440 oil temp

[flyinlow]

I installed a Milodon oil pan. It had provision for an oil temperature gauge ,so I installed one.  I drove about 40 miles today to a car show an was surprised to see the temp only hit about 150*F. I picked a gauge that reads 140-300* thinking it would be warmer than the transmission fluid gauge of 100-250* The car does have an full flow oil cooler, It was 80*F today, Wondering if it is reading correct.

Anyone know what normal oil temps for a 440 cruising along are?

[Challenger340]

I installed a Milodon oil pan. It had provision for an oil temperature gauge ,so I installed one.  I drove about 40 miles today to a car show an was surprised to see the temp only hit about 150*F. I picked a gauge that reads 140-300* thinking it would be warmer than the transmission fluid gauge of 100-250* The car does have an full flow oil cooler, It was 80*F today, Wondering if it is reading correct.

Anyone know what normal oil temps for a 440 cruising along are?

With a full flow Oil Cooler and good airflow in the Engine bay on the highway the 140* may in fact be correct.   Lucky you, happy Engine.

[John_Kunkel]

One "rule of thumb" is the oil temperature should be about the same as the coolant temperature at normal cruise speeds. The full-flow oil cooler is the ringer, so the temperature should be cooler than "normal".

Some would argue that 150°F isn't warm enough to ensure that any water vapor is cooked off. 

[justcruisin]

I don't have any solid experience to draw on but it does raise the question of is a cooler detrimental to the oil if it lowers the temps below what is desirable. I guess the cooler temps does show the engine is not under stress.

[flyinlow]

I was looking for temps around 200-210.* F after 30 minutes of freeway driving on a summer day.

Originally I used a 7qt pan that hung below the k frame. Bad idea. I put the stock pan that fits '73 and up , but you barely get 5 quarts with the filter. So . I added a cooler and about 6 feet of AN 12 line which added about 1/2 to the system and of Corse kept it cooler.

I bought the Milodon road race pan at the Nats. last summer. It is only about 5 inches deep, but has wings to the sides that hold extra oil. Baffles and doors keep the oil near the pick up. The temp pick up is in the top of the passenger side wing. I assume the oil temp equalizes out through out the pan. 

The Auto meter electric temp gauge sensor came with an adaptor to fit the 3/8 NPT port. The sensor only sticks out about 1/4 inch. Was wondering how accurate it was since the oil temp was a good 50* cooler than I expected.

I will try driving with the cooler covered and see what happens.

[metallicareload99]

With a full flow Oil Cooler and good airflow in the Engine bay on the highway the 140* may in fact be correct.   Lucky you, happy Engine.

Would cooler oil temps help valve springs last longer in solid roller cam applications?

I was looking for temps around 200-210.* F after 30 minutes of freeway driving on a summer day.

The Auto meter electric temp gauge sensor came with an adaptor to fit the 3/8 NPT port. The sensor only sticks out about 1/4 inch. Was wondering how accurate it was since the oil temp was a good 50* cooler than I expected.

I have the same oil pan, I did't know what that other fitting was for.  What gauge and sending unit did you use, do you have the part numbers handy?  Thanks for any info

[chargererik]

I had the same experience with the milodon roadrace oil pan on my 440. After measuring I really doubt that the 1/8" NPT temp sender that was included with the Autometer gauge actually reaches deep enough to get submerged in the oil to give a accurate reading. I contacted Auto meter to check if they had a temp sender that was longer to reach deeper into the oil pan but the sender included with the gauge was the only one they had. Even without any oil cooler the engine oil barely reach 150F. The gauge reading must be wrong? 

[flyinlow]

With a full flow Oil Cooler and good airflow in the Engine bay on the highway the 140* may in fact be correct.   Lucky you, happy Engine.

Would cooler oil temps help valve springs last longer in solid roller cam applications?

I was looking for temps around 200-210.* F after 30 minutes of freeway driving on a summer day.

The Auto meter electric temp gauge sensor came with an adaptor to fit the 3/8 NPT port. The sensor only sticks out about 1/4 inch. Was wondering how accurate it was since the oil temp was a good 50* cooler than I expected.

I have the same oil pan, I did't know what that other fitting was for.  What gauge and sending unit did you use, do you have the part numbers handy?  Thanks for any info

Autometer 3342 Oil temp gauge

[flyinlow]

I had the same experience with the milodon roadrace oil pan on my 440. After measuring I really doubt that the 1/8" NPT temp sender that was included with the Autometer gauge actually reaches deep enough to get submerged in the oil to give a accurate reading. I contacted Auto meter to check if they had a temp sender that was longer to reach deeper into the oil pan but the sender included with the gauge was the only one they had. Even without any oil cooler the engine oil barely reach 150F. The gauge reading must be wrong? 

I used an Autometer trans temp Gauge in the pan of the trans. I used an adaptor there too but cut about half the depth off since I brazed it into the pan, so more of the sender sticks out.

I will try swapping the senders, oil temp to trans temp by switching the sender wires between the two Gauges and see what happens.

[flyinlow]

I switched senders, maybe 10 * warmer on the trans temp gauge reading engine oil temp. It is a 100-250 gauge so it reads farther up the scale.

I blocked the air flow to the cooler and will see how much warmer it gets. If it ever stops raining here.

I talked to Milodon and asked if the temp sensor being located in one of the side wings of the pan behind a spring loaded door would cause that oil to stay cooler? There response was maybe a few degrees but not a significant difference.