Operating oil/water temperature?

phamine · 08-28-2010, 09:23 PM

• What the operating temperature for oil and water on an M54?

• What temps should be considered a warning to back off pushing the car even more?

I'm using Prosport gauges with peak warning which I suspect to be very useful on the track since you won't take your eyes off the road to look at your gauges too often.

mrshelley · 08-29-2010, 06:47 PM

Mine runs at 180-185 water temp. Oil is around 230. When I didn't have an oil cooler, the oil temp was 40 to 50 degrees hotter and water temp was 10 degrees more. The thermostat opens around 195. The engine will start pushing water out the radiator cap at around 230 and the head gasket will blow around 250 water temp. Also, the engine will run around 117 seconds without oil pressure. The exhaust valves will bend at 8600 rpm.

badfast · 08-29-2010, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshelley

Mine runs at 180-185 water temp. Oil is around 230. When I didn't have an oil cooler, the oil temp was 40 to 50 degrees hotter and water temp was 10 degrees more. The thermostat opens around 195. The engine will start pushing water out the radiator cap at around 230 and the head gasket will blow around 250 water temp. Also, the engine will run around 117 seconds without oil pressure. The exhaust valves will bend at 8600 rpm.

That sounds like you are speaking from experience!

phamine · 08-30-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshelley

Mine runs at 180-185 water temp. Oil is around 230. When I didn't have an oil cooler, the oil temp was 40 to 50 degrees hotter and water temp was 10 degrees more. The thermostat opens around 195. The engine will start pushing water out the radiator cap at around 230 and the head gasket will blow around 250 water temp. Also, the engine will run around 117 seconds without oil pressure. The exhaust valves will bend at 8600 rpm.

Hmm. The numbers don't make sense to me. You mentioned 230F for water would be the breaking point but also mention your oil was around 230F. If water was running 10F hotter than oil - that would mean water would be 240F and you'd reach failure each time?

Not sure if you were being sarcastic.

mrshelley · 08-31-2010, 07:51 AM

Here's another way of looking at it:

Without an oil cooler (without fan shroud):
WT: 195
OT: 280

With Oil Cooler (without fan shroud):
WT: 185
OT: 230

aggieE46 · 08-31-2010, 08:47 AM

Made perfect sense to me! Good information.

phamine · 08-31-2010, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshelley

Here's another way of looking at it:

Without an oil cooler (without fan shroud):
WT: 195
OT: 280

With Oil Cooler (without fan shroud):
WT: 185
OT: 230

Thank you. What do you think about these thresholds?

Arbitary setting for w/o oil cooler:
WT - 215
OT - 260

marct335i · 11-13-2012, 10:46 AM

Bump for the sake on not starting a new thread:

M54b30... obd1 in my e34. Breaking in the freshly rebuilt motor. I'm waiting to install my water temp sender/gauge. Currently my oil temp is hitting 250-260 in traffic. Outside air temp is 55deg. Dummie water temp cluster gauge shows dead center. Running m50 fan and fan clutch. Zionsville 88 (or 80 I cant remember) deg cel mechanical tstat.

Question is: are those oil temps normal for moderate traffic? Seems like I was in the 230 range when on the freeway. 260 still seems a bit high even in traffic, my n54 in the 335i I had (WITHOUT the factory oil cooler) didn't hit that in traffic with a/c in summer.

Hoping for input.. the m54 is new to me

08-28-2010, 09:23 PM	#1
phamine Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,217 My Ride: 01 Orient Blue 330i View My Garage	Operating oil/water temperature? • What the operating temperature for oil and water on an M54? • What temps should be considered a warning to back off pushing the car even more? I'm using Prosport gauges with peak warning which I suspect to be very useful on the track since you won't take your eyes off the road to look at your gauges too often. __________________ Part out - Beige/Tan Interior http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=836111 Stock 330i/325i exhaust w/ Magnaflow Cats http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...831&highlight=

08-29-2010, 06:47 PM	#2
mrshelley Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 914 My Ride: 2004 330i View My Garage	Mine runs at 180-185 water temp. Oil is around 230. When I didn't have an oil cooler, the oil temp was 40 to 50 degrees hotter and water temp was 10 degrees more. The thermostat opens around 195. The engine will start pushing water out the radiator cap at around 230 and the head gasket will blow around 250 water temp. Also, the engine will run around 117 seconds without oil pressure. The exhaust valves will bend at 8600 rpm. __________________

08-31-2010, 07:51 AM	#5
mrshelley Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 914 My Ride: 2004 330i View My Garage	Here's another way of looking at it: Without an oil cooler (without fan shroud): WT: 195 OT: 280 With Oil Cooler (without fan shroud): WT: 185 OT: 230 __________________

08-31-2010, 08:47 AM	#6
aggieE46 Keep it clean Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Royse City Posts: 8,012 My Ride: Evo, 330Ci, Xterra View My Garage	Made perfect sense to me! Good information. __________________ ^No longer looks like this Buy my:: 3.46 Differential Coolant hard line European Head Unit

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11-13-2012, 10:46 AM	#8
marct335i Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Bay Area Posts: 8 My Ride: e90 335i, e34 m54b30 View My Garage	Bump for the sake on not starting a new thread: M54b30... obd1 in my e34. Breaking in the freshly rebuilt motor. I'm waiting to install my water temp sender/gauge. Currently my oil temp is hitting 250-260 in traffic. Outside air temp is 55deg. Dummie water temp cluster gauge shows dead center. Running m50 fan and fan clutch. Zionsville 88 (or 80 I cant remember) deg cel mechanical tstat. Question is: are those oil temps normal for moderate traffic? Seems like I was in the 230 range when on the freeway. 260 still seems a bit high even in traffic, my n54 in the 335i I had (WITHOUT the factory oil cooler) didn't hit that in traffic with a/c in summer. Hoping for input.. the m54 is new to me