How long to warm up?

[TheHewsonFamily]

I have just added a VDO sump plug oil temperature sender and gauge to the bus and it seems to take a long time for the engine oil to get up to temperature going by the gauge. Even when it has been running for 20 mins it doesn't get above 80 degrees C by the gauge. Ambient temperature was about 15 degrees and I wasn't sat in traffic that much, about 10 mins of dual carriageway driving at 65 thrown in as well.

I left the bus running when I got home for 10 mins and even then it only read up to 80 degrees C. When I switched it off the oil dipstick was quite hot and I couldn't hold it for longer than a couple of seconds.

I realise that gauges are inaccurate and should only be a guide for 'normal' running but just wanted to check I hadn't got a duff one.

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

70 Celsius is up to temperature.

100 Celsius is starting to get too hot. slow your speed 10MPH

110 Celsius deffo's need to slow down and maybe think about stopping for a while let it all cool down.

120 Celsius I would think about doing an oil change asap as that really starting to degrade the oil.



I would say if yours sat at 80 Celsius in such low ambient temps (15 Celsius), its running a little too hot, might be worth having the timing checked maybe carb tune. But nothing major to worry about.



Most important thing with a gauge is to work out what is normal in your van and watch for that, The gauge may be under reading slightly as the sump plate senders sit in the air flow.

 

[TheHewsonFamily]

That's great, thanks.

From further research on this and other VW forums it seems that my temperatures are doing exactly what they should be doing. I was worried that the gauge wasn't working because it was taking so long to get up to temperature but apparently this is perfectly normal for these engines, especially in cool ambient temperatures and just demonstrates why short trips are not good for the engine!!

EDIT: Forgot to add that it has just come back from a full carb tune up, valve clearances checked and adjusted, oil change, etc. I think that there are a few holes in the tin-ware that need blanking off to improve cooling further. It has had a new rubber skirt fitted recently so I know that is in good order, I will check the fan housing to make sure all the 'bits' are opening and closing as they should.

 

[TheHewsonFamily]

Further investigation has revealed that the tinware over the transmission is the wrong size. I have the beetle tinware not the T2 tinware so there is a big gap. Unfortunately it's an engine out job to replace