Engine Oil Temperature

[CA299]

Evening all - I've got about ~5,000 miles on my 2018 Power Wagon and I loaded it up and took a camping trip out to Death Valley last weekend.

With a full load of gear and a buddy (maybe 600 pounds total - just stuff in the cab and bed I was not towing anything) I noticed some (to my mind) high engine oil temperatures.

Cruising on the freeway on the flats and up and down moderate hills between 60 and 70 MPH in ambient air temperatures ranging from 60 - 80 F my engine oil temps came in anywhere from 219 - 226 F.

What really kind of freaked me out was climbing Towne Pass on CA 190 in ~80 F heat. The engine oil temp heated up to 246 F by the time I topped the pass

They were doing some road work so I got the chance to stop and give the big girl a rest but I could definitely smell her. Coming back the other way up the same pass in the early morning and the temps got to 237 F.

Should I be worried at those temps?

I didn't think I was pushing the truck all that hard, A/C was off and the RPMs never topped 4K.

I'll be doing the first oil change here at the end of the week and I have a trip planned into the Mojave Desert this summer so I'm hoping these temps are normal because I don't want to think how high they will be with the A/C on in 100 F+ degree heat...

Hope you all can set my mind at ease!

[ghaugo]

I have a 2012 with a 5.7 hemi, and I noticed my temps run high especially when towing in the summer over the Rockies where I live. When I am towing in the mountains, I regularly run oil temps around 220F. I have gone up to 269F when running the "Ike Guantlet" up to the Eisenhower tunnel. I was nervous about what that did to my oil, but I run Amsoil Signature Series 5W30 for that reason. I tested mine after a year and over 9K miles of use and it was within specs.

I am not sure how the 6.4 temps are normally, but I know my 5.7 runs pretty warm. I believe your rig runs 0W40. According to the technical bulletin, the 0W40 Amsoil Signature Series has a flash point of 431F and fire point of 460F, so it handles heat well.

If you want to give the Amsoil a try, send me a message or go to Code4Synthetics.com.

[Lazarus]

I have a 2018 with 7k miles on it now. I have never really paid attention to my engine oil temperature, so I can’t speak to that. But I have noticed some weird smells coming from my truck when I have towed heavily uphill or worked it hard uphill. The first time I noticed it was after a 10 mile climb up 9-10% grade switchbacks pulling 3 horses and a heavy trailer in the Idaho backcountry. I pulled over at the top of the hill to check on things and all my temps seemed good, but my truck was emitting this nasty smell that I wasn’t familiar with. Never figured out what it was but I was concerned at the time. All the fancy temp gauges on these new trucks make me a lot more OCD about my truck than I already am haha.

[Oilbrnr]

I think that the 6.4's do run pretty hot. I live in AZ, so ambient temps range wildly as you probably know, but I've seen temps over 230* frequently and it did freak me out. Might be why they spec that liquid gold that goes in it. Well that and FCA is in bed with Pennzoil. Others may chime it here, but I kinda think it is just the nature of the beast. In reading about the engineering of these engines, they did quite a bit to address oil temps which are no doubt attributed to the cooling of the pistons. I have never noticed any heat related smells, and the transmission has always stayed in my comfort zone even when towing, which is a bigger concern to me quite frankly.

[Colibri]

Oil temps are normally between 10 and 40 degrees above coolant temperature depending on load.

[Will]

Throughout the years the oil has gotten better tolerances are tighter and it's been proven the oil temps you're seeing now is actually better for the engine. I don't understand why someone wants to put a 180F thermostat in. When your engine cools down, there's a hint of natural condensation, the hotter oil boils that water out and keeps which is better for everything. Change the oil and put some good stuff in it. Ive ran mobile extended for 150,000+ miles and never had an issue. It also runs more smoothly and quiet.

[RustyPW]

Normal oil temps are between 200F to 240F. Once past 240F. The ECU will start to pull timing, reducing the power output. I don't remember what the Limp mode temp is now. Thinking it's between 260F to 280F.

[CA299]

Thanks for the information everyone, I'll relax a bit. Will change the oil this weekend and see what the temps look like. Got some trips to a few hot and high areas this summer planned, possibly towing so I will advise as things change!

[DamageWagon]

The 6.4 runs hotter on oil temp. On my 5.7 my oil is normally at coolant temp or 10 degrees below. The hottest I have ever been able to get was with the truck packed and a 5,000lb trailer towing along the mountains for a few hours. 2nd gear almost pinned the entire time, coolant held at 219 with the secondary fan going and oil was 235-245 the whole time. Probably burned a quart on the whole trip ~3500 miles?

[TommyDuncan]

I've been concerned about this also. It hasn't (miraculously)been very hot here in the desert yet and the oil temp gauge sits just on the high side of half in normal driving. I plan to tow in 110°+ weather...
I noticed the oil temps on my 5.7 Grand Cherokee w/tow package are usually higher than my buddies 6.0LS motor in his Jeep while we are following each other.
I will definitely keep my eye on this...

[TommyDuncan]

I've been concerned about this also. It hasn't (miraculously)been very hot here in the desert yet and the oil temp gauge sits just on the high side of half in normal driving. I plan to tow in 110°+ weather...
I noticed the oil temps on my 5.7 Grand Cherokee w/tow package are usually higher than my buddies 6.0LS motor in his Jeep while we are following each other.
I will definitely keep my eye on this...

[CA299]

Update:

Drove several hundred miles through Southern California and into the 29 Stumps area loaded with ~500 pounds of gear in the bed. Air temps routinely in the 90 - 100 degree range.

The highest the oil temps hit was 234 degrees.

Truck has ~9K miles, pretty pleased thus far.

[RustyPW]

When I was under Peter's 2019 PW. It looked like there is an oil to coolant heat exchanger at the filter.

[TommyDuncan]

I brought my 3500lb pop-up home today to give it a good cleaning before it gets even hotter outside.
Since I had it hooked up I decided to pull it up a pretty steep highway to see how it did. I maintained 65+mph and it was 105° outside. The oil got up to 230° but no higher.

I'm pretty happy with that...

[CA299]

When I was under Peter's 2019 PW. It looked like there is an oil to coolant heat exchanger at the filter.

No kidding...maybe I should have waited on the 2019s...

I brought my 3500lb pop-up home today to give it a good cleaning before it gets even hotter outside.
Since I had it hooked up I decided to pull it up a pretty steep highway to see how it did. I maintained 65+mph and it was 105° outside. The oil got up to 230° but no higher.

I'm pretty happy with that...

That's good to hear, I'm starting to chalk my earlier 246*F oil temperature to a break in fluke of some kind as I have not seen those temperatures again.

I'm moving out to VA from CA in August and I'm planning on driving the Wagon cross country which means lots of hot and high situations with a load in the bed (no towing though). Will advise what temps I see, appreciate everyone's input!

[SeppW]

If I'm not mistaken, pretty sure there is some sort of heat exchanger on the filter adaptor or it's tied into the coolant circuit.