MIneral oil cooling

[SuperBuickGuy]

why not replace the coolant in the engine with mineral oil (such as white mineral oil)?


background
GM, after they went to oil coolers, saw a huge reduction in engine wear - so why not simply use a better substance (no rust, no freezing, quieter system, better heat properties) in the cooling system?



*since we did such a great job with square exhaust, I figure this should go well

[TheSilverBuick]

Oil has a lower specific heat than water so will carry less heat from the engine and lose less heat at the radiator.

Quick google search tells me oils are less than half as efficient at moving heat as water, or probably around 25% less efficient as a 50/50 antifreeze mix.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-fluids-d_151.html

[squirrel]

It wouldn't make a milkshake when the head gasket starts leaking. but it would blow a LOT of blue smoke.

I wonder if the improvements GM saw were the result of getting different areas of the engine cooler? The coolant doesn't cool moving parts, but the oil does cool moving parts.

[Barry Donovan]

Oil has a lower specific heat than water so will carry less heat from the engine and lose less heat at the radiator.

Quick google search tells me oils are less than half as efficient at moving heat as water, or probably around 25% less efficient as a 50/50 antifreeze mix.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/sp...ids-d_151.html

according to that list..

I am going to milk, hydrochloric acid, some glycerine and potassium hydrate...and some water...and some ammonia, and a bic lighter.

awesome antifreeze.

[hauen]

It's not mineral oil, but look up propylene glycol, some people are using that now for a variety of reasons.

[Russell]

GM, after they went to oil coolers, saw a huge reduction in engine wear

Does the Oil lubercate better when its cooler?

[DanStokes]

One of the failure modes for oil is "breaking down" or a loss of viscosity at which point it pretty much loses it's lubricity, which happens as a result of being overheated. It takes a certain amount of heat to let it flow well but too much is - too much. Manufacturers are going to thinner oils as there is less resistance to being pumped and therefore less parasitic loss. One of the advantages to synthetic oils is that they pretty much don't break down.

Blend all this together and I'm guessing that there is an ideal oil temp for any given oil - too hot and the oil fails and too cold and there's an increase in parasitic losses. Losing heat from the oil is probably the safe alternative if you're willing to live with a slight FE penalty. Truck has a pretty active oil cooling system and one of the side effects is that it's almost impossible to get cabin heat out of it in the cooler weather.

Dan

[squirrel]

Truck has a pretty active oil cooling system and one of the side effects is that it's almost impossible to get heat out of it in the cooler weather.

I bet that has more to do with the efficiency of the engine because it's a diesel, than it does with the oil cooler. Good fuel mileage = lousy heater.

[DanStokes]

Jim, I'm thinking it's some of each. A really efficient engine and the oil losing its heat readily all add to the "issue".

Dan

[milner351]

Dan - lots of guys pull the mechanical fan right off in the winter, others block off a good portion of the radiator.

I thought you moved south to avoid cold weather - what's all this about a lousy heater in the truck and a new heater in the shop?

Didn't move far enough South? LOL

[Russell]

I think not haveing heat has to do with the Large by Huge radiator to cool the beast when pulling a load up the grape vine at full song! My friend who is a cummins tech puts card board in front of his in the winter.

[TheSilverBuick]

Heck, when driving my Centurion in winter I have to cardboard over the radiator because the thermostat oscillates otherwise because the 4 core radiator does such a good job at cooling. The Skylark has exhibited the same behavior but not in the same extreme way the Centurion does. The temp gauge on the Centurion would bounce between <120*F and ~195*F (thermostat rating) every three or four minutes, the Skylark ocsillates between 160*F and ~180*F. I'm talking below 20*F out and light throttle highway driving though, not Dan's tropical living. Cardboard on the Centurion's radiator completely stopped the ocsillation, never did anything about the Skylark.

[DanStokes]

I'm sporting the fiber thermostat which helps (it will EVENTUALLY get some heat in it). I blocked most of it but left the oil cooler exposed - may need to rethink that.

Now back to your regularly scheduled threadjack

Dan

[Caveman Tony]

I bet that has more to do with the efficiency of the engine because it's a diesel, than it does with the oil cooler. Good fuel mileage = lousy heater.

Probably why my TDI has heated seats, lol...