Oil thermostat testing

[Error404]

Just tested the oil thermostat out of my coupe. Heated up a pan of vegetable oil on the hob
It's rated to start to open at 100c.
Mine didn't start to open until 118c and wasn't at full stroke until 134c.
I guess that explains why my car runs 130-135deg oil temps on track.

New thermostat/piston is quite pricey on AT at 87Eur + post.
I think I'm going to blank off the oil cooler unions on the stat housing and use a Mocal sandwich plate.

[steve briance]

interesting.

How annoying would it be if that was the cause of your engine failure

Did you just put the whole assembly in the pan or certain working parts? Ive bouiled coolant thermostats in a pan before and seen movement but having just done the conversion on my 7A i couldn't see very much in the housing to do any work, any pics of which bit we should be looking at?

[Error404]

Engine is OK I think Nothing in the oil/filter except some magnetic sludge, so I suspect that the oil pump has worn on the cover plate and now clearance are too large to generate any vacuum/pressure.

I just put the thermostat piston in there. The plunger pushes against the housing cap to open the flow path.

[steve briance]

ah, that is more like what I would expect to see! thanks for posting the pic

I don't have oil temperature problems (who does when it is so cold?!) but the housing is a second hand part which I'd like to at least know is working o.k. Is there any difference in the working parts between ABY vs 3B?...

cheers

[Error404]

RS2, ABY & 3B, all the same AFAIK

[Mikes2]

I may have a spare one of these if it's any good. It's from an MB engine

[Tridac]

Out of interest, what is the normal oil temp for that engine, what are the temp limits for the oil and then, is the oil cooler big enough for track use ?...

[Error404]

I may have a spare one of these if it's any good. It's from an MB engine

Thanks for the offer Mike but I've already ordered a Mocal take-off

[Rusty]

Get a baffled sump and swirl pot in there. Likely that the oil pressure dropped off on track for a fraction of a second and the OE breather can't cope either.

Mine sits at 130 on track. It's the water temp that tells more of a story IME.

[Error404]

100c is optimum for most synthetics.
FWIW my coolant temp was a solid 90deg whilst my oil temps rocketed to 150c+ due to a flow problem, so both need to be monitored / contained equally importantly IMHO.

[Rusty]

150 isn't good. Oil temps in the turbo bearings head towards 300, hence why we all run W50 or W60 where W40 is all that's needed in the engine...

[Tridac]

Would be interesting to put some thermocouples at various points to get more accurate readings, as the on bourd gauges can't be relied upon for accuracy. May have a play with that next spring, now i'm starting to get the bug on all this...

[sailaz]

interesting.
.... i couldn't see very much in the housing to do any work, any pics of which bit we should be looking at?

maybe somebody has photos of disassembled housing

034115417C

oil filter bracket

or knows a link ?
I've got one disassembled and I see/know that some parts are missing ....

[sailaz]

OK, small research and everything clear.
Here is photo what I have, screen shot from ETKA and small list what is missing :

no.7 - 034115561A - oil filter <FRAM PH10298> (on the shelf)
no.9 - 035115441B - seal for oil filter bracket (on the shelf)
- N0133091 - 2 x locating pin 4,5x16 (hopefully on the block)
no.12- 034115427 - o-ring for end cap 50x3 (big green on photo but new not available)
no.15- 034117233B - 2 x threaded union (not really needed because of custom lines)