Spitfire 1500 low oil temperature

[Dannyb]

I have a new Smiths oil temperature gauge fitted with the correct sender that came with it. It's fitted in a sandwich plates at the oil filter. I have tested the gauge by connecting it to the water temperature gauge and gives the correct reading with the temperature of the water.

Both sender units measure the same ohms when cold.

The oil temperature only gets to about 70c after a long drive.

I have an oil cooler with thermostat which probably never opens.

The car runs at just below normal temperature.

Any ideas would be welcome

[RobPearce]

Are you sure the thermostat never opens? Could it be that you're cooling the oil when you don't need to?

[Dannyb]

I will have to check the pipes to the oil cooler for temperature after I take it foe a long run.

I suppose I could clamp the pipes.

[sparky_spit]

A flippant answer might be that you are not driving it fast enough.....😆

Or, for a quick rough check on whether the oil cooler is actually in circuit all of the time and not being bypassed by the thermostat, is to wrap it in some form of insulation.  A bit of bubble wrap and a plastic bag taped round it would last long enough for you to give it blast and see what temperature you get up to with it completely insulated.

[Dannyb]

Bubble wrap it is then. 

I might have to put my go faster hat on 😛

[nang]

Sorry Danny, you fitted an oil COOLER.....what did you expect it to do ?

 Originally the Triumph engineers seemed to have got most things right. My cars seem to work reasonably OK as they are without fitting extra bits. Spin on filters and electronic ignition along with modern oils seem to do the job for me.

I don't race them though which may be a different ball game. 😖

Tony.

[sparky_spit]

It's true what you say Tony.  The only thing I'd say for "everyday" use of a 4 cylinder Triumph is that the 1500 in particular can be prone to additional wear caused by overheated oil when its taken outside of what would normally be called "everyday" use, such as high sustained speeds during the RBRR or 10CR for example. That's when some form of oil temperature management can be useful in a non-racing engine.

Over on the Sideways forum there is a very long thread by "oldtuckunder" regarding oil temperatures (and the lack of it during idling, warming up and initial use) on a 6 cylinder Triumph engine use in a sprint/hill-climb car. It's a very interesting story and there are some excellent mods described to overcome a particular issue. It's well worth reading just for the information. 

My old 1500 Spitfire had a cooler with no thermostat fitted. God knows how cold the oil in that was most of the time. I'm glad I know better now.

[yorkshire_spam]

All I can say is that we did the 2015 10CR in the 1500 Spitfire without an oil cooler and when I did an oil change shortly after the event the valvoline vr1 I'd put in before the event was spent. Really nasty.
I can't really do a like-for-like comparison as a broken pressure switch led to a full "oil change" half way through the 2017 10CR (it pee'd it all out over the course of day 2)... so you'll have to wait until after the 2019 event to see if my cooler (with thermostatic valve in the take-off plate) has made a difference.

 

[Dannyb]

OK I covered up the oil cooler and took it for a fast run. The oil temp went up to 80c

The oil cooler pipes were hot so the thermostat is opening too soon or not closed in the first place.

I have a sandwich plate with the thermostat. Is there any way of servicing it or is it a throw away item.

 

Danny

[sparky_spit]

Glad you have found the problem Danny.  There are service kits for the Mocal ones, search Merlin Motorsport's website and you can find them there for about £15. It might be worth calling Merlin to check that the kit includes what you might need. The blokes there are very helpful.

[Dannyb]

Mogal service kit arrived today.  So I took out the old thermostat and springs etc. and laid them out in the order I took them out. Good job I had the picture as  attached as It was clear the thermostat was in the wrong way round. So the stat was always closed and the oil always went round the cooler. I have never had this apart so it was always like this since purchasing the sandwich plate. I did replace the thermostat the correct way round  with the new parts but tested the old thermostat and it works ok.

Not taken it for a drive yet but expect all will now be ok.

 

[sparky_spit]

Actually that does not surprise me. The photocopied sheet that came with mine was very confusing, using different terms for the same parts in different sentences. Two of the diagrams were contradictory in showing the oil flow path and it took a bit of thinking to work out how it all went together correctly.

Fingers crossed you've got it sorted.

[Dannyb]

Oil temperature now getting up to working temperature and the oil cooler pipes stay cool so all good. I should have taken it apart before ordering a replacement thermostat, but then again I may not have sussed it was fitted the wrong way round.