Very Hot Oil

Bugs 01

New member

Equipment
Z482
Jun 23, 2021
16
0
1
Tn
I am hoping someone can give me a few pointers regarding the very hot oil in a Z482. I have contacted Kubota, Onan and anyone that anyone has suggested with no assistance. In an attempt to resolve the nasty and lengthy process of changing the oil and filter, I installed a spin on filter base and ran 1/2" rubber fuel lines to a remote filter adapter where a large 40 ounce full flow filter was installed. At the "in" side of the adapter, I installed a 1/2" black iron "T" with the oil coming in one side of the "T", the oil passing thru the T and entering the filter. A electric temp gauge sending unit was installed in the other opening of the "T". The oil coming out of the filter was ran into a small oil cooler which had a small 800 cfm fan attached. We continued adding oil until the dip stick showed it full. The coolant was filled as well. The engine starts and runs fine but at it runs the oil temp climbs quickly. The coolant shows a temp of 160-180 while the oil shows 240 and if allowed to run continues to climb. The oil filer, hoses, and cooler are hot but am concerned to continue allowing it run. The temp gauge only reads 280 and it is believed it would reach that temp. It does have a low oil pressure switch and a high temp coolant switch but neither have shut it down. The oil pressure shows 50 to 55 psi. We are completely confused as to what is happening. The oil circulates in hoses that ate about 12 feet from the engine to the filter and about 12 feet back to the engine. This is due to being about the only location where the filter could be mounted. In thinking out loud, wonder if the hoses are too long or maybe the temp sending unit in the T is blocking some of the flow? Any ideas thoughts or repairs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 

nota4re

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Premium Member

Equipment
Case 580M Turbo; Kioti DK4210SE-CH; Kubota L2501 (Traded-in)
Aug 16, 2019
128
45
28
Newhall, CA
I think 24' is way too long for the oil to have to travel. From your post, it seems that you did the relocation in order to solve a "nasty and lengthy process of changing the oil and filter ", but it sounds like you did not have an oil temp problem to begin with? If so, you may consider going back to stock - perhaps with some provision to monitor oil temps and see what the temps are and how they may ramp up with usage. I hope you find that stock temps are OK and then, if so, you need to find a closer place to mount the filter relocate and cooler. Also, I think 1/2" lines are too small - as are the associated fittings for 1/2". With the length of the run, the size of the line and fittings, you are really limiting oil flow. Sure, your pressure is fine but your flow volume is horrible.
 
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Dave_eng

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M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,108
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Williamstown Ontario Canada
Is this an engine in a boat, powering a generator...............

Before your filtration mods what oil temp was it running or was there no gauge at that point in time?

Dave
 
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lugbolt

Well-known member

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
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Mid, South, USA
24 FEET of hose? Yeah I bet it does run hot. That's a lot of flow restriction not even counting the fittings.
 

mikester

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M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,125
1,609
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Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
I am confused by what the OP is trying to accomplish and think they should post photos of what was done.

You need to change the oil every 200 hours and it's too complicated to use an offset funnel refilling the oil and you don't want to buy a filter wrench??? So now you re-routed the oil filter and added an oil cooler? My two cents are betting you hooked something up wrong and are trying to fry your motor because you bypassed the oil filter circuit with your plumbing job.
 
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Bugs 01

New member

Equipment
Z482
Jun 23, 2021
16
0
1
Tn
Engine power a generator. Did not have any way to know what the original oil temp was because it did not have a gauge. Kind of hard to run the plumbing backwards because the oil filter adapter is marked IN and OUT, the fittings in the adapter are 1/2". The remote oil filter is marked as well with 1/2" fittings. I guess one could use an adapter to step up to a larger line but the flow would still be reguired to flow thru these original 1/2". What effect would this have? If one was to step up, what size would you think should be used? In addition, the cooler is entirely 1/2" tubing or maybe even a little smaller. If the hose is too long, what would you think would be the max permissible? I appreciate your input and look forward to additional assistance.
 

nota4re

Active member
Premium Member

Equipment
Case 580M Turbo; Kioti DK4210SE-CH; Kubota L2501 (Traded-in)
Aug 16, 2019
128
45
28
Newhall, CA
I would recommend that you are using AN -10 line (5/8") with high quality fittings and with an oil filter adapter and cooler set-up for -10. And find a location to keep the lines as short as possible and where possible use straight fittings instead of 90-degree fittings. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine and you need to be careful when making these kinds of mods. You can source lines, fittings and coolers from a quality manufacturer such as SETRAB.
 
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marine-mp

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Kubota G5200 HST
Oct 4, 2020
69
56
18
Western NC
As with anything else, you probably voided any manufacture warranty, if there was one. My thot on this is that the manufacturer would have put one on if it needed one. Jmho. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike
 

PoTreeBoy

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L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,344
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WestTn/NoMs
I'm thinking you have a restriction that is causing the pump relief valve to bypass, causing heat from fluid friction, and potentially starving the bearings. The 1/2 hose itself may be large enough, but the fitting i.d. may be considerably smaller. Also, I think you said the cooler is less than 1/2. I'd take the cooler out of the circuit and see if the temp rises slower and the oil pressure lowers.
 

mattwithcats

Active member
Jun 17, 2017
772
63
28
Virginia
What oil filter are you running?

Assuming it is 3/4-16…

Rather than a remote oil cooler, I would use a right angle oil filter adapter and a Fumoto drain valve.
 

Bugs 01

New member

Equipment
Z482
Jun 23, 2021
16
0
1
Tn
I have contacted Setrab to see if they have an oil filter adapter and filter base with larger inlet and outlet holes.
Will try to check the fittings tomorrow to check for possible restrictions. Will try to just remove the remote filter and move it closer to see what happens.
I would take photos but have no way to take photos.
In regard to a right angle filter adapter, the original filter mounted at right angles to the engine. It was horizontal. To access, one was required to remove an access panel, then run your arm up inside the box. When you broke it loose, the oil ran down your arm and by the time the filter was removed, oil had ran all the way down your arm to your shoulder. There is no oil pan plug but a cut off like the suggested drain valve. The last time I changed the oil it took in excess of 3 hours. No, that was not the first time I had performed this feat.
I wanted a Baldwin filter but my auto parts only had a Fram PH373, with a 13/16x16 thread.
Thanks for the thoughts and interest. I certainly appreciate it.
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
113
Mid, South, USA
Almost all aftermarket oil filter relocation kits are garbage. Or more specifically I've not used one that I liked. Rubber hoses? LOL! Should be braided only. Even then, they have to be the right type, the right size hose, fittings, the right adapter, etc. Manufacturers of equipment spend millions designing the equipment to meet a lot of needs; and one of those is reasonable reliability and longevity. So it makes one question why there isn't an oil cooler on it from the factory?

You may look into a liquid oil cooler, one that circulates coolant through it. If it were accessible, you might could get one from a larger tractor, say, a L4400 or something and adapt it. But it sounds like even that's not feasible, apparently. And with that in mind, one could question inconvenience vs reliability.
 

DustyRusty

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Equipment
BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,956
3,695
113
North East CT
Have you considered using a boat oil sucker bucket to remove the hot oil from the crankcase via the oil dipstick? You pump out the hot oil, and then wait till the engine is cold to remove the oil filter. Saves you a lot of time since you don't have to go under the machine to get to the drain plug. Many of the high end cars, such as Mercedes, etc. no longer have drain plugs, and this is how they remove the oil by sucking it out hot. The first time that I did it with my Explorer, I pulled the drain plug and barely got a tablespoon of oil out of the oil pan. Been doing it this way successfully for at least 15 years. Sure beats burning your hands and arms with hot oil.
Jabsco 17850-1012 DIY Engine Oil Change System, 3.5 Gallon Capacity, 12 Volt , Black
oil drain bucket.jpg
 

mattwithcats

Active member
Jun 17, 2017
772
63
28
Virginia
The reason oil is running down your arm is the PH373 does not have a drain back valve.

I suggest a PH5 oil filter, Wix 51060, or equivalent …

Two inches shorter, holds a quart less, but you can get a much better filter than that orange Fram can.
 
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lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
113
Mid, South, USA
Have you considered using a boat oil sucker bucket to remove the hot oil from the crankcase via the oil dipstick? You pump out the hot oil, and then wait till the engine is cold to remove the oil filter. Saves you a lot of time since you don't have to go under the machine to get to the drain plug. Many of the high end cars, such as Mercedes, etc. no longer have drain plugs, and this is how they remove the oil by sucking it out hot. The first time that I did it with my Explorer, I pulled the drain plug and barely got a tablespoon of oil out of the oil pan. Been doing it this way successfully for at least 15 years. Sure beats burning your hands and arms with hot oil.
Jabsco 17850-1012 DIY Engine Oil Change System, 3.5 Gallon Capacity, 12 Volt , Black
View attachment 65855
yes I use a version of that at work, daily, many times a day. Time saver! And much cleaner, a lot fewer dirty rags that have to be disposed of. That evacuator has made me more money than any other tool I own, period.

I made my own out of an old air tank and a pneumatic vacuum pump venturi but it can be electric or manual operated pump too, it doesn't matter as long as the tank has less than atmospheric pressure so it can "suck" oil out. Mityvac makes a couple different ones; actually that's where mine originally came from, I broke it and robbed the venturi off of it to make my own. Mine pumps in (sucks) and pumps out via air hose.