Re: Marine Lubrication
 

The oil temperature gets to at least 300*F as it goes around the cylinders and bearings and any moisture if present... instantly vaporizes......hitting the water boiling point temp. on your oil temp. gauge is not a measurement or a consideration in that regard.

Infact...oil is volitile...and it will "boil off" as well and get "thicker". This is measured in labs and oils are assigned NOAK volitility numbers. A synthetic oil will "boil off" much less than a conventional oil.

Sometimes you see the oil volume go down on the dipstick...this is in part from the oil vaporizing off.

Your engine temperatures will volitilize or "boil" off oil... don't you think it can handle a tiny amount of condensation? :D

If you want to worry about condensation you will see it more during the winter lay-up and storage process. I change my oil at the begining of the season for that reason.

This whole thing is a myth and has no factual basis. Water in the oil in any appreciable amount would be from a leak in the oil cooler or reversion. Reversion is not normal and the amount of water that is taken in is so large it usually can not possibly be "burnt off".

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

Perhaps I was not direct enough in my earlier post. I did have a set-up at one time that ran so cold that it produced "milk-shake" on the valve cover breather caps. I raised the operating temp (oil temp to over 220*) and the condition went away. Now after a hard run I am seeing oil temps approaching 280* with synthetic oil. So does anyone REALLY know how high a temp we can operate at comfortably? --- Jer

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

This is from the "Lubrication Bible"....

"Almost one third of the heat generated by the engine must be removed by the vehicle's two cooling systems. That's correct, your engine has two cooling systems. (1) The top of the engine: the area around each cylinder in the engine block, the combustion chamber areas in the cylinder heads and the intake manifold, dispel heat through the engine's radiator coolant system. (2) The rest of the engine: the crankshaft, bearings, camshaft, lifters, connecting rods and pistons are only cooled by engine oil".



"The ideal operating range for engine oil is 180°F through 200°F. While operating within this range, the oil works as a lubricant, coolant, and cleansing agent in the engine. Modern engines generally run with radiator coolant temperatures between 200°F and 220°F with oil temperature ranges between 20°F and 75°F HOTTER. In other words, when the engine is performing flawlessly, the engine oil is already overheating! Oil that exceeds 220°F rapidly loses its ability to lubricate and cool causing accerlerated fatigue and premature component failure".

An oil analysis is key for you to know for sure what your engine is doing to the oil.

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

Thanks Hyd. I was always under the impression that the info contained in your last post, 233, and I have seen, referred to fossil oils and not syns. But the suggestion to get the oil analysis is, of course the real answer. Why didn't I think of that? --- Jer

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

Yes JP..the info in post 233 pertains to conventional oil tests and synthetics can handle more heat and shear...but an oil analysis is the only way to know for sure on an individual basis...you are running hot and hard...make no mistake about it.



If you are routinely running 280*F.. synthetic oil is required... you may or may not need to move up to a "premium synthetic oil" like Amsoil 20W-50 Severe Service Racing or Mobil-1 20W-50 V-Twin which can handle much more heat and shear than a conventional synthetic oil.

That is why I suggested an oil analysis to make that determination based on the results you get. You may find 15W-50 Goldcap is fine and maybe not depending on how hard you run at those temps.

An oil analysis will give you the answer and you may need to do a couple with a TBN to see how far out the oil will last.

I would send the first at 10-15 hours with a TBN and see where you are at with wear and find out how the oil is holding up too. Please get back to us if you do these tests.

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

JP...I did some calling around to various synthetic oil manufacturers about oil temps. and here is what most agreed upon...

For a typical wet-sump engine, 250-300* F is considered extremely hot, synthetics, because of their molecular makeup, are better suited to withstand these temperatures.

The downside is that additive packages do tend to break down faster in high-temperature environments, so if you plan on running oil temperatures in excess of 300 degrees, this would mean changing the oil after every "racing" event.

Running 280*F for prolonged periods welcomes you to the 10 hour oil change club.

Have Vandy set you up to get a deal on 20W-50 Mobil-1 V-twin..or you can use...Amsoil 20W-50 Severe Service racing oil....you are a prime example of somebody who NEEDS it...you may be able to get 20 hours off it.

Only an oil sample will tell for sure. You are making french fries if you don't follow this advice...not an option..

wanna know my .02??

Your engine is set up to needlessly run too hot.







Period.

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

OK; A bit more background here. I have used Amsoil 20/50 Racing but currently have Mobil 1 15/50 with Lucas additive in pan. Have Revolution Marine 3 X 18 oil cooler with remote Amsoil dual bypass filter system and #10 lines with no angle fittings. Everything is straight into where it goes. Std. Merc 143* thermostat and water temp NEVER exceeds 150*. Oil pressure maintains 40# at idle (700-800 rpm) after hard runs and indicated oil temp of 280*. Just how am I set up to run too hot? --- Jer

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

....ever try Mobil-1 V-Twin 20W-50?...everybody says it knocks down the oil temp by 10 degrees.

How many horse are you making? What displacement and compression ratio? What octane gasoiline? Where is your timing set to?

Waterpump...impellers etc. all highoutput and in good shape?
Can you go bigger to better feed the oil cooler?

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

Desktop dyno, about 625 HP : 548 CID : 9.2 / 1 : 93 pump grade : T-Bolt IV 34* @ 3500 : ALL KINDS of water from transom pick-up all the way through the system and as stated, "engine water temp NEVER exceeds 150*". I might add; this is a warm body of water. The lake temp here was just under 80*F today. --- Jer

Re: Marine Lubrication
 

Hydro., I am running 454 mag, brodix al. heads, 177 blowers, no water thermostats, remote oil filter with thermostat, HP6 filter, original red cap mobil 1, with always fantastic oil press. The oil thermostat is a 212 degree, do you think I should go with a 185? I do not have a oil temp guage and I know I will put one on, but what's your impression of this. And where should I put the guage?