High oil temp

[njh11]

I have a 406 110 bhp diesel estate. Everything is fine, oil temp and water temp.... except when I tow.
The oil temp creeps up to approx 120 (130 on hills) but the water temp stays the same at 90.
Has anyone else had the same problem or does anyone know of any additional cooling kits I could
purchase to lower the oil temp when towing.
Thanks
Regards Nigel

[Doggy]

Mine doesn't have any numbers between 90 & 140, but there are a couple of 'divisions'. As the scale is pretty non-linear, it's not clear to me what they represent. My car usually sits at the next mark up form 90, (which I guessed to be 110). If I go really gently, it drops a bit and climbs half way to the next mark if it's working hard. I think this is normal?

Your car already has an oil cooler, (or rather an oil/water heat exchanger, fitted around the base of the oil filter).

Do you know yours is getting too hot, or are you just trying to find out what's 'normal'?

[Welly]

This behaviour is normal, oil temp will always rise under strain but I wouldn't read too much into what the gauge is saying, they're not really accurate - the gauge is indicating a rise in oil temp, which is correct, if it stayed 'high' then it would need looking at but the fact that it drops again shows normal service.

If I towed once or twice a year or whatever I'd step up the oil changes to every 6000 or 6 months and use a quality semi-synthetic 10W/40 like Fuchs/Silkolene XTR (I've used a lot of this oil and swear by it). Oil temp will also rise a few degrees when it's coming up for an oil change as the old oil shears down and runs a bit hotter.

It's also important to tow with 'favourable' engine revs and not labour the engine for too long as this raises oil temps.

[njh11]

Mine doesn't have any numbers between 90 & 140, but there are a couple of 'divisions'. As the scale is pretty non-linear, it's not clear to me what they represent. My car usually sits at the next mark up form 90, (which I guessed to be 110). If I go really gently, it drops a bit and climbs half way to the next mark if it's working hard. I think this is normal?

Your car already has an oil cooler, (or rather an oil/water heat exchanger, fitted around the base of the oil filter).

Do you know yours is getting too hot, or are you just trying to find out what's 'normal'?

Thanks for your comments. I am just trying to find out if this is normal or if I need to consider extra cooling!

Nigel

[njh11]

This behaviour is normal, oil temp will always rise under strain but I wouldn't read too much into what the gauge is saying, they're not really accurate - the gauge is indicating a rise in oil temp, which is correct, if it stayed 'high' then it would need looking at but the fact that it drops again shows normal service.

If I towed once or twice a year or whatever I'd step up the oil changes to every 6000 or 6 months and use a quality semi-synthetic 10W/40 like Fuchs/Silkolene XTR (I've used a lot of this oil and swear by it). Oil temp will also rise a few degrees when it's coming up for an oil change as the old oil shears down and runs a bit hotter.

It's also important to tow with 'favourable' engine revs and not labour the engine for too long as this raises oil temps.

Thanks for your reply. The car is due for an oil change and 6 months ago when I had it serviced did not know what oil the garage put in, so will follow your advice and get some of the oil quoted.

Cheers
Nigel

[hammerman]

Well,i have a 2003 110(remapped to 140 bhp).My oil temp goes up to around 120-130 when towing,around 20 deg higher than when not towing.My old Xantia TD did the same.I`ve never had the oil temp to max or any warning on,so never really worry about it.
Its the same as my engine temp gauge.In normal use it sits around the 88 deg mark.The same as towing,unless going up a step hill.Like last friday on the north devon link road(very long steep hills)With the car & `van loaded with our gear,inc our babys stuff ,on one of the long hills the engine temp went to max & i had the MFD beeping & telling me to STOP.I turned the a/c off,put the heater to max,soon got to the top,& as i say,after every up hill bit,theres a nice downhill bit to cool the engine.