fall into the trap of cruising along with the engine lid jacked open as often seen top end of Aus as this makes the engine run hotter not cooler.

Sorry got a bit carried away with all that,
Cheers, Ian.

i would have said 140 was too high but ......

"MY" opinion is
70 minimum
90-110 general
125 high
130 pull over

only ever run a gauge in a Type 1 but i just did 2000k's in my 2L and i dont reckon it got over 110

Generally i reckon you can "smell" it before trouble starts

As Ian said you can get away with high temps if you must. On my old motor I ran over 130C in the oil on a (6000km) trip in ~45C temp days.

The killer is oil pressure, loose that and you loose your motor. You can over come low pressure with hot oil by running a heavier oil (like a sport 25/75). Running high temps also breaks the oil down quicker so it needs replacing more frequently.

I have found 90-100C to be fine for a 2L. I start to back off when the oil gets over 110C. (I run 15/50 oil)

Also remember temps at the gauge will depend on the location of the sender and the accuracy of the gauge. None are perfect and most vary in accuracy across their range!!

cheers to the reply i have put rotory madza oil cooler as a second cooler on hot days it to run at 125c but now it runs at 100c i tow a trailer a lot

You should run a thermostat as well so you can warm up properly on colder days. I'd agree with the temps the guys above said as well

Ah the old temp question again! It just keeps coming back doesnt it?
I used to paranoid about my temps in my 2L van. Everyone told me to put in a cooler (those who were selling them did anyway) until I went to my mechanic I have now who said they are more troublew than they are worth in a van.
I run my van up to 120 degrees and then back off if it looks like getting any hotter than that. I get it regularly serviced and compression is always perfect.
The placement of the sender does make a huge difference too and my first gauge was faulty.

Ahh 140 150 man do you have a fan in your motor gees my kombi you flog the living shit out of it with a car trailer on it with beatle full of stuff cruzen down the highway at 110 on the hottest gold coast day and it would be lucky to get to 90.
The baja is much the same flog it through soft sand all the way from bottem to the top of fraser in one go it would not get over 95 most of the time its around 70 80 its a type 4 also with my home made upright kit but a good thick oil helps i run penrite hpr 50 in all of my air cooled stuff bikes and vws never had a problem. i see it this if you put a drop of light weight oil on a hot muffler its burn and gone before long put a drop of hpr 50 on there its still there the next day and why would you fill say a wheel bearing with grease cause its under extreme contions put it in dry with inox and see how far you dont get down the road. you have to metal on metal parts rubbing together wouldnt you want a good thick layer of oil in between them. just my opinon take what you want leave the rest dont run off with it

What are the popular views on where to take the temperature, ie where should one mount the sensor?

I've always been told, dont run a temp guage and you dont have to worry about it............. my motor i still running.

Its a 74 with 1800 box the motor is 1800 that has been balanced with a mild cam and 94mm bore the rest is stock and i have had the gauge checked and its dead on the senda is in the little metal plate below were the oil flla bolts up it has a set of ears and the plate is screewed down over the oil cooler to get maximum air flow thats the only tricks im using i understand that other motors will run hotter but not 60/70deg thats wrong and bad for you motor but how you tune them and set em up makes a big difference and what you run em on and what you run in em. this is all i do to my motors run them on premium unleaded with hpr 50, timming at 10deg advance and it goes well better than most kombis and reliable as hell it does about 100 kms a day and starts first time every time. my mates type 4s all run the same so i can be done and if you ever see an ex army kombi the little plate in the engine bay states that engine oil temp is 70 deg they would not say that if they cant do it i can my mates can that means you can so save your motor and see what the problem is and fix it fellas