Maximum oil temperature recommendations from Exxon and Redline
08-05-2015, 03:08 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Maximum oil temperature recommendations from Exxon and Redline
For those of us running on track with oil nearing the 300F mark, ever wonder what the makers of Mobil 1 say should be your optimal maximum oil temps? Here is what the Global Motorsports Technology Manager for ExxonMobil said, which is basically keep it under 250F:
"Bruce Crawley, Global Motorsportstechnology Manager for ExxonMobil was interviewed by Sports Car (the SCCAmonthly) in the December 2010 issue.
Crawley states, "when considering the optimum choice of viscosity grade ofmotor oil to use, the max oil operating temp should be taken into account. For example,a 0W-50 running at 248F will have a similar viscosity to a 0W-30 operating at 212F."
According to Crawley "the best balance between oil life and performancecomes in the range of 212 to 248F".
Finally, Crawley suggests letting the oil get up to 194F before working ithard, as oil that is too cold will have a difficult time getting to vitalengine parts under extreme loads.
Bruce W. Crawley is one of ExxonMobil’s foremost technical experts and leads a team of scientists and trackside engineers who develop innovative products and support motorsport partnerships in Formula 1 TM , NASCAR, LMS, ALMS, WTCC, FIA GT and SuperV8 racing series.
Bruce began his career in the automotive industry serving an engineering apprenticeship and earned a bachelor’s and a doctorate degree at Brunel University in London England. He joined ExxonMobil in 1982 and has enjoyed a career in a variety of positions in research and development, marketing and sales functions."
and from Redline, we have this same recommendation, keep it under 250 F:
"We have customers that run the oils well above 280, but it's not something we recommend. You should be aiming to run around 220 to 230f. If you get toward 240 or 250, you look into how its being cooled. 260 or 270? You need to make some changes, in our eyes.
Again, I don't know what you're using, If you're going to look into Red Line, you should start with our 40WT Race. It's an ester-based 15W40 multigrade withlots of antiwear (ZDDP). Remember that going heavier isn't always best when trying to lower its temps, as a thicker fluid can trap heat.
Also considering a way to vent heat out from under the hood. That can make a dramatic drop in oil temp.
Hope that helps,
Cameron Evans
Red Line Oil"
Sometimes it's good to have some real live credentials attached to recommendations about oil, rather than a whole lot of internet opinions, which for oil seem endless.
"Bruce Crawley, Global Motorsportstechnology Manager for ExxonMobil was interviewed by Sports Car (the SCCAmonthly) in the December 2010 issue.
Crawley states, "when considering the optimum choice of viscosity grade ofmotor oil to use, the max oil operating temp should be taken into account. For example,a 0W-50 running at 248F will have a similar viscosity to a 0W-30 operating at 212F."
According to Crawley "the best balance between oil life and performancecomes in the range of 212 to 248F".
Finally, Crawley suggests letting the oil get up to 194F before working ithard, as oil that is too cold will have a difficult time getting to vitalengine parts under extreme loads.
Bruce W. Crawley is one of ExxonMobil’s foremost technical experts and leads a team of scientists and trackside engineers who develop innovative products and support motorsport partnerships in Formula 1 TM , NASCAR, LMS, ALMS, WTCC, FIA GT and SuperV8 racing series.
Bruce began his career in the automotive industry serving an engineering apprenticeship and earned a bachelor’s and a doctorate degree at Brunel University in London England. He joined ExxonMobil in 1982 and has enjoyed a career in a variety of positions in research and development, marketing and sales functions."
and from Redline, we have this same recommendation, keep it under 250 F:
"We have customers that run the oils well above 280, but it's not something we recommend. You should be aiming to run around 220 to 230f. If you get toward 240 or 250, you look into how its being cooled. 260 or 270? You need to make some changes, in our eyes.
Again, I don't know what you're using, If you're going to look into Red Line, you should start with our 40WT Race. It's an ester-based 15W40 multigrade withlots of antiwear (ZDDP). Remember that going heavier isn't always best when trying to lower its temps, as a thicker fluid can trap heat.
Also considering a way to vent heat out from under the hood. That can make a dramatic drop in oil temp.
Hope that helps,
Cameron Evans
Red Line Oil"
Sometimes it's good to have some real live credentials attached to recommendations about oil, rather than a whole lot of internet opinions, which for oil seem endless.
Last edited by descartesfool; 08-05-2015 at 03:10 PM.
08-05-2015, 04:04 PM
#2
Glad you posted this. I am blown away when people post their track data showing 300+ oil temps. I would back off much sooner to protect my engine. I can EASILY push mine to 250 deg just canyon driving.
08-05-2015, 05:18 PM
#3
08-05-2015, 08:25 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '15
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It only becomes a point of personal excitement to the first owner when the engine lets go, on their watch, or ownership. Then, the sky is falling. For the second owner? "Caveat emptor" or, have a fat wallet.
Or, buy a different car, preferably one that is new, or wasn't raced.
08-05-2015, 09:33 PM
#6
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St. Jude Donor '15
I think the key to this is the balance between temperature and life. If you are racing it on the weekend, how long do you want it to last before your oil is changed again? 5,000 miles? 2,000 miles? 1,000 miles? 500 miles?
How many miles are put on in a weekend outing?
This isn't a race car. It is track capable which means you can be quick on the track while also being a street driven car. If it was a race car like the C7R, there would be a lot of differences, significant differences.
The oil manufacturers have to hedge their comments. I am not sure what they would say differently.
The owners manual says if you are going to track the car, put Mobil 15W50 oil in and after track use change back to 5W30. Seems to me they are telling you, change the oil when you are done tracking.
I wouldn't have a problem tracking the car at 300F oil temps knowing I was going to change out the oil.
What we really need is someone who has tracked their car with 300F oil temps to get comments their oil tested and see what the test results say about the oil. My guess, it still has life in it.....anyone get their oil tested? Proof is in the data!
How many miles are put on in a weekend outing?
This isn't a race car. It is track capable which means you can be quick on the track while also being a street driven car. If it was a race car like the C7R, there would be a lot of differences, significant differences.
The oil manufacturers have to hedge their comments. I am not sure what they would say differently.
The owners manual says if you are going to track the car, put Mobil 15W50 oil in and after track use change back to 5W30. Seems to me they are telling you, change the oil when you are done tracking.
I wouldn't have a problem tracking the car at 300F oil temps knowing I was going to change out the oil.
What we really need is someone who has tracked their car with 300F oil temps to get comments their oil tested and see what the test results say about the oil. My guess, it still has life in it.....anyone get their oil tested? Proof is in the data!
08-05-2015, 11:02 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
I think the key to this is the balance between temperature and life. If you are racing it on the weekend, how long do you want it to last before your oil is changed again? 5,000 miles? 2,000 miles? 1,000 miles? 500 miles?
How many miles are put on in a weekend outing?
This isn't a race car. It is track capable which means you can be quick on the track while also being a street driven car. If it was a race car like the C7R, there would be a lot of differences, significant differences.
The oil manufacturers have to hedge their comments. I am not sure what they would say differently.
The owners manual says if you are going to track the car, put Mobil 15W50 oil in and after track use change back to 5W30. Seems to me they are telling you, change the oil when you are done tracking.
I wouldn't have a problem tracking the car at 300F oil temps knowing I was going to change out the oil.
What we really need is someone who has tracked their car with 300F oil temps to get comments their oil tested and see what the test results say about the oil. My guess, it still has life in it.....anyone get their oil tested? Proof is in the data!
How many miles are put on in a weekend outing?
This isn't a race car. It is track capable which means you can be quick on the track while also being a street driven car. If it was a race car like the C7R, there would be a lot of differences, significant differences.
The oil manufacturers have to hedge their comments. I am not sure what they would say differently.
The owners manual says if you are going to track the car, put Mobil 15W50 oil in and after track use change back to 5W30. Seems to me they are telling you, change the oil when you are done tracking.
I wouldn't have a problem tracking the car at 300F oil temps knowing I was going to change out the oil.
What we really need is someone who has tracked their car with 300F oil temps to get comments their oil tested and see what the test results say about the oil. My guess, it still has life in it.....anyone get their oil tested? Proof is in the data!
08-06-2015, 12:58 AM
#8
Scraping the splitter.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-analysis.html
Yes, I hit 290-300* that weekend at Sebring and also got the engine overheat and PS overheat warnings. But I typically change oil before every event, so I don't test the physical limits of the oil. Onset of thermal breakdown begins around those temps when the oil starts to vaporize and smoke, but the viscosity and sheer strength stay pretty consistent between 275-325*.
Working on the car all evening so will dig up the link to that testing tomorrow.
S.
Yes, I hit 290-300* that weekend at Sebring and also got the engine overheat and PS overheat warnings. But I typically change oil before every event, so I don't test the physical limits of the oil. Onset of thermal breakdown begins around those temps when the oil starts to vaporize and smoke, but the viscosity and sheer strength stay pretty consistent between 275-325*.
Working on the car all evening so will dig up the link to that testing tomorrow.
S.
08-06-2015, 01:57 AM
#10
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-analysis.html
Yes, I hit 290-300* that weekend at Sebring and also got the engine overheat and PS overheat warnings. But I typically change oil before every event, so I don't test the physical limits of the oil. Onset of thermal breakdown begins around those temps when the oil starts to vaporize and smoke, but the viscosity and sheer strength stay pretty consistent between 275-325*.
Working on the car all evening so will dig up the link to that testing tomorrow.
S.
Yes, I hit 290-300* that weekend at Sebring and also got the engine overheat and PS overheat warnings. But I typically change oil before every event, so I don't test the physical limits of the oil. Onset of thermal breakdown begins around those temps when the oil starts to vaporize and smoke, but the viscosity and sheer strength stay pretty consistent between 275-325*.
Working on the car all evening so will dig up the link to that testing tomorrow.
S.
08-06-2015, 02:48 PM
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08-07-2015, 01:42 AM
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08-07-2015, 01:43 AM
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08-07-2015, 01:45 AM
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08-07-2015, 03:11 AM
#17
Safety Car
"For an engine oil, the viscosity must be sufficiently high so that the phenomenon of hydrodynamic lubrication can occur. This is where the flow of the oil forces the bearing surface to ride on a thin film of oil and, thus, protect the lubricated surface from wear. "
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Oiling/
If the stock 10W30 is ideal around 212*F then 15w50 is ideal for 260*...maybe 270* with some really good double ester blend. At 300*F not even a 60 weight oil will be thick enough. This assumes fresh oil. Every time you drive the car it may thin out some.
Thinner might be better for flow characteristics but if your bearings wear out I don't think you'll care much about flow.
08-07-2015, 11:01 AM
#18
Pro
Ok, flow is one thing we want. But how about a protecting oil film?
"For an engine oil, the viscosity must be sufficiently high so that the phenomenon of hydrodynamic lubrication can occur. This is where the flow of the oil forces the bearing surface to ride on a thin film of oil and, thus, protect the lubricated surface from wear. "
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Oiling/
If the stock 10W30 is ideal around 212*F then 15w50 is ideal for 260*...maybe 270* with some really good double ester blend. At 300*F not even a 60 weight oil will be thick enough. This assumes fresh oil. Every time you drive the car it may thin out some.
Thinner might be better for flow characteristics but if your bearings wear out I don't think you'll care much about flow.
"For an engine oil, the viscosity must be sufficiently high so that the phenomenon of hydrodynamic lubrication can occur. This is where the flow of the oil forces the bearing surface to ride on a thin film of oil and, thus, protect the lubricated surface from wear. "
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Oiling/
If the stock 10W30 is ideal around 212*F then 15w50 is ideal for 260*...maybe 270* with some really good double ester blend. At 300*F not even a 60 weight oil will be thick enough. This assumes fresh oil. Every time you drive the car it may thin out some.
Thinner might be better for flow characteristics but if your bearings wear out I don't think you'll care much about flow.
08-07-2015, 12:02 PM
#19
I'm not blown away---most won't own their cars to 80K, 100K or 200K miles. So with that in their mind, running at 290 oil temp is fine for as long as they have the car. Then, it will be someone ELSE'S problem---someone who doesn't KNOW that the car had a life like that and will probably expire long before other Corvette cars.
It only becomes a point of personal excitement to the first owner when the engine lets go, on their watch, or ownership. Then, the sky is falling. For the second owner? "Caveat emptor" or, have a fat wallet. Or, buy a different car, preferably one that is new, or wasn't raced.
It only becomes a point of personal excitement to the first owner when the engine lets go, on their watch, or ownership. Then, the sky is falling. For the second owner? "Caveat emptor" or, have a fat wallet.
Or, buy a different car, preferably one that is new, or wasn't raced. jmho..never purchase a used sports car..period.
08-07-2015, 12:16 PM
#20
Safety Car
You know, I see where you are going with that. However, a good amount of wear in the engine is from revving the **** out of it when cold. I live in California and it still takes me 20 minutes of driving to warm up the oil. It takes someone that knows oil properties and denies himself the pleasure of revving on the way to work. By that token, it doesn't matter what car it is that you are buying used, used is used and you should get a complete leak down test.
As for how it is used hot, I wouldn't worry. The odds of buying a C7 Corvette from someone that put more than 50 racing hours on the block. is nearly 0. Most of these cars will be waxer cars for a many years.
As for how it is used hot, I wouldn't worry. The odds of buying a C7 Corvette from someone that put more than 50 racing hours on the block. is nearly 0. Most of these cars will be waxer cars for a many years.