how hot can oil get???

[44oEX]

I have a temp guage on my 500ex...and riding trails it never got to hot ( around 210-230 ) but I was doing some MX this weekend and it got some freaking hot a couple time I had to stop. it was going on 280:eek2: ...is that to hot for oil or can it go higher?

I have a secondary oil cooler and scoops so I can`t really do anything esle to cool it down

[44oEX]

come on someone has to know this stuff

[2004exrider]

the 400ex is normally operating around 250-275 degrees, oil will start breaking down at 300 degrees, i guess it will be fine if it remains at 280 and doesnt get any higher. if ure worried you can always hook up a 2nd oil cooler or get an aftermarket one.

good luck

[Mike_Rides_Red]

Have you tried header wrap? From what I've heard there a significant differnance in temps with header wrap on an air cooled engine.

dont do the header wrap all it does is add weight it improves nothing on little motors, what octane are you runing, i would start putting some insulatin on my oil cooler hoses and on the bottom of my gas tank if i were you, and what weight are you runing, at least 50w right

[300exOH]

I wouldn't recommend the header wrap either. I had it on my old pipe and when I took it off the whole header was rust. It traps moisture really bad. I'd go for the oil cooler if you're worried about it. Also make sure your jetting is right if it is too lean the engine will run hot.

[nosliw]

try riding dunes with that aircooled bike. 330+ degrees easy from fairly relaxed riding.

[44oEX]

Originally posted by 2004exrider
the 400ex is normally operating around 250-275 degrees, oil will start breaking down at 300 degrees, i guess it will be fine if it remains at 280 and doesnt get any higher. if ure worried you can always hook up a 2nd oil cooler or get an aftermarket one.

good luck

I have a second oil cooler already...it really help alot.

I never had this problem in trail riding...but on the track it just ran really hot...the weather was pretty hot to tho but still.


Originally posted by yzfmxer
dont do the header wrap all it does is add weight it improves nothing on little motors, what octane are you runing, i would start putting some insulatin on my oil cooler hoses and on the bottom of my gas tank if i were you, and what weight are you runing, at least 50w right

I am running the best pump gas I can get...I think it's around 93...what exacly do you mean by insulatin on the lines???and bottom of the tank...you mean like heat wrap my lines? and why?

as for oil I am running belray 10W40 non synthetic right know....you think I should go higher? would it help with the cooling?

nosliw you never have any trouble running that high?

this isnt my computer so i dont have the pics, but the insulation you put under your gas tank is obviously to keep your gas from getting hott. its mostly something you do for preformance because cold gas is better than hot gas, i dunno, ktm does it. the insulation on your oil lines may not help that much either i was thinking of a dirtbike when the radiator line goes around the headwer so it gets hot there, alot of mx teams dot it but im not sure where the oil lines are on the 400 so i dunno if it will really hep you out. as for the oil def. go up to 50 or even 75 w if you can find it, i just wouldnt recomend useing it durring the winter because it will turn into sludge. the oil wont really help cooling though it just protects from damages at higher temps. i would recomend tring a little bit richer jetting and mixing 93 pump gas like 50/50 with some race gas

[44oEX]

well for the jetting it is pretty dam close to perfect right know..and the race gas is kind of out of my budget...sorry i know I am not helping you to much lol...I will see what I can do for the oil tho...when you get your computer could you put up the pictures?

ill try to post the pictures when i get home im out of town right now though so it will be awhile........like saturday or sunday, but you should def change you jettin its better to run too rich than too lean, and have you adjusted you air/fuel mix screw yet, if not that will help a little

[K_Fulk]

Do you have an aluminum sleeve?

[hondapimp19]

id suggest an oversized oil tank and/or aftermarket oil cooler. thats what i have on mine and my oil temp went from 285 down to 270 on the track

[FoxRacing81]

Definatly run 20w50 Synthetic or Semi-Synthetic...10w40 is waaay to low...I run Bel-Ray Semi Synthetic 20w50 Thumper oil in 426...runs real good.

For that 500, I'd suggest Klotz MX4 15w50 4 stroke racing oil...it's expensive (10 bucks a quart)...or the Bel-Ray that I run....

It'll help you a ton, plus synthetic and semi-synthetic will run a lot cooler then standard.

[cals400ex]

i would run 15w-50 or 20w-50 for sure! my opinion would be a full synthetic.


i would try a mickey dunalp cooler instead of two stock coolers.


what compression ratio is your bike?

[44oEX]

No I don`t have a aluminum sleeve. is cast

as for the jetting I don`t want to go to big, it`s perfect right know I took the time to get it right...and the mixture screw is perfect to.

As for the mickey dunlap cooler that is what I have except the cooler is from a street bike but it`s hook right on the head like the FST setup. so I can`t really go any better on that...I could have a after market oil tank but just the tank alone will not do much difference.

As for oil I think I can only get 20W50 so I`ll try that.

I can only run regular...I have a web cam and they say I CAN`T run synthetic it will burn the cam cause the oil doesn`t stick to it.

The compression is 11:1

[K_Fulk]

Look into getting an aluminum sleeve. Should help quite a bit.

[Woodsrider]

...I could have a after market oil tank but just the tank alone will not do much difference.

Actually it would help, you have the capacity to hold more oil. More oil means more oil in the system, giving it time to cool down more before recycling back into the engine. Also, a 20w50 will also help protect your engine. It wont make it run cooler, but it will protect at higher temps.

20-50 weight-walmart. 99 cents a qt. ;)

[jhoppa]

Race Gas is the only thing I run on my 416.

If you have the jetting right on, you are probably detonating after the engine gets hot.

$5 gallon for race gas. $2.50 per gallon for premium.

If you are racing or on the track for more than 20 minutes at a time. Race Gas would be the first thing I would change to. Second would be jetting if you are still running hot.

[FoxRacing81]

Originally posted by jhoppa
Race Gas is the only thing I run on my 416.

If you have the jetting right on, you are probably detonating after the engine gets hot.

$5 gallon for race gas. $2.50 per gallon for premium.

If you are racing or on the track for more than 20 minutes at a time. Race Gas would be the first thing I would change to. Second would be jetting if you are still running hot.

Dude, I'd gladly run race gas in mine, but there is no place around here at all to buy it!

[cals400ex]

usually synthetic adheres to parts longer than dino oil. :huh


i have a feeling the dino oil is not doing too well once you get over the 225 degree mark...

[TC426EX]

My 13:1 426 runs fairly hot, thats just the price you pay when you mod the hell out of your bike (like you have by putting in that monster piston). I have the FST cooler, quadtech scoop hood, side scoops, and all that and I still run around 250 most of the time when Im riding hard. And thats running straight 110 octane race fuel full time. So basically when I go out I will ride for about 45 minutes and then let my bike sit for 15.

I would check into synthetic oil man. Call web and double check on what they said. I cant see how a web cam is different from any other cam and not be able to run synthetic with it. Just make sure if you go synthetic, you get one which is marked "wet clutch safe". If you dont, you will have clutch problems. You could also try going one size cooler on your spark plug like I have.

[cals400ex]

my 426 ran 215 at the hottest. i did have a thermal coated piston and pipe, which probably helped a fair share. i ran the stock oil cooler and NO air scoops. i did run full synthetic mobil 1 15-50 oil though.

[cals400ex]

by the way, i ran pump gas too.

[44oEX]

see the problem with race gas is that we already pay like 1.07$ /liter for 93, witch mean like 4.28$ per gallon ...race gas would be 10-20$ per gallon...way to much and I need to buy it in 45 gallon so well you figure it out it`s WAY to much.

For the alunimun sleeveI probably can`t even get it for a 500...this is not the stock sleeve. an it probably don`t last very long being aluminum

I already have the one step down cooler plug.

As for calling web cam I did an that it what they said an it`s in the instructions to...as for being different well hot cam is the same way..check on the instructions. I don`t know about the others.

for the 0.99$ wal-mart oil...I don`t think so...I will at least run some good stuff lol.

I will change to 20w50 and see if it helps any...I might build a oil tank to see if it helps...but is probably not untill next year...buying is to much.

[K_Fulk]

I have an aluminum sleeve for my 92mm piston, I doubt yours is any bigger than that. There out there if you look.

As for not being as strong you have to get them nickasiled. The nickasil will last 5 times longer than a cast iron sleeve.

[44oEX]

yeah ok but that must be some freaking expencive...how much???

thats not for now...the races are only 8min + one lap...maybe if I keep it but I will eventualy get a 550-580R...I hope :devil:

[K_Fulk]

I had my local guy do mine. I had a about 300 even in the sleeve, installation and the nickasil. He takes forever though.

[dork]

my xr600 runs 250 once its up to temperature, and thats running it hard with some speed. these bikes don't have an oil cooler. its stock though. at lower speeds with high loads, i've seen 275-280, but thats rare. you should be ok if you can keep it between 250-280, like others have said some oils breakdown at 300. maybe you could fabricate an electric fan for the cooler to help at low speeds. also, you can run a motorcycle synthetic with your web cam. i'd also run at least 20/50 or even a straight 40w if you son't ride below 40.

[bwamos]

I'll agree with the others get some 15w50 or 20w50 for summer riding.

Being in canada.. id surely switch back to 10w40 minimum in the winter.

[jhoppa]

I don't know where you are located, but in St. Louis there are a couple gas stations that sell race gas. Call around to race shops in your area, I bet they can point you to where you can buy race gas. If there is a oval race track in your area, check them out.
Fuel distributors, etc.

All the mods you have done to your bike, I would say it desires race gas!! Why take the chance in blowing up all the mods you have done? Sure you can do more mods to make it run fine on pump gas, but WHY???

In a 2 hour harescramble I run through one tank of gas. 2.5 gallons?? I am done riding after that and I go and rest. Worried about cost? Mix race gas with pump gas and see what the temp drops too. You might just need a little more octane.

Whats your riding style?? If you run high RPM's for long period of time, it will get hot. The 400ex was not designed to run high RPMs for extended periods, especially with mods. I use 2-3 gear most of the time and use the torque of the bike and lower RPMs. If you run high RPMs might want to consider selling the 400ex and get a stock 450r (water cooled).

Do some research on race gas in your area. I think you will find your quad will run awesome and not get so HOT.

[400exstud]

How do you check your oil temp.?:ermm:

[cals400ex]

Originally posted by 400exstud
How do you check your oil temp.?:ermm:



get a warpdrive oil temperature dipstick. they are very nice.

[44oEX]

Originally posted by 400exstud
How do you check your oil temp.?:ermm:

I put a oil temp guage on my bike.

as for race gas I can get some but it's like 4$ per liter...so thats like 16$$ per gallon...way to much...I trail ride and wast like 2 tanks of gas every week if not more....so it's like 100$ of gas per week. wait to much. as for riding style the stroker is a torque motor so I try to use that as much as posible...I don't have it bouncing off the limiter or anything like that.

in trails it's ok..it's mx that over heats

[hawiianpwr]

Amsoil has done really well for me. Runs noticeably cooler. The oil doesnt breakdown till well over 400 degrees

Here is there website
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/aff.aspx

[bwamos]

Originally posted by hawiianpwr
Amsoil has done really well for me.

I agree 100% No matter what weight oil.. amsoil is the best.

Hell, they will even waranty your engine against damage caused by the oil as long as you follow their reccomendations. If you race.. you need to get special permission of course. ;)

[44oEX]

Originally posted by hawiianpwr
Amsoil has done really well for me. Runs noticeably cooler. The oil doesnt breakdown till well over 400 degrees


yeah ok but at 400 the oil is still good but you probably mest up something else in the engine...like melt ruber seals and stuff so i'll just try to stay under that :D

well I put some belray 20W50 in there yesterday...hope it helps.

and yeah for the winter I'll have to go back to 10W40 cause the other one is way to heavy

[400ex2072]

I agree that Amsoil is the best! I use their oil pretty much exclusively now and love it. Used to switch between the Klotz and Amsoil, but its just straight amsoil from now on

[UglyMotha™]

I like to bring it to a boil before I drop my frys in :o

[Chino]

Originally posted by UglyMotha™
I like to bring it to a boil before I drop my frys in :o

i usually just save the crisco or cooking oil my mom cooks with and put it in my bike, runs just as good if not 100 times better, you should try it.
:cool:

[Rico]

Synthetic oil and a higher octane gas will help the cooling process.