95 110 tdi external oil cooler

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TonysDefender

Member
New to this thread. I purchased a 95 110 tdi and quickly installed a oil temp gauge. The temp gauge pegs at 250 as soon as I get on the freeway and it's still not hot here in Oregon. I've always had oil temp gauges in my cars because we used to tow boats and climbing mountain passes here where we live. I am looking at placing a sandwich plate on the oil filter housing and running lines to the front of the radiator. I'm aware of the factory oil cooler going to the radiator but I'm not sure if adding a plate would cause a problem with oil flow throughout the engine. I temporarily removed the thermostat in the factory oil filter housing to see if it made a difference but it did not. I purchased a new thermostat for the factory oil cooling setup. Has anyone placed a external oil cooling system with a sandwich plate on their tdi?
Thanks.
Tony
 
erover82

erover82

0
How’s the coolant temp read? Tdi engines generally don’t warm up quickly. The factory cooling system should be plenty for them.
 
T

TonysDefender

Member
Yes I purchased a new radiator when I purchased it. It needed lots of things. New Bosch injectors, rebuilt injection pump timing set to 1.6mm , new timing belt components, new water pump, new thermostat, new cylinder head gasket, new vacuum pump, new injector tubes, new oil cooler thermostat and hosed going to the radiator, new lift pump..... Don't know why it running so hot. It has a upgrade turbo that came with it. Maybe this engine just runs hot but not sure that's why i'm here. I own other diesels but not British Engines.
 
erover82

erover82

0
TonysDefender said:
eroves82 the temps are 195 to 200 on freeway with sock radiator
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That’s a good (normal) coolant temperature. Oil temperatures range widely and run up to about 1.4x coolant temp, so IMO your engine is operating normally.

For example, on this VDO gauge you'd be right in the middle.

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Mirrajumper

Mirrajumper

0
You might consider running a dedicated ground wire to the back of the new VDO guage. Simple, easy and cheap to do! Wiper motor bulkhead mount is a perfect pick up spot- no drilling and you can reach from under steering wheel.
 
T

TonysDefender

Member
Thats good to know. I know that 260 275 is getting a bit hot. I'm also thinking maybe the sending unit may be off a bit. Thanks for the input.
Tony
 
JimC

JimC

0
Staff member
Do you have the stock gauge? If you have a VDO like shown above and it’s wired wrong then it will read hot. First make sure the engine is actually running hot by taking the radiator inlet temps with a laser thermostat etc. My guess is you’ve got an aftermarket gauge and stray electrical load is pegging it.
 
T

TonysDefender

Member
JimC said:
Do you have the stock gauge? If you have a VDO like shown above and it’s wired wrong then it will read hot. First make sure the engine is actually running hot by taking the radiator inlet temps with a laser thermostat etc. My guess is you’ve got an aftermarket gauge and stray electrical load is pegging it.
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It didn't come with a stock oil temp gauge. The water temp seems normal. The oil temp gauge is like the one above that erover8 has posted. As I drive away, the oil temp gradually begins to climb. In city streets it stays below 220 but as soon as I get on the freeway it climbs to 250 and stays there. I'm worried that when the summer gets here the temps will be higher. Back to the sandwich plate. Have you herd of anyone placing a sandwich plate external cooler on a 300tdi? Thanks. Tony
 
erover82

erover82

0
250F at full load isn't too hot though. I believe you're measuring the oil temp before it goes through the cooler and returns to the sump at a lower temperature.. Engine oil heats up much faster than coolant and gets hotter because it is directly in contact with very hot parts of the engine such as bearings, pistons, and turbo. It is worth making sure your coolant thermostat is working properly and doing its share of the work.

To answer your question though, yes I've seen guys run sandwich plate coolers and they worked fine.

I'd make sure your primary cooling system is running optimally first though. Check that the coolant thermostat opens correctly, the viscous clutch is good, that your radiator is clean inside and out, and that the fins aren't bent over.
 
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JimC

JimC

0
Staff member
That’s really funny, I read through all this twice and kissed that we were talking about an OIL temp gauge. Classic example of why forum advice is worth what you pay for it…
 
T

TonysDefender

Member
JimC said:
That’s really funny, I read through all this twice and kissed that we were talking about an OIL temp gauge. Classic example of why forum advice is worth what you pay for it…
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No Problem JC. It's probably correct to what erover82 is commenting to. The oil has not been cooled and after radiator probably cooler that 250F. I will post a result if and when I place a sandwich plate on the oil cooler flange. It will be interesting to see what the difference is if any. Tony
 
T

TonysDefender

Member
I placed a Mocal sandwich plate on the oil filter flange and a Radiator from Napa the other day and found a difference of around 25F less temps. This did make a difference and it was easy to install. The radiator came with hardware and hose. I don't much like the quality of the radiator so I may be looking for something better in the future. This one is 3/4" thick and fits really well.
 

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