At what point do I need to be thinking of getting one? I'm running 218bhp through my hybrid and I can't help but think my oil temps must be getting pretty bloody high after extended hard driving on track etc.

I don't have an oil temp gauge fitted at the moment, I suppose that'd be a good idea lol. But just wondering what others experiences are with oil temps etc. what damage is likely to occur with very high oil temps? Piston rings? Cam shaft? Seals?

Cheers!

The thinner oil gets, it won't be just seals - the big end will have it as well, and I do believe that Devonutopia added an oil cooler because he suspected that it was oil temps that hosed his turbo too.

Oil coolers are pretty easy to plumb into 1.8T's - so always worth doing if you're becoming concerned. And it can hardly do any damage really!

My Tdi 130 hybrid with over 200bhp runs oil temps of upto 120 degrees while flat out on a track. With fully synthetic ester oil this isn't a problem. If you fit a oil cooler make sure it doesn't drop your oil temp too much as this is also really bad for your engine longevity. Oil only gives 100% protection within certain temp bands.

I'd check with Opie oil man to see what he says.

I reckon you don't need a upgraded oil cooler.

You can get sandwich plates with a built in stat, sO it only puts oil through the extra cooler once it reaches over 80* so you don't have the issue of oil that's too cool!

I'm just a little worried as after castle Combe something's damaged and oil is now bypassing somewhere in the block, we are starting at the cheapest things and going from there :(

Just can't help but think my oil temps may have hit the roof and damage was caused, mines the pd130 TDi too btw.

The only weakness i know of in this engine is the cam / followers so if you feel something is amiss with your engine this could be worth checking. Mine failed at 103k miles while on a hot lap of the nurburgring. All fixed now with upgraded parts.

It's using oil, very slowly but it is being burnt (dipsticks dropped by about 3-4mm over 300 miles). Light blue smoke usually at lower revs, there's no excess oil in the intercooler pipe work to suggest turbo oil seals.

The possible issues suggested to me were, oil bypassing injector seals, valve stem seals or possibly a piston ring gone 'sharp'