Thanks for the info on oil temps

[chaos4NH]

Sorry to hijack that Zo6 thread. Thanks to all who gave their 2 cents on the oil temps.
I am sure these hi output motors do run hot. Synthetic oil is certainly a must!

[Chrispy]

Sam, I wouldn't sweat 260 too much, all the modern engines tend to run on the hotter side. Even with a large oil cooler my Z runs at 260-270 after a few laps, I'd like it to be between 210-240 but that is difficult to achieve without a massively upgraded cooling system. My car has a protection system that kicks in at 280F that limits you to 5K RPM so I try to avoid getting that high. Just run full synthetic and change the oil frequently as the high temps do break it down more quickly, which reduces the flash point and shear resistance.

[horizenjob]

Are folks with the high oil temps running slightly thicker oil at the track? That can be a mistake.

My formula car ran such low oil temps, I removed the oil cooler and carried it around in a cardboard box as a spare for 10 years... It's more expensive to carry that street car bodywork around then you think...

[chaos4NH]

Thanks for the info Chris. Never having a baseline from the motor that blew in WV, I was being extra careful. I will see what is available as an after market oil cooler for my car.
Marcus, in speaking with Bruce Allen at Mosport, he mentioned the the 2.3 DIZ(?) motor was found to be more sturdy when running 5W/40. Manufacturer for my 2.3 turbo lists 5w/30. Any input from you or Bruce about changing to the 5W/40?
Also for what its worth, comments on the Mazda 3 forums seem to support the notion that #3 cylinder is the weak point in the 2.3. Taken with a grain of salt though, cause you know how those kids pound the poop out of their cars, while I ...............................................!

[Chrispy]

It's a matter of having the required viscosity at the operating temperature. If your motor likes between 9-11 cSt, this would normally mean that 5W30 is ideal at around the 210F temperature range. However once things start to heat up beyond that the oil will drop in viscosity significantly.

Here's a comparison chart of oil viscosity at temperature:

oil viscosity comparison.png (51.7 KiB) Viewed 3770 times

You can see that they all hit the "sweet spot" at different points. The 5W30 does it at 100C (212F) which is right where you want it for daily driving. The 5W40 does it at 120C (248F), which sounds good for track driving but then it will be just a tad on the thick side at normal temperatures. The 15W50 hits the mark at around 135C (275F) and is far too thick at normal temperatures.

So if those engines tend to run hot anyway, then 5W40 might not be a bad choice as a Summer weight oil. It would be in it's happy place up to about 125C (260F). In the Winter you should continue to run 0W30 or 5W30 for the improved low temperature viscosity.

[chaos4NH]

Thanks Chris. Your charts support the one Mark S linked
me to. I think I will go to 5W40 for the track.

[brucesallen]

Thanks for the info Chris. Never having a baseline from the motor that blew in WV, I was being extra careful. I will see what is available as an after market oil cooler for my car.
Marcus, in speaking with Bruce Allen at Mosport, he mentioned the the 2.3 DIZ(?) motor was found to be more sturdy when running 5W/40. Manufacturer for my 2.3 turbo lists 5w/30. Any input from you or Bruce about changing to the 5W/40?
Also for what its worth, comments on the Mazda 3 forums seem to support the notion that #3 cylinder is the weak point in the 2.3. Taken with a grain of salt though, cause you know how those kids pound the poop out of their cars, while I ...............................................!

Sam,
I use 5w-30 Syntec and have had no wear since 2004. Recent engine in fourth year, 35 days per year. I have an oil cooler, no turbo.
You might be amazed how much horsepower will be absorbed by viscosity of oil or low oil temperature. Dyno on my old formula Ford 1600 showed 5% OF HP difference with 180F to 210F.

[chaos4NH]

What oil temps does your car run Bruce?

[Chrispy]

Dyno on my old formula Ford 1600 showed 5% OF HP difference with 180F to 210F.

5W30 is 50% thicker at 180F vs 210F so that makes sense. But I imagine your car is well cooled and your oil temp barely budges from 200-210F.

[962porsche]

though your oil temps are a little high . i don't think you shoud obsess over it . run the oil weight your suppost to by mazda . i have a funny fealing it has some thing to do with the oil temp sencer and were it is in stalled on the new screw on type oil filter housing . it is new to the motor i installed in the car along with the new used motor from the bone yard . when i pulled the valve cover , pan and the feed pipe to the turbo they looked spotlessly clean . so i don't think it has any thing to do with the motor it's self . that is why it leads me to beleave it's were the temp sencer is now located in the new housing . you have to remember the placment of the sencer before was steped well away from the flow path of the oil in the triple t-fitting . before you had one port with a one inch fitting screwed into it then a t-fitting off of that .
this new housing has 4 port in it and now the sencer is right in the flow of the oil .

[horizenjob]

Is this the same motor as the Ford 2.0 and 2.3 Duratec?

[breakaway500]

"Is this the same motor as the Ford 2.0 and 2.3 Duratec?"
Yes,however,there are a few minor differences as to make them not interchangeable between the two makes as a bolt-in.
Placement of sensors is very critical to accurate readings and Davids explanation of the differences in the placement of the sensor before and after the engine swap is right on the money. The 2.3 is a very durable engine,but does not like to be over-revved in its stock configuration.(heavy rotating assy) The new Focus ST will use the 2.0 w/turbo to achieve similar HP figures as the Speeds 2.3 and will rev quickly. Too bad the ST gained 500lbs!
I run synthetic oil (5w-30)and oil coolers on all my cars,and oil temps are rarely over 220 degrees. I use to believe in thicker oils were the best,but changed my view once synthetics became available and I saw a demonstration of various weight oils being fed into an engine simulator and without a doubt,the lower viscosity oils had less pumping losses,greater volume/minute,and lower temperatures. (I also swear by an oil additive that has never let me down... )

[962porsche]

the ST is such a nice car but every cae co. out thee does the same thing . they build a great car but then to sell it to the masses they start to add things like back up sencers , sat nav , and hundreds of LBS of other crap .
they start with a great platform and ruin it . car co's of today need to get back to the building cars like the cosworth RS escort .

[breakaway500]

The very first thing I look at on a new car review is the curb weight.It seems adding HP is more popular than building it lighter! I read the other day the new BMW M3 won't even be available with a manual transmission...

[962porsche]

i was reading the same thing about the M3 .
last week i had a volvo C30 in the shop . looking at the motor and 6 speed trans . you think nice package ! then after i repaired it i took it for a road test . they ruined it !!!!! a small car that feals like it's a tank . the S60R's you think the same thing volvo sells that car to compete with the M3 but its about 1000 lbs more weight . one seat alone in the volvo has to be about 60 lbs . but most car manufacture's do the same thing to car for the US market . they will only offer them with the auto trans . benz , and volvo with there old 850 R every were else in the world you could get the car in a standered shift not in the states .
as you know i have been looking for a car to replace the delsol that the kid tried to steel and totaled . so i'm on line and come across a smart car called the roadster coupe . so i'm thinking great small car , sporty looking and great on fuel for about 12K . i stop in at the dealer and ask them about it to see if i can get one . no they are not imported into the states . but he tells me you can get a smart car for about the same price . i told him no i had one for two weeks and them put it up for sale because it was a total death trap . it's not because it's so small it's because if the under steer the car has . you push the car at all and it will just under steer right off the road . now why could they not import a car like the roadster ? instead of total crap like the smart car . i know why they put so much under steer in the car that is so you can't roll it over .