cold weather fronts?

[ftb87]

At what temps should you keep your cold weather fronts on? It seems when I installed mine a few weeks ago... it was cold enough. But with temps in the mid-60's... I dont know.





Frank

 

[EricBu12]

frank,

It is up to the 60's here too and I have all 4 panels on mine, just leave it on, and it will do good when it gets cold. the radiator is big enough that if it gets a little warm, then it can handle it



Did you buy my winter guards? how do you like them if you did?

Eric

 

[ftb87]

Thanks for the fast reply Eric. I didn't purchase one of your..... I have a sport model and you didn't have any pre-cut for my truck .



Frank

 

[The patriot]

I have the ones made by Lund. I've ran the truck with them on up to 80 deg, but I didnt use the air, and I wasnt towing.

Temp didnt get high at all, however I did hear my fan cycling. No problem.

Eric

 

[illflem]

Since the CTD has such an overbuilt cooling system you won't see a rise in cooling temps with a winter guard or running fanless unless you are towing or using the AC in temps over 85°. What you don't see unless you have an intake air temp sensor is that your intercooler isn't doing it's job the way it was designed to when the temp goes over 70° and it's flow is blocked. Ideal intake air temp is 50-90°, at high boost pre-cooler temps can reach 250°. I've had intake temps up to 180° with my Lunds on at 70° ambient, remove them and it drops to 90° instantly. Blocking the intercooler airflow at higher temps will result in less power and fuel economy.

 

[Neal Cassady]

Winter Front--Water and Oil Temp

When I run my winter front (cardboard between the CAC and rad with a hole cut in the middle, 12" hole for cool, 9" hole when it is below 30 degrees) and the outside temps get above 55 F my water temp will run just a hair above 190 but my oil temp, measured at the filter housing, will run around 235 or a little higher. Sometimes it is a hassle or I forget to pull out the cardboard when the temps warm up in the afternoon. Oil temp normally runs at about 210.



Anyone know how hot is hot with regards to oil temp? Even during the hottest days of summer flogging the truck uphill I rarely saw more than 225 on the oil temp gauge.



Dave

 

[RobG]

I put my Lund Cold Front on last week. Last Wednesday, I drove to Reno with my Lance camper loaded (GVWR of 12,180), up over the Sierras from the SF Bay Area. Temps were about 5-10 deg higher than without the Cold Front installed. Outside temps were in the high 50's to mid 60's.



Rob

 

[EricBu12]

Sport guards?

Anyone that has a sport model, I am in the works to make the sport model winter guards. Price will be the same as the other ones. E-mail me at -- email address removed -- after 11-15 or -- email address removed -- up til then or after. I am taking names of interested buyers.

Have a new system and manufacturing plan in place so that I can make more sets in one day and not have to work as hard

 

[Cooker]

Dave D,



235 is too hot for engine oil, especially if you are not using a synthetic. The hottest sustained temp with conventional oil should be ~205. If see much above that for any period, it will provide less protection by shortening the life of the oil.



All summer here in Michigan I never saw more than 207 degrees for the engine oil in my truck.



If you expereince higher oil temps often, you may want to condier a synthetic.



-Ryan

 

[JJW_ND]

I also agree 235 seems high. I ask Cummins "Powermaster" about oil temps several years back. They said the port above the filter housing was the best place to put sensor. Temps should be kept under 220.



In 5 yrs and 200k miles with some extreme pulling I have only been able to get to about 215. This is pulling 60' of trailer in 4th WOT for several hundered miles.



Running empty I have only got to 190. Most of the time empty temp is 180.





jjw

ND

 

[DPelletier]

I too have the Lund unit. I didn't get the 2 panels that block off the openings in the bumper (they were extra $), only the four that go in the grill. My question is, does anyone know if leaving the bumper holes open only is enough for the intercooler?

 

[Rammin On]

Dave D .....



FYI ... the MAX allowable oil temp for this engine is 250 degrees F. The more you heat an oil the more the oil oxidizes thus degraging the life of the oil. I agree 235 seem awfully high. At 190 your oil temp (depending on the load you have on the engine) should be closer to 205-215 range.



Keith

 

[Neal Cassady]

Max Engine Oil Temp

Thanks Keith, jjw and Cooker,



I have been doing some more research on this subject and 250 seems to be the agreed upon max oil temp for the engine.



My temp gauge (actually an Autometer auto trans temp gauge) displays readings from 100 F to 250F. After looking at the gauge more carefully it appears my max oil temp has been around 230 F, although the accuracy of the gauge may suffer away from the middle of the range.



With the front blocked and running down the highway at 75 MPH on warm afternoons the oil temp will move to around 230 F and the water temp will be slightly to the right of 190.



Without the front blocked the coolant runs around 170 F or so and the oil temp sits steady at 210 F. The oil temp ran all summer at 210 F unless I ran it hard uphill for several miles and then it would move to around the 230 F mark.



I found this link regarding oil temps and the N14. I know they run many gallons of oil but thought it was applicable.



http://www.cummins.com/jp/pages/en/....cfm?uuid=00041C0F-EDC4-1981-9BB380C4A8F0FC10



I think the coolant is able to shed heat better through the rad with the 12" opening than the oil cooler is able to exchange heat with the air and the coolant in the water jacket. I have been told the the oil filter mount is also a air/air and air/coolant heat exchanger. With the cardboard in I am not getting much airflow across the engine.



Guess I need to slow down or remember to remove the block. Gettin' old, going to have to try to remember to leave a note on the steering wheel.



Dave