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Oil considerations

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
My daily oil temps are "normal" as far as I know with Uni's software - 210-220 varying on ambients and how hard the car is being drivien/RPM. At the track in cool weather I have seen 240+ and the same beating on it in the mountains. Those temps are well within the range that modern oils can handle without drama.

Oil temps get to 270ish down here in Satan's butthole on track. Even good modern oils start to break down at that point. I have to back off and I change the oil after track days. I really need an oil cooler, but haven't decided on a strategy yet. Definitely want one with a thermostat.

It gets to 240ish autocrossing in the heat.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Oil temps get to 270ish down here in Satan's butthole on track. Even good modern oils start to break down at that point. I have to back off and I change the oil after track days. I really need an oil cooler, but haven't decided on a strategy yet. Definitely want one with a thermostat.

It gets to 240ish autocrossing in the heat.
You can always run a heavier 50W for the track to up that HTHS number. The only issue I have seen with my oil analyzed after track use is just fuel dilution/viscosity drop from blow-by, the oil otherwise looks fine and my wear metals are consisently low.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
To be clear - they don’t tune your car to have specifically lower oil temps- our system don’t have a oil t stats to do that, they lower the coolant temp targets and as a byproduct the oil temps Drop since the block is cooler.

Reasons - you said it yourself I guess “a few hp make a difference” well a tuned car is a few hp more that a stock car - lol.


I thought about the condensation thing before when the tuners started lowering coolant temps, and in realty if the oil temp is read from the pan your oil is 100% getting hotter than that reading when it’s traveling through the components like the rods bearings and cam lobes.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
To be clear - they don’t tune your car to have specifically lower oil temps- our system don’t have a oil t stats to do that, they lower the coolant temp targets and as a byproduct the oil temps Drop since the block is cooler.

Reasons - you said it yourself I guess “a few hp make a difference” well a tuned car is a few hp more that a stock car - lol.


I thought about the condensation thing before when the tuners started lowering coolant temps, and in realty if the oil temp is read from the pan your oil is 100% getting hotter than that reading when it’s traveling through the components like the rods bearings and cam lobes.

I still don't think it makes a difference. If you're cruising around, 10 deg lower coolant/ oil temp has no real benefit and oil temps will get to the exact same level when pushing the car.

Valid point about where the temp is measured though.

At the end of the day, I think it's more marketing than it is beneficial to your car or hp.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
I’m with you there, I don’t think the small delta amount would Make a measurable difference, but I think the idea of some extra headroom for when you are pushing it on the street is a good comfort factor, like you said - track wise is irrelevant.
 
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jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
And again, I don't see that as a positive. My oil temps are staying 190 to 200 in daily driving with my EQT tune. I actually want my oil temps to be 210 to 220 to burn off condensation, properly lubricate, and maintain proper fuel efficiency when just driving around town.

On track, those targets do nothing to reduce temps.

I 100% fail to understand EQT and Sneeky's reasoning in doing this, other than marketing to people that don't understand that they actually need 210 to 220 oil temps and that lower targets won't help them when pushing the car hard.

Hell, why not just remove your thermostat? Car will run cooler on average. Cold engines are cool. Everyone is doing it. It's adds 11ty hp. If CAI are the bestest, wait until you run cold oil. Watch out Hellcats.
I agree and have no idea why they did it. Especially in a cold climate I want my oil to get above 212* to burn off condensation from cold morning starts and if the ambient temperature stays cold.
 

dequardo

Autocross Newbie
Location
America’s Dairyland
Car(s)
‘21 GLI Autobahn GLI
Always amusing when non lubrication engineers clock in here.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
Isn’t that like 99.9% of the population? I hope we’re allowed to ask questions 😙

Edit: PS. Your mom’s a lubrication engineer 🥸😘
It's your thread and if we waited for a lubrication engineer there wouldn't be any responses. Hell we would just Google everything and there wouldn't be a forum.
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
What the hell would I do with all the time I spend on here. I'm here because of learning, camaraderie and hopefully fun. I would be bored.

You and me both brother.
 
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