Warm oil, Why not?

Lady and gentlemen,
Step right up...I have a topic here that is sure to make people squirm in their computer chairs. I have been reluctant to post this, for reasons that should be obvious once you read the following, but we currently have two active threads on anti-sumping valves, one thread on anti-anti-sumping logic, one on temperatures of oil in the tank, and one on engine oil. It seems the time has come to discuss this.

Last summer was the coolest and wettest summer on record in Southeast Alaska. That is saying something for a place that is well known for being wet and cold. I still rode most days, but kept my warmest gear on and managed most days to dash between rain showers. A lot of riding in temps barely over 50 degrees F. My daily commute is just under seven miles and it wasn't getting the bike warm enough to cook the water out of my oil. After just a couple of days my oil would look like curdled milk and the stuff coming out of the breather tube at the tank lid looked like an oil milkshake. Yuk. If this wasn't enough, I read an article that claims ZDDP additives need to reach 176 degrees before they start to do any good on cams and lifter faces.

So, I put a transimission heater on my oil tank. I chose the Kat 24050 from NAPA. A 50-watt silicone pad that plugs into 120v. It is stuck to the inner most side of the oil tank and the wire runs up to beneath the seat. It keeps my oil at just below 100 degrees. It also cooks the water out of it nicely and keeps my battery warm while in the process. Here is a link to the heater on Amazon, where it is much less expensive than at NAPA:
http://www.amazon.com/Kats-24050-Watt-U ... B000I8YPQ4

So, it doesn't do any good to heat the oil if it doesn't stay in the tank. So I will admit to having a manual valve on my oil line. Here is a photo of the valve prior to installation.



Yeah, I know, someday I will forget to turn it on. Just like someday I will forget to unplug my heater before I ride off. I kinda think it is hard to argue against getting condensation out of your oil. I also have this idea that if the oil is prewarmed that it doesn't take as long for it to start providing protection to the cam and lifters.

OK, have fun!

Russ

I think an oil heater is a great idea- especially for those who ride in chilly climates.

Some years ago on an earlier version of my fuel injection system I had a head temperature sensor screwed into a long nut on the front center head bolt= down in the middle. I had warmup enrichment enabled until that sensor registered 200 degrees F. One day on the road a front came through and the weather dropped into the 40's. I didn't worry too much about it and headed out. About 100 miles later the bike quit running [in the middle of nowhere] -out of gas. What I found out was cruising at 60-70 in the cool air kept the head so cool the warmup enrichment stayed on and cut the fuel milage in half. Now the temp sensor is located at the top rear of the barrel where it stays warm. Jim

ZDDP is not one substance but very many and each has its own deposition temperature, the very coldest being in the 170's F range you report, but by far most off the shelf oil ZDDP packages will require almost 200' F surface to from the Zn-Ph nano pads, if not displaced by too much detergent and ZDDP levels enough to compensate. If the ZDDP forms at lowest temps this also means it dispates and lowest temps too, so some the most heated loaded surfaces that need a start up protective layer my be left bare. In other words ZDDP will only form when oil is at near boiling hot on the surfaces it touches. Bad news I've found is one *can not* get to moisture cook off or ZDDP re-layering temps by just sitting still on idle level throttle even blipping it good. If oil held well above ambiant temps and humidity outside low then over night mild heating works out as revealed in an Eskimo's Commando.

I've laid light bulbs behind barrels and a lamp under bike to keep ready
to go in winter but take care not to over heat bubble paint of combust oil.
Heat soaks all the way to head and carbs significantly but easy to break bulb.
I'm snatching some soon illegal 100w for this and other instant on good lighting.
Heating oil tank just wet sumped it faster to get really cold condensation.

I'd sure think about insulating tank somehow somewhat and maybe oil lines and oil filter too. MIght block front of head some. CHT with simple rings under plug like small cheap ultralights use would be very informative to go by.
I admire and will include Russ as a daily rider to reflect on hope to be half as involved on my Commando, but a regular one just an't temping enough though thick and thin.

Jim what is the sensor threshold to give us idea of anterior head temps inside on steady cruise?

When the sensor was on the front center bolt the range was wide. 160 to 450 degrees.

With the sensor at the top rear of the barrels the range on the highway is from about 300 to 450 degrees. A cold day might see it at 250.

I also have a thermocouple buried deep in the head right between the chambers about 1/2 inch above the gasket surface. It is connected to a readout on my dash. It runs from about 350 to 400 degrees on the highway at cruise and rises quickly to 450 or 500 degrees when I use heavy throttle.

Setting at extended idle in still air it will slowly rise toward 500 degrees in about 20 minutes. I try to keep it below 500. With just a little breeze I think it would safely idle forever. Jim

C-130 aircraft APU's use the same basic setup you are describing to heat the oil. It does a good job at kickstarting the lubrication process in a gas turbine engine, and makes perfect sense to use on your Commando. However, a quick and easy fix to your problem would be to leave early and take the long way to work , you DO live in Alaska :!:

Excellent idea, Russ!

Very informative data points Jim, helps fill in and interpret Alan Goldwater's thermo probe into oil flow in front of head in upper 400's F. Its comforting to know that long idle periods produces about same deep heat level as burning lots of fuel with air speed. If engine can stand 500' F center head heat under road loads then no sweat for it to stand the heat at ridiculous long 20 min still idle. British Iron and definitely Norton got it about right on thermal mass and fin area to take wide range of operation just fine. What is the most scary heat testers are those heartless racers holding WOT on and on and on...

There was a thermo video of a Commando that showed the most heat flowing to outside was between exht port and plug area. Didn't get a good look down center though but the center front was definitely cooler, which make me think Norton flow through head works pretty good.

The real down side of setting still idling in hot traffic jam is ya can't idle too long or the battery will go dead with lights on and stall out. It takes like 1600 rpm to break even with a Sparx 3 phase 210 watt alternator and that may be enough extra fuel burn above 1000 rpm idle to over heat head and burn the oil.
Next question is what would be considered as over heated Norton heart?
550' F, 600' F, 750' F...

What grade/'weight' oil would this Alaska rider put in, going by how short his daily ride is? I suppose for labor traded for economy and less pollution, oil could be drained out and heated in a pot to dry out then put back in before a ride. I've wondered about doing this to my brake and power steering fluid that get stored a long time yet is slowly collecting water even in sealed containers.