engine oil temp, what should the limit be?

[rbridges]

The engine monitor is set to alert when the oil temp reaches 210F.  Is this typical?  I ask b/c I seem to hit it often, then I'll richen the mixture to cool things down.  Even during "conservative" flying, I seem to get close to 210 pretty easy.

 

[PTK]

I'm not an expert but 210 sounds on the high end to me Rob. I have my 800 alarm at 200 for oil T. Again very conservative but I like to be. It usually ranges  between 160-190. Lycoming has a very liberal upper limit of 245. Way too high for my comfort level!

High oil T and CHT are usually indicative of inadequate cooling. Check baffles for proper installation and integrity. Check also oil Pressure. Low oil pressure wil decrease oil to the cooler. If the baffles are good then check oil cooling system.

[rbridges]

thanks.  what's weird is that CHT and exhaust temp are in a comfortable level (CHT<380), but oil temp bumps around 200.

[jetdriven]

Rob, where is your oil temp probe in relation to the oil cooler?  On a J it is after the cooler, with quite a bit lower reading than one with the probe before the cooler.

[rbridges]

Byron, I'm not sure.  I'll see if I can find out. 

Thanks.

[Newmooneyguy]

I installed a new oil cooler in my M20E and it runs around 230.  Don't know why.  Everything else checks OK.

[eaglebkh]

I can thump the oil temp gauge in my E and the needle may shift 40-60 degrees.  I dont put much faith into ~50 year old temp gauges.

I am currently having a JPI 700 installed along with the oil temp probe.  I imagine the temps will differ between the two probes.  Same goes for CHT.

One thing that usualy check is the ambient temp just after start-up.  My oil temp gauge can be way below OAT.  And my hangar isn't fully enclosed either (solar heating), so parked, oil temp should equal OAT.